BITE

[verb] [past simple] bit, [past participle] bitten - to use your teeth to cut into somethingWhen her puppy bit me Joan told me that it was "only playing". [T]The boys were kicking, biting and scratching as she dragged them into the room. [I]He bit (into) the apple. [T; I + into]She finished sewing and bit off the end of the thread. [M]An insect bit me on the arm. [T](figurative) The racing bug bit him badly/He got badly bitten by the racing bug (= he developed a strong interest in racing) in his teens. [T]One of those waiting for interview was looking very nervous, biting his lip(s) (= holding esp. his lower lip between his teeth) and moving on his chair. [T](figurative) We found his speech so funny we had to bite our lips (= hide the emotion we felt) - it was meant to be a serious occasion. [T]She can't stop biting her nails. [T]When a fish bites it takes the food from the hook and is caught as a result.The fish aren't biting today.(figurative) My house is for sale but nobody seems to be biting (= no one is showing any interest). [I]When car tyres bite the road, they take a firm hold of the surface and do not slide.If a new law, tax, activity, etc. bites, its unpleasant effects start to be felt.When the recession began/started to bite, people spent less on eating out in restaurants. [I]These changes always bite the elderly hard. [T]The cold began to bite into their bones (= be felt unpleasantly in their body). [I]To bite into something is also to remove part of it.Her job was demanding and began to bite (deep) into her free time.Our parent company's patience is now being rewarded, as we are beginning to bite into the share of our competitors.(humorous) If you say that a person or thing won't bite, you are telling someone not to be frightened of them.Just go and ask her if you can borrow the book - she won't bite (you).(UK) He bit back (= stopped himself from saying) the cruel words he wanted to say.(informal) To bite off (more than you can chew/cope with/manage) is to try to do something which is too difficult for you.Don't try and bite off too much at once.When it expanded into toys, the company bit off more than it could chew.(informal) To bite someone's head off is to speak to them in anger and sharply for no good reason.I only asked if I could help - there's no need to bite my head off!To bite the hand that feeds you is to act badly towards the person who is helping or has helped you.To bite the bullet is to force yourself to perform an unpleasant or difficult action or to be brave in a difficult situation.I don't want to go to the dentist but I'll just have to bite the bullet.(esp. humorous) To bite the dust is (of people and animals) to fall, esp. from a moving object, and sometimes to die, or (of things) to end in failureAs they came round the bend several riders bit the dust.His career bit the dust when he lost his job.There wasn't enough money so another good idea bit the dust!If you bite your tongue you stop yourself from saying something.I wanted to tell him exactly what had happened, but Margaret didn't want him to know so I had to bite my tongue.