bite

verb

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\ ˈbīt

bit\ ˈbit

\; bitten\ ˈbi-tᵊn

\ also bit; biting\ ˈbī-tiŋ

Definition of bite

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to seize especially with teeth or jaws so as to enter, grip, or wound was bitten by a dog

b : to wound, pierce, or sting especially with a fang or a proboscis getting bitten by mosquitoes a snake bit his leg

2 : to cut or pierce with or as if with an edged weapon bit by his sword

3 : to cause sharp pain or stinging discomfort to the sleet biting our faces

4 : to take hold of help the pliers bite the part

5 archaic : to take in : cheat

intransitive verb

1 : to bite or have the habit of biting something This cat bites.

2 of a weapon or tool : to cut, pierce, or take hold bites down on the part The anchor bites into the ocean floor.

3 : to cause irritation or smarting Her criticisms really bite.

4 : corrode

5a of fish : to take a bait The fish aren't biting today.

b : to respond so as to be caught (as by a trick)

c : to accept a suggestion or an offer offered them a deal but they wouldn't bite

6 : to take or maintain a firm hold The anchor didn't bite well.

7 : to produce a negative effect the recession began to bite

8 chiefly US slang, sometimes vulgar : to be objectionable or extremely bad in quality : stink, suck This song bites.

9 US slang : to imitate or copy (someone or something) especially without permission There are lots of rappers biting his style—but there's only one James Brown! — Spin

bite off more than one can chew

: to undertake more than one can handle

bite one's tongue

: to hold back (as from a reluctance to offend) a remark one would like to make

bite the bullet

: to enter with resignation upon a difficult or distressing course of action

bite the dust

1 : to fall dead especially in battle

2a : to suffer humiliation or defeat

b : to come to an end

bite the hand that feeds one

: to injure a benefactor maliciously

bite

noun

plural bites

Definition of bite (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : the act of biting took a bite of the sandwich felt a bite at the end of the fishing line

b : the manner of biting especially, dentistry : occlusion sense 1b wore braces to correct her bite

2 : food: such as

a : the amount of food taken at a bite : morsel couldn't eat another bite

b : a small amount of food : snack have a bite to eat

3 archaic

a : cheat, trick

b : sharper

4 : a wound made by biting The bite became infected.

5 : the hold or grip by which friction (see friction sense 1b) is created or purchase (see purchase entry 2 sense 3a(1)) is obtained

6 : a surface that creates friction or is brought into contact with another for the purpose of obtaining a hold

7a : a keen incisive quality a writing style that lacks bite a satirical bite

b : a sharp penetrating effect The soup has a peppery bite. the bite of the wind on our cheeks

8 etching : a single exposure of an etcher's plate to the corrosive action of acid

9 : an amount (as of money) taken usually in one operation for one purpose : share a 15 percent bite for his manager

10 : sound bite a 10-second news bite

11 : an expression of interest in something being offered In seven previous days, the seller didn't get a single bite [=no one expressed interest in buying what was offered].— Jerry Garrett et al.

Other Words from bite Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about bite

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Synonyms & Antonyms for bite

Synonyms: Verb

smell,
stink,
suck
[informal + sometimes impolite]

Synonyms: Noun

Antonyms: Verb

rock
[slang],
rule
[slang]

Antonyms: Noun

mildness,
softness

Examples of bite in a Sentence

Verb The hamster bit the child. She bit the cookie in half. Some people bite their nails when they feel nervous. A wild animal may bite if it is frightened. The patient had been bitten by a poisonous snake. The mosquitoes are biting tonight. Are the fish biting today? Noun He ate the candy bar in three quick bites. She gave her lip a gentle bite. The fisherman felt a bite at the end of his line and reeled in a fish. My teenage daughter wears a special device at night to correct her bite. Don't scratch that mosquito bite.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Slices of raw jalapeño and garlic bring oomph to each bite, and individual diners can decide for themselves just how much. — Eleanore Park, WSJ, "A Pork Chop Ssam Recipe Perfect for Sharing," 16 Apr. 2021 Here, the wraps thankfully forgo lettuce, which can’t hold up to the heat of the grill, swapping it for shredded red cabbage and just enough tomato and cucumber to give each bite some crunch. — Soleil Ho, San Francisco Chronicle, "S.F. Middle Eastern icon Old Jerusalem's sibling restaurant is spinning gorgeously creamy hummus and crisp falafel," 15 Apr. 2021 Rabies is spread through a bite or a scratch from an infected animal, including cats, raccoons, bats, foxes and groundhogs. — Jacob Calvin Meyer, baltimoresun.com, "Rabid feral cat found in Ellicott City, Howard health department says," 14 Apr. 2021 Locally, though, Fletcher said Wednesday that the change is little more than a mosquito bite. — Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Landmark vaccination milestone arrives Thursday," 14 Apr. 2021 But after a bite, Morgan concluded that the flavor wasn’t as powerful. — Los Angeles Times, "Why flights from Central America often have the enticing aroma of fried chicken," 14 Apr. 2021 Whitaker said the current—and the resulting upriver bite--was not a surprise to the anglers, who fish the lake regularly. — Frank Sargeant, al, "Alabama Bass Trail teams turn up big catches at Lake Wheeler," 14 Apr. 2021 With a 24-hour take-out deli, travelers can get a great bite to eat at any hour at this Interstate 5 stop between Seattle and Portland, Oregon. — Larry Bleiberg, USA TODAY, "These 10 great truck stops surprise travelers with everything from dog parks to bidets," 12 Apr. 2021 Whenever a nesting pigeon flies off to get a bite to eat, the laughingthrushes zip to her nest, hop around in it and poke at her unfertilized eggs with their beaks. — Terry Demio, The Enquirer, "Han Solo, Vader and Luke are rare brothers who live their best lives at the Cincinnati Zoo," 10 Apr. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bite.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for bite

Verb

Middle English biten, going back to Old English bītan, going back to Germanic *bītan- (whence Old Saxon bītan "to bite, cut into," Old High German bīzan, Old Norse bíta, Gothic beitan), going back to Indo-European *b^hei̯d- "split," whence also Latin findere "to split, cleave, divide" (from a derivative *b^hi-n-d-), Sanskrit abhet "has split," bhinátti "(s/he) splits" and perhaps Greek pheídomai, pheídesthai "to spare, save, refrain from"