bite
bite — verb
1. to press your teeth into food, an object, or a person's body, often to cut a pie
to press your teeth into food, an object, or a person's body, often to cut a piece off, hold it firmly, or hurt them.
Zara bit into the warm apple and felt the juice run down her chin.
bite into + food noun
The neighbour's dog bit Tomás on the leg while he was jogging in the park.
bite + person + on + body part
Be careful with the corn on the cob, or you might bite your tongue.
bite + body part (accidental)
Xander bit off a small piece of chocolate and passed the rest to her brother.
bite off + a piece of + noun
The toddler bit down hard on the wooden spoon during the dental check.
bite down on + object
- bite into an apple
- bite your nails
- bite your lip
- bite off a piece
Grammar Patterns
bite + noun
bite into + noun
bite (off) a piece of + noun
Usage Note
Subject is usually a person or animal with teeth or jaws; the object is often food or a body part. Distinguish from sense 3 (snake/insect) where there are no real teeth involved.
Common Mistakes
2. of a fish — to take the food attached to a fishing line into its mouth, so that
of a fish — to take the food attached to a fishing line into its mouth, so that the angler can catch it.
The trout weren't biting that morning, so Grandpa packed up his rods early.
intransitive: subject = fish, no object
Olu waited two hours by the lake before a single carp finally bit.
single fish + bit (past simple)
If the salmon are not biting, try moving to the deeper water near the rocks.
negative form + plural fish
Lior used live worms as bait and the perch started to bite within minutes.
bait + bite collocation
- the fish are biting
- trout were biting
- not biting today
- nibble
to take small tastes of bait without being fully hooked
- take the bait
fixed phrase, same idea
Grammar Patterns
the fish + bite (no object)
Usage Note
Used only intransitively. The subject is always a fish or fish species; no human or other animal can be the subject in this sense.
Common Mistakes
3. of a small creature such as a mosquito, ant, or snake — to make a small painful
of a small creature such as a mosquito, ant, or snake — to make a small painful hole in someone's skin, sometimes leaving poison behind.
Lior was bitten by mosquitoes all over her arms during the camping trip.
passive: be bitten by + insect
A small green snake bit the farmer's ankle as he walked through the long grass.
active: snake + bite + body part
Red ants bite hard if you stand on their nest by accident.
intransitive: ants bite (general)
Dr. Vesna warned the children that some spiders in the garden bite.
general truth, present tense
- bitten by a mosquito
- snake bit
- ant bites
- get bitten
Grammar Patterns
bite + person
be bitten by + creature
Usage Note
Frequently appears in the passive (be bitten by). Subject is a small animal that pierces the skin rather than chews; for animals with full jaws like dogs, use sense 1.
Common Mistakes
4. of a policy, tax, or difficult situation — to start to cause real harm or hardsh
of a policy, tax, or difficult situation — to start to cause real harm or hardship that people clearly feel.
Higher fuel prices are starting to bite for families on low incomes.
start to bite + for + group affected
The new import tax really began to bite when small shops closed across the town.
begin to bite + concrete result
The summer drought is biting hard at farms in the southern valleys.
bite hard at + place
Sanctions on Russian oil exports are expected to bite when factory workers in Moscow lose overtime pay.
expected to bite + concrete affected group
- start to bite
- really bite
- sanctions bite
- hurt
more general; 'bite' suggests slow, gradual pressure
- take effect
neutral; 'bite' carries a clearly negative tone
- ease
to become less severe
Grammar Patterns
something + bite (no object)
begin/start to bite
Usage Note
Subject is usually an abstract force like a tax, sanction, recession, or weather event — not a person. Often paired with 'start to', 'begin to', or 'really'.
Common Mistakes
5. to show that you are interested in a deal, suggestion, or trick, usually by agre
to show that you are interested in a deal, suggestion, or trick, usually by agreeing to talk further or accepting it.
We dropped the price by ten percent, but no buyers were biting.
no one biting + sales context
Tomás offered Zara a free trial, hoping she would bite.
hope + someone + bite (informal)
The recruiter sent three messages before the candidate finally bit.
finally bit + after attempts
I dangled the idea of a weekend trip, and my parents bit straight away.
metaphorical bait + bite
- nobody is biting
- finally bite
- bite at an offer
- refuse
to clearly say no to an offer
Grammar Patterns
someone + bite (no object)
bite at + offer
Usage Note
Informal, often in business or sales contexts. Echoes sense 2 (fish biting bait) — the offer is the bait and the person is the fish. Distinguish from sense 1: nothing is actually bitten with teeth here.
Common Mistakes
bite back
phrasal verbTo stop yourself from saying something or showing a feeling.
She bit back a sarcastic reply and stayed quiet.
He bit back his anger and smiled politely.
bite into
phrasal verbTo cut into something with your teeth, or to reduce something gradually.
