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bite

v. · n.
US //ˈbaɪt// UK //bˈaɪt// bite
Irregular verb past bit past participle bitten
  1. 1 to use teeth (v.)
    A2 Elementary

    to use your teeth to cut into or through something.

    to use the teeth to cut into, grip, or seize something.

    Example

    Be careful because that dog might bite if you get too close.

    Example

    The toddler accidentally bit his tongue while trying to chew a particularly tough piece of steak.
    Pitfall
    The dog has bited the postman.
    The dog has bitten the postman.

    Bite is an irregular verb: bite, bit, bitten.

  2. 2 to have an effect (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to start to have a strong or unpleasant effect.

    to take effect or begin to have a significant, often deleterious, impact.

    Example

    The higher prices are starting to bite, and people are buying less.

    Example

    As the winter temperatures dropped, the fuel shortages began to bite, forcing many families to ration their heating.

    Usage

    Often used in economic or social contexts.
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  1. 3 to be bad (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal Slang

    to be very bad, annoying, or disappointing.

    to be extremely unpleasant or of very poor quality.

    Example

    It really bites that we have to work on a Saturday.

    Example

    The fact that the concert was cancelled after we drove three hours to get there really bites.

    Usage

    Used as a stative verb in this sense.

    Teacher's tip

    This is very common in casual spoken English but should be avoided in professional writing.
  2. 4 a small amount of food (n.)
    A2 Elementary

    a small amount of food that you eat quickly.

    a small amount of food; a snack or a single mouthful produced by biting.

    Example

    We should grab a quick bite before the movie starts.

    Example

    After the long hike, even a small bite of a protein bar felt like a luxury.

    Usage

    Commonly used in the phrase 'a bite to eat'.
  3. 5 an insect sting or wound (n.)
    A2 Elementary Medicine

    a mark or injury on your skin made by an insect or animal.

    a wound, puncture, or skin irritation resulting from the teeth or mouthparts of an animal or insect.

    Example

    I have a red mosquito bite on my arm that is very itchy.

    Example

    The doctor examined the snake bite carefully to determine if the species was venomous.
  4. 6 a sharp quality (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a sharp or strong feeling, taste, or quality.

    a sharp, pungent, or incisive quality; often refers to cold weather or spicy food.

    Example

    There is a real bite in the air this morning, so wear a coat.

    Example

    The critic's review had a certain bite to it, exposing the flaws in the director's logic with clinical precision.
    • mildness
Origin

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”).

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