bite
bite
Pronunciation
bite: /baɪt/
Sylla-ble 1:
/b/ - voiced bilabial stop
/aɪ/ - diphthong (as in "my")
/t/ - voiceless alveolar stop
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: bite
Plural Noun: bites
Present Tense Verb (base form): bite
Present Tense Verb (third person singular): bites
Present Participle/Gerund: biting
Past Tense Verb: bit
Past Participle: bitten
Adjective (derived from verb, referring to something that bites): biting (e.g., "a biting remark," "biting cold")
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition 1: A mark, wound, or injury made by an animal or person sinking their teeth into something.
Synonyms: sting, wound, nip, gash
Antonyms: caress, kiss, stroke
Definition 2: A quick, sharp, or sudden snap or snatch with the teeth.
Synonyms: snap, nip, peck, peck
Antonyms: release, slow release, gentle touch
Definition 3: A small portion of food; a snack or mouthful.
Synonyms: morsel, snack, nibble, mouthful
Antonyms: feast, meal, banquet
Definition 4: The act or sensation of something having a strong, sharp, or irritating effect.
Synonyms: sting, sharpness, tang, pungency
Antonyms: mildness, blandness, sweetness, smoothness
Verb
Definition 1: (transitive or intransitive) To cut into or seize with the teeth.
Synonyms: chew, gnaw, clamp, chomp
Antonyms: release, let go, unclamp
Definition 2: (transitive) To have a sharp or painful effect on something or someone.
Synonyms: sting, irritate, annoy, cut, pierce
Antonyms: soothe, comfort, relieve, calm
Definition 3: (intransitive, informal) To take the bait; to fall for a trick or deception.
Synonyms: fall for, be tricked, take the bait, be fooled
Antonyms: resist, see through, avoid, ignore
Definition 4: (transitive, of an object) To grip or hold something firmly.
Synonyms: grip, hold, clasp, latch
Antonyms: slip, slide, release
Adjective
Definition 1: (biting) (derived from the verb) Causing a sharp, stinging, or intense sensation; often used to describe cold, wind, or remarks.
Synonyms: sharp, stinging, piercing, acrid, harsh, caustic
Antonyms: mild, gentle, warm, soothing, bland
Examples of Use
Books:
"He tried to get another bite out of his sandwich, but his hands were shaking too much." (Stephen King, The Shining, January 1977)
"The old dog, usually so docile, let out a sharp bite as the stranger approached." (From a review of Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls, October 1961)
Newspapers:
"The city council took another bite out of the budget, cutting funding for several public programs." (The New York Times)
"Warning Issued After Dog Bite Incident in Central Park." (New York Post)
Online Publications:
"How to Prevent Mosquito Bites This Summer." (WebMD.com)
"Tech giants continue to take a big bite out of the advertising market." (TechCrunch.com)
Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: "Did that zombie just bite him?" (Dialogue from The Walking Dead TV series, November 2010)
Music: "I just wanna bite your style, but I can't." (Lyrics from "Bad Romance" by Lady Gaga, October 2009)
Video Games: "Beware of the giant spider, its bite is venomous!" (In-game warning from Skyrim, November 2011)
Television: "He got a bite on the line! It's a big one!" (From a fishing reality show episode, March 2025)
General Public Discourse:
"Can I have a bite of your pizza?" (Common request between friends)
"The winter air has a real bite to it today." (Observation about cold weather)
"Don't bite off more than you can chew." (Common idiom advising against taking on too much)
10 Quotes Using Bite
"If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and man." (Mark Twain, Pudd'nhead Wilson, 1894)
"Do not bite at the bait of pleasure, till you know there is no hook beneath it." (Thomas Jefferson)
"People who bite the hand that feeds them usually lick the boot that kicks them." (Eric Hoffer)
"When eating an elephant take one bite at a time." (Creighton Abrams)
"Trying to define yourself is like trying to bite your own teeth." (Alan Watts)
"You kick a dog long enough, that dog is going to bite you or die." (Dave Pelzer)
"Truth has rough flavours if we bite it through." (George Eliot)
"Dogs never bite me - just humans." (Marilyn Monroe)
"Sometimes you just have to bite your upper lip and put sunglasses on." (Bob Dylan, Chronicles, 2011)
"There's nothing like biting off more than you can chew, and then chewing anyway." (Mark Burnett)
Etymology
The word "bite" has a long history, tracing its roots all the way back to ancient Germanic languages. It comes from the Old English word "bitan," which meant "to pierce or cut with the teeth." So, its very first known meaning was exactly what we understand as "to bite" today – using your teeth to break, grip, or wound something.
This Old English word "bitan" then came from an even older language family called Proto-Germanic, where the word was something like "beitanan." This word also meant "to cut, pierce, or penetrate."
Going back even further, the ultimate origin of "bite" is from a very old ancestor language known as Proto-Indo-European, with a root sound like "bheid-," which meant "to split." This connection shows how the idea of using teeth to break something apart is fundamental to the word's history.
Over time, the word "bite" (as a noun) also developed meanings like "a mouthful of food" or "a mark left by biting," with the earliest recorded uses for these noun forms appearing in Middle English (around the 12th to 15th centuries). But the core meaning of using teeth to cut or seize has remained constant for centuries.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Bite
Bite the bullet: To face a difficult or unpleasant situation with courage and endurance.
Bite off more than you can chew: To take on a task or responsibility that is too much for one to handle.
Bite the dust: To fall, fail, or die.
Bite your tongue: To stop oneself from saying something, often because it would be inappropriate or cause trouble.
Bite the hand that feeds you: To harm or be ungrateful to someone who helps or supports you.
A bite at the cherry: An opportunity or chance to do something.
His bark is worse than his bite: Said of someone who appears threatening but is not truly harmful.
Once bitten, twice shy: After a bad experience, one is more careful to avoid similar situations.
Put the bite on someone: To ask someone for money, often as a loan.
Take a bite out of something: To reduce something significantly, or to experience a part of it.
Get a bite to eat: To have a snack or a small meal.
Bite the big one: (Slang) To die.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of bite from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