The apple was so crisp that it was easy to bite into.
Rising costs are biting into our profits this quarter.
To become very interested or excited about something.
After his trip to Japan, Tom was bitten by the sushi bug.
Mia got bitten by the photography bug and bought a new camera.
bite the bullet
idiomTo force yourself to do something difficult or unpleasant that you have been avoiding.
Sara bit the bullet and finally went to the dentist.
We had to bite the bullet and sell our old car.
bite the dust
idiomTo fail, be defeated, or stop existing.
Many small shops bite the dust during the recession.
Our team bit the dust in the first round of the tournament.
To harm or be ungrateful to someone who has helped you.
He bit the hand that fed him by quitting without notice.
Criticizing your boss is like biting the hand that feeds you.
To speak to someone very angrily, often for no good reason.
When I asked a simple question, she bit my head off.
Don't snap his head off; he was just trying to help.
bite your lip
idiomTo stop yourself from showing emotion or saying something.
Lisa bit her lip to keep from laughing during the meeting.
He bit his lip and remained silent despite the insult.
To try to do something that is too difficult or too much for you.
By taking five classes, I bit off more than I could chew.
Don't bite off more than you can chew; start with one project.
bite your tongue
idiomTo stop yourself from saying something that might cause trouble.
I bit my tongue when my friend made a rude comment.
She wanted to argue but bit her tongue instead.
An alcoholic drink taken to cure a hangover from drinking too much the night before.
He ordered a Bloody Mary as a hair of the dog.
After the party, she had a beer for the hair of the dog.
After a bad experience, you become cautious about similar situations.
Once bitten, twice shy; she never invested in risky stocks again.
After being cheated, he is once bitten, twice shy about online deals.
bite — noun
1. the action of pressing your teeth into something, especially food, in order to t
the action of pressing your teeth into something, especially food, in order to take a piece into your mouth.
Xander took one bite of the cake and decided it was too sweet.
take + a + bite of + food
Olu offered me a bite of his sandwich while we waited for the bus.
a bite of + food noun
With one quick bite, the puppy finished the whole biscuit.
with + one + bite (manner)
The chef showed the children how to take small bites and chew slowly.
take + small bites (instructional)
- take a bite
- one bite
- a bite of pizza
- small bites
Grammar Patterns
a bite of + noun
take a bite (of + noun)
Usage Note
Countable. Most common pattern is 'take a bite (of)'. Distinguish from sense 4 ('a small meal'), where 'a bite' refers to the food itself, not the action.
Common Mistakes
2. a red, sore, or painful mark on the skin where a person, animal, or insect has u
a red, sore, or painful mark on the skin where a person, animal, or insect has used their teeth, fangs, or stinger.
Lior scratched the mosquito bites on her ankles all through the meeting.
mosquito bites (compound noun)
The dog bite on his hand needed five stitches at the hospital.
dog bite + need + stitches
Snake bites can be very dangerous if you do not get help quickly.
snake bites + general truth
Dr. Vesna cleaned the small bite on the boy's leg with warm water.
the bite + on + body part
- mosquito bite
- snake bite
- dog bite
- insect bites
- bite mark
Grammar Patterns
a + bite
[creature] + bite (compound: snake bite, mosquito bite)
Usage Note
Often forms compound nouns naming the creature: 'mosquito bite', 'snake bite', 'dog bite', 'flea bite'. The location is usually marked with 'on + body part'.
Common Mistakes
3. an event during fishing in which a fish takes the bait on the hook, giving the a
an event during fishing in which a fish takes the bait on the hook, giving the angler a chance to catch it.
Grandpa got his first bite of the day just before lunch.
get + a bite (fishing event)
After three quiet hours, Olu felt a strong bite on his line.
feel + a bite + on + line
The boat crew cheered loudly when they had a bite from a big tuna.
have + a bite from + fish
Lior stayed quiet on the riverbank, hoping for a bite before sunset.
hope for + a bite
- get a bite
- feel a bite
- a strong bite
Grammar Patterns
get + a bite
have + a bite
Usage Note
Used in the singular with 'a' or 'the'. Almost always in fishing or angling contexts; not used about other animals taking food.
Common Mistakes
4. a small or quick amount of food, eaten between main meals or when there is littl
a small or quick amount of food, eaten between main meals or when there is little time.
Let's grab a bite at the café before the film starts.
grab + a bite (informal)
Xander only had time for a quick bite between her two morning classes.
a quick bite + between + events
We stopped at a roadside stall for a bite to eat on the way home.
a bite to eat (set phrase)
Tomás invited his colleagues out for a bite after the long meeting.
out for + a bite
- grab a bite
- a bite to eat
- a quick bite
- feast
a very large meal, the opposite of a small bite
Grammar Patterns
a bite to eat
grab a bite
have a bite
Usage Note
Informal. The most common patterns are 'grab/have a bite' and 'a bite to eat'. The food itself, not the act of biting (sense 1), is the meaning here.
