Definition of “bite” - English Dictionary

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“bite” in English

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biteverb

uk ​ /baɪt/ us ​ /baɪt/ bit, bitten

bite verb (USE TEETH)

B1 [ I or T ] to use your teeth to cut into something or someone:

He bit into the apple.
He bites his fingernails.

› [ I ] When a fish bites, it swallows the food on the hook (= curved piece of wire) at the end of a fishing line:

The fish aren't biting today.

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Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

Idiom(s)

bite sb's head off
bite your lip
bite your tongue
bite me!
bite off more than you can chew
bite the bullet
bite the dust
bite the hand that feeds you
come back to bite sb
sb/sth won't bite

Phrasal verb(s)

bite back (at sb/sth)
bite sth back
bite into sth

bitenoun

uk ​ /baɪt/ us ​ /baɪt/

bite noun (USING TEETH)

B2 [ C ] the act of biting something:

He took a bite (= bit a piece) out of the apple.

Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

Idiom(s)

another/a second bite at/of the cherry

(Definition of “bite” from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

“bite” in American English

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biteverb

us ​ /bɑɪt/ past tense and past participle bit /bɪt/ , past participle bitten /ˈbɪt·ən/

bite verb (USE TEETH)

› [ I/T ] to use your teeth to cut into something:

[ I/T ] He bit (into) the apple.
[ I/T ] You have to teach your children not to bite (other kids).

› [ I/T ] If an insect bites, it breaks the surface of the skin of a person and leaves a sore place:

[ I ] We can’t eat outside tonight – the mosquitoes are biting.

› [ I/T ] A fish bites when it takes a fishing hook into its mouth:

[ I ] We were on the lake all day, but the fish just weren’t biting.

bite verb (HAVE AN EFFECT)

› [ I ] to have an effect that is often unpleasant or severe:

When the recession began to bite, people spent less on eating out in restaurants.

Idiom(s)

bite someone’s head off
bite off more than you can chew
bite the bullet
bite the dust
bite your tongue

bitenoun

us ​ /bɑɪt/

bite noun (USE OF TEETH)

› [ C ] the act of using your teeth to cut and tear something, or the piece torn away:

He took a few bites of the chicken and drank some water.

› [ C ] A bite is also a sore place on the surface of your skin made by an insect:

mosquito bites

› [ C ] In fishing, a bite is a fish taking a hook in its mouth.

Idiom(s)

a bite (to eat)

(Definition of “bite” from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

“bite” in Business English

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biteverb [ I ]

uk ​ /baɪt/ us ​
start/begin to bite

› to start to have a bad effect on something:

When the credit crunch started to bite, many smaller firms were forced out of business.
Sales will slow as interest rates begin to bite.

Phrasal verb(s)

bite into sth

bitenoun

uk ​ /baɪt/ us ​
the bite of sth

› the harmful effect of something:

Homeowners need to be protected from the bite of tax increases.
take a bite out of sth

› to reduce the number or amount of something:

The budget deficit has taken a big bite out of federal funds.

› [ C ] IT another spelling of byte

(Definition of “bite” from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

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