bite

BYT/baɪt/

Verbbites, biting, bit, bitten

Noun pluralbites

29 meanings of bite

Practice

1
attack with teethverbintransitive
To press your teeth into something or someone, to cut, hold, or hurt it.
That dog will bite if you get too close.
The horse tried to bite when the vet approached.
UsageSay bit for the past and bitten after has or was.
2
nouncountable or uncountable
A mark or sore place on the skin where an animal or insect has bitten you.
The dog bite needed several stitches.
She cleaned the bite before bandaging it.
3
mouthfulnouncountable or uncountable
A small amount of food that fits in your mouth at once.
She took a bite of the sandwich.
He offered me a bite of his pizza.
UsageSay take a bite of your sandwich.
Similarmouthful, morsel
Note
4
insect stingverbtransitive or intransitive
To make a small hole in your skin, the way a mosquito does.
Mosquitoes bite people most at dusk.
The flies were biting all afternoon.
UsageMosquitoes bite, but bees sting.
Similarsting
5
sharpnessnounfigurativelyuncountable
A sharp, strong quality that you notice, like in a cold wind, a spicy taste, or clever writing.
Like a knife sharp enough to cut cleanly.
The speech had real bite and made everyone think.
Good comedy needs some bite.
UsageOften have real bite or lack bite.
Similaredge, punch, sharpness, sting, kick
6
snacknouncountable or uncountable
A small, quick meal or snack.
Let's grab a bite before the movie.
We stopped for a bite at the diner.
UsageOften grab a bite or a bite to eat.
Similarsnack
Note
7
nouncountable or uncountable
The action of closing the teeth on something.
The crocodile's bite can snap bone.
A single bite from the dog tore the toy apart.
Note
8
verbintransitive
To start having a strong, often bad, effect.
The new rules are starting to bite.
Higher prices will bite by winter.
UsageOften begin to bite or start to bite, used for cuts, taxes, or rules.
Similarhurt, pinch, tell
9
nouncountable
A fish taking the food on a hook, or a sign that someone is interested in something you offer.
We sat by the lake for two hours without a single bite.
I put my old bike up for sale and got a bite the first day.
UsageOften no bites or not a single bite.
Similarnibble
Note
10
sound clipnouncountable or uncountableabbreviationellipsis
Short form of sound bite. It means a short recorded clip of someone speaking on TV or radio.
The news ran a ten-second bite from the mayor's speech.
The evening news played a short bite from the mayor's speech.
Note
11
nouncountable
The way your top and bottom teeth fit together when you close your mouth.
The dentist said my bite is a little uneven.
Two years of braces fixed her bite.
Note
12
nouncountable or uncountable
The firm grip one part of a machine has on another.
Like the way pliers grip a nail so it can't move.
The clamp doesn't have enough bite to hold the pipe.
The worn pliers had no bite on the smooth pipe.
Similarpurchase, grip

Less common meanings

13
fishingverbintransitive
To take the bait on a hook into its mouth, as a fish does.
The fish weren't biting this morning.
Wait quietly and the trout will bite.
UsageOften the fish are biting.
14
fall forverbfigurativelyintransitive
To accept an offer or trick that someone has set up for you.
Like a fish that grabs the bait without noticing the hook.
We offered a discount, but no customers would bite.
The scammer waited for someone to bite.
UsageOK, I'll bite means 'OK, tell me.'
Note
15
sharp painverbintransitive
To hurt someone or damage something in a sharp, painful way.
Like a sharp sting that hurts for a moment.
The cold wind can bite on a winter morning.
The late frost bit the young plants and turned their leaves black.
Similarsting, hurt, nip, cut
Note
16
be lousyverbslangintransitive
To be very bad or of poor quality.
Like a meal that tastes so bad you wish you hadn't ordered it.
Cheap headphones bite. The sound is terrible.
This homework totally bites.
UsageLike sucks: this homework bites.
Similarsuck, stink
Oppositerock
Note
17
rude insultverbvulgarcolloquialtransitive
To perform oral sex on someone, used as a rude insult.
He told his critics to bite him and walked off the stage.
Tired of his teasing, she rolled her eyes and said, "Bite me."
UsageMostly the rude reply Bite me!
Note
18
snap at peopleverbintransitive
To act in an unfriendly way and push people away.
Like a cat that hisses when you reach out to pet it.
Ask him your question. He won't bite.
Ask the librarian for help if you need it. She won't bite.
UsageMostly he doesn't bite: don't be afraid of him.
Similarsnap
Note
19
hold fastverbintransitive
To grip well and not slip.
Like shoe soles that grip the floor so you don't slide.
The anchor finally bit, and the boat stopped drifting.
These new tires bite well on wet roads.
Similargrip, catch, hold
Oppositeslip
20
taste sharpverbintransitive
To have a sharp, stinging taste or feeling.
Like the sharp sting you feel when you bite a raw onion.
The hot sauce really bites on my tongue.
Strong mustard can bite if you use too much.
Similarburn, sting
21
share of moneynounslangcountable or uncountable
A share of money taken from a larger amount.
Like someone taking a slice of your pizza before you get any.
The fees took a big bite out of his savings.
Rent takes a huge bite out of my pay.
UsageOften take a bite out of your pay.
Similarchunk, slice, share, cut, portion
Note
22
copy othersverbslangintransitive
To copy another person's style or ideas instead of making your own.
Like copying a classmate's drawing and calling it your own.
Other artists accused him of biting their style.
Some rappers bite other people's lyrics instead of writing their own.
Similarcopy, imitate, plagiarize
Oppositeinnovate
Note
23
a copynounslangcountable or uncountable
A clear copy of someone else's work or idea.
Like tracing someone's picture and signing your own name on it.
Fans called his new song a bite of an older hit.
Everyone could tell her poster was a bite of my design.
UsageUsually a bite of something: that song is a bite of an old hit.
Similarrip-off, copy, knockoff, imitation
Note
24
a hasslenounslangcountable or uncountable
Something bad or unpleasant that happens.
Similarbummer, drag, pain
Note
25
scamnoundatedcountable or uncountable
A trick or scam used to cheat someone.
The baser methods of getting money by fraud and bite, by deceiving and overreaching.
1725, Thomas Gordon, The HumoristHere, bite means a trick or cheat used to get money from people.
Similarswindle, fraud, scam, con, hoax
Note
26
verbobsolete
To cheat or fool someone.
27
noundated
A person who tricks people out of things.
[I]t was conjectured, that Peregrine was a bite from the beginning, who had found credit on account of his effrontery and appearance, and impoſed himſelf upon the town as a young gentleman of fortune.
1751, [Tobias] Smollett, “Pickle Seems Tolerably Well Reconciled to His Cage; ”
28
noun
A blank spot at a printed page's edge or corner, where something blocked the ink.
29
noun
How sharply a spin bowler's ball turns after it hits the ground.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of bite apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From Old English bītan, meaning "bite." It goes back to an old root meaning "split."

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts

Bite descends from Old English bītan. en.wiktionary.org
Old English bītan means “bite.” en.wiktionary.org
Bite ultimately derives from a root meaning “split.” en.wiktionary.org