Common Mistakes
5. a sharp, hot, or strong flavour in food or drink that you can clearly feel on yo
a sharp, hot, or strong flavour in food or drink that you can clearly feel on your tongue.
The chef added fresh ginger to give the soup a bit more bite.
give + something + bite (taste)
This blue cheese has real bite — try a small piece first.
have + bite (uncountable)
Zara's grandmother makes a curry with plenty of bite from green chillies.
with bite + from + source
The mustard sauce on the steak had real bite that Tomás loved.
have + real bite (uncountable)
- have bite
- give it some bite
- real bite
- blandness
a lack of strong taste
Grammar Patterns
have + bite
a bit of bite
Usage Note
Uncountable in this sense — no plural and no 'a'. The cause of the sharpness (chilli, ginger, mustard, strong cheese) is often added with 'from'.
Common Mistakes
6. a sharp, strong quality in writing, speech, music, or rules that makes them feel
a sharp, strong quality in writing, speech, music, or rules that makes them feel powerful and have a clear effect on people.
The new rules on plastic waste finally have some bite.
have + bite (rules with effect)
The mayor's opening speech lacked the bite the audience had expected before the election.
lack + bite (insufficient force)
The young guitarist's playing had real bite, sharp and full of energy.
have + real bite (music)
The editor told Tomás his article needed more bite and a stronger ending.
need + more bite (writing)
- have bite
- real bite
- lack bite
- more bite
- weakness
lack of strong impact
Grammar Patterns
have + bite
lack + bite
Usage Note
Uncountable and figurative. Subject is usually a piece of work, performance, or policy — not a physical object. Often paired with 'have', 'lack', or 'need more'.
Common Mistakes
bite back
phrasal verbto answer in an angry or sharp way after being attacked, criticised, or treated badly.
When the reporter pressed him, the mayor bit back with a sharp reply about fairness.
Xander usually stays calm, but this time she bit back at her noisy neighbour.
bite into
phrasal verbto use up or reduce a noticeable part of someone's money, time, or comfort.
Higher rents are starting to bite into the family's monthly savings.
The long commute really bites into Tomás's evening study time.
bite the bullet
idiomto force yourself to do something difficult or painful that you have been avoiding, because you finally have no other choice.
Tomás finally bit the bullet and told his boss he was leaving the company.
After months of pain, Zara bit the bullet and booked the dental surgery.
bite the dust
idiomto fail completely, stop working, or die — used in an informal, often slightly humorous way.
Another small bookstore on Main Street has bitten the dust this year.
Xander's old laptop finally bit the dust during the long video call.
to try to do too much work or take on something too difficult, so that you cannot finish it well.
Olu took on three projects at once and quickly realised he had bitten off more than he could chew.
Don't bite off more than you can chew — finish the kitchen before starting the bathroom.
bite your tongue
idiomto stop yourself from saying something rude or angry, even though you really want to.
Zara bit her tongue when her uncle started talking about politics at dinner.
Sometimes a good manager has to bite their tongue and let the team make small mistakes.
to harm or be rude to the person or group who gives you support, money, or care.
Criticising the charity that paid for his studies was clearly biting the hand that fed him.
Don't bite the hand that feeds you — your aunt has helped you for years.
after one bad experience, a person becomes very careful so that the same thing does not happen again.
Lior lost money on her first online order, and now, once bitten, twice shy, she always reads the reviews.
Once bitten, twice shy — Olu refuses to lend his tools to anyone these days.
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
All five verbs involve teeth, but they differ in force, repetition, and size. 'Bite' is a single, decisive action — pressing or sinking the teeth in once, as when Zara bites into an apple. 'Chew' continues from there: it means to keep grinding the food with your back teeth before swallowing, so you bite first and chew afterwards. 'Gnaw' is slow and persistent, suggesting hard work on something tough — a dog gnawing a bone, or rats gnawing through wood. 'Nibble' is gentle and small: a child nibbles a biscuit, or a fish nibbles bait without committing. 'Nip' is quick and sharp, often playful or mildly painful, like a puppy nipping your fingers. Choose 'bite' for the basic action; the others narrow it by force, length, or playfulness.
Common collocations
Etymology
'Bite' comes from Old English 'bītan', meaning to cut into with teeth. It belongs to a wide Germanic family — Dutch 'bijten', German 'beissen', Swedish 'bita' all share the same root. Further back, scholars trace the word to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning to split or cleave, which also gave Latin 'findere' (to split) and the English word 'fission'. The basic tooth-and-jaw meaning has been stable for over a thousand years; the figurative senses — about taxes biting, food having bite, or someone biting at an offer — all developed later in English by extending the picture of teeth pressing into something.