bite
- 01 A2 Elementary
v.to use your teeth to cut into or through something.
v.to use the teeth to cut into, grip, or seize something.
Simple“Be careful because that dog might bite if you get too close.”
In context“The toddler accidentally bit his tongue while trying to chew a particularly tough piece of steak.”
PitfallThe dog has bited the postman. The dog has bitten the postman.Bite is an irregular verb: bite, bit, bitten.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to start to have a strong or unpleasant effect.
v.to take effect or begin to have a significant, often deleterious, impact.
Simple“The higher prices are starting to bite, and people are buying less.”
In context“As the winter temperatures dropped, the fuel shortages began to bite, forcing many families to ration their heating.”
UsageOften used in economic or social contexts.
Synonymstake holdimpact - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to be very bad, annoying, or disappointing.
v.to be extremely unpleasant or of very poor quality.
Simple“It really bites that we have to work on a Saturday.”
In context“The fact that the concert was cancelled after we drove three hours to get there really bites.”
UsageUsed as a stative verb in this sense.
Teacher's tipThis is very common in casual spoken English but should be avoided in professional writing.
- 04 A2 Elementary
n.a small amount of food that you eat quickly.
n.a small amount of food; a snack or a single mouthful produced by biting.
Simple“We should grab a quick bite before the movie starts.”
In context“After the long hike, even a small bite of a protein bar felt like a luxury.”
UsageCommonly used in the phrase 'a bite to eat'.
- 05 A2 Elementary
n.a mark or injury on your skin made by an insect or animal.
n.a wound, puncture, or skin irritation resulting from the teeth or mouthparts of an animal or insect.
Simple“I have a red mosquito bite on my arm that is very itchy.”
In context“The doctor examined the snake bite carefully to determine if the species was venomous.”
- 06 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a sharp or strong feeling, taste, or quality.
n.a sharp, pungent, or incisive quality; often refers to cold weather or spicy food.
Simple“There is a real bite in the air this morning, so wear a coat.”
In context“The critic's review had a certain bite to it, exposing the flaws in the director's logic with clinical precision.”
From Middle English biten, from Old English bītan (“bite”), from Proto-West Germanic bītan, from Proto-Germanic bītaną (“bite”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeyd- (“split”). Cognates include Saterland Frisian biete (“bite”), West Frisian bite (“bite”), Dutch bijten (“bite”), German Low German bieten (“bite”), German beißen, beissen (“bite”), Danish bide (“bite”), Swedish bita (“bite”), Norwegian Bokmål bite (“bite”), Norwegian Nynorsk bita (“bite”), Icelandic bíta (“bite”), Gothic 𐌱𐌴𐌹𐍄𐌰𐌽 (beitan, “bite”), Latin findō (“split”), Ancient Greek φείδομαι (pheídomai), Sanskrit भिद् (bhid, “break”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.