Bit vs. Bite

Bit vs. Bite — Is There a Difference?
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Difference Between Bit and Bite

Bitnoun

A piece of metal placed in a horse's mouth and connected to the reins to direct the animal.

A horse hates having a bit put in its mouth.

Biteverb

(transitive) To cut off a piece by clamping the teeth.

As soon as you bite that sandwich, you'll know how good it is.

Bitnoun

A rotary cutting tool fitted to a drill, used to bore holes.

Biteverb

(transitive) To hold something by clamping one's teeth.

Bitnoun

A coin of a specified value. (Also formerly used for a nine-pence coin in the British Caribbean, and a fourpenny piece, or groat, in the British West Indies.)

a threepenny bit

Biteverb

(intransitive) To attack with the teeth.

That dog is about to bite!
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Bitnoun

A ten-cent piece, dime.

Biteverb

(intransitive) To behave aggressively; to reject advances.

If you see me, come and say hello. I don't bite.

Bitnoun

(US) An eighth of a dollar. Note that there is no coin minted worth 12.5 cents. (When this term first came into use, the Spanish 8 reales coin was widely used as a dollar equivalent, and thus the 1 real coin was equivalent to 12.5 cents.)

A quarter is two bits.

Biteverb

(intransitive) To take hold; to establish firm contact with.

I needed snow chains to make the tires bite.

Bitnoun

In the southern and southwestern states, a small silver coin (such as the real) formerly current; commonly, one worth about 12½ cents; also, the sum of 12½ cents.

Biteverb

(intransitive) To have significant effect, often negative.

For homeowners with adjustable rate mortgages, rising interest will really bite.
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Bitnoun

A small amount of something.

There were bits of paper all over the floor.Does your leg still hurt? / Just a bit now.I've done my bit; I expect you to do yours.

Biteverb

To bite a baited hook or other lure and thus be caught.

Are the fish biting today?

Bitnoun

(informal) Specifically, a small amount of time.

I'll be there in a bit; I need to take care of something first.He was here just a bit ago, but it looks like he's stepped out.

Biteverb

To accept something offered, often secretly or deceptively, to cause some action by the acceptor.

I've planted the story. Do you think they'll bite?

Bitnoun

A portion of something.

I'd like a big bit of cake, please.

Biteverb

To sting.

These mosquitoes are really biting today!

Bitnoun

Somewhat; something, but not very great; also used like jot and whit to express the smallest degree.

Am I bored? Not a bit of it!

Biteverb

(intransitive) To cause a smarting sensation; to have a property which causes such a sensation; to be pungent.

It bites like pepper or mustard.

Bitnoun

(slang) A prison sentence, especially a short one.

Biteverb

To cause sharp pain or damage to; to hurt or injure.

Pepper bites the mouth.

Bitnoun

An excerpt of material making up part of a show, comedy routine, etc.

His bit about video games was not nearly as entertaining as the other segments of his show.

Biteverb

(intransitive) To cause sharp pain; to produce anguish; to hurt or injure; to have the property of so doing.

Bitnoun

The part of a key which enters the lock and acts upon the bolt and tumblers.

Biteverb

(intransitive) To take or keep a firm hold.

The anchor bites.

Bitnoun

The cutting iron of a plane.

Biteverb

(transitive) To take hold of; to hold fast; to adhere to.

The anchor bites the ground.

Bitnoun

A binary digit, generally represented as a 1 or 0.

Biteverb

To lack quality; to be worthy of derision; to suck.

This music really bites.

Bitnoun

(computing) The smallest unit of storage in a digital computer, consisting of a binary digit.

Biteverb

To perform oral sex on. Used in invective.

You don't like that I sat on your car? Bite me.

Bitnoun

Any datum that may take on one of exactly two values.

status bits on IRC; permission bits in a file system

Biteverb

To plagiarize, to imitate.

He always be biting my moves.

Bitnoun

(information theory) A unit of measure for information entropy.

Biteverb

(obsolete) To deceive or defraud; to take in.

Bitnoun

A microbitcoin, or a millionth of a bitcoin (0.000001 BTC).

Bitenoun

The act of biting.

Bitadverb

To a small extent; in a small amount (usually with "a").

That's a bit too sweet.

Bitenoun

The wound left behind after having been bitten.

That snake bite really hurts!

Bitverb

(transitive) To put a bridle upon; to put the bit in the mouth of (a horse).

Bitenoun

The swelling of one's skin caused by an insect's mouthparts or sting.

After just one night in the jungle I was covered with mosquito bites.

Bitverb

, bitten

I have been bit by your dog!

Bitenoun

A piece of food of a size that would be produced by biting; a mouthful.

There were only a few bites left on the plate.

Bitadjective

(colloquial) bitten.

Even though he's bit, of course the zombies would still chase him.

Bitenoun

(slang) Something unpleasant.

That's really a bite!

Bitadjective

(only in combination) Having been bitten.

Bitenoun

(slang) An act of plagiarism.

That song is a bite of my song!

Bitnoun

a small quantity;

a spot of teaa bit of paper

Bitenoun

A small meal or snack.

I'll have a quick bite to quiet my stomach until dinner.

Bitnoun

a small fragment of something broken off from the whole;

a bit of rock caught him in the eye

Bitenoun

(figuratively) aggression

Bitnoun

an indefinitely short time;

wait just a momentit only takes a minutein just a bit

Bitenoun

The hold which the short end of a lever has upon the thing to be lifted, or the hold which one part of a machine has upon another.

Bitnoun

an instance of some kind;

it was a nice piece of workhe had a bit of good luck

Bitenoun

A cheat; a trick; a fraud.

Bitnoun

piece of metal held in horse's mouth by reins and used to control the horse while riding;

the horse was not accustomed to a bit

Bitenoun

A sharper; one who cheats.

Bitnoun

a unit of measurement of information (from Binary + digIT); the amount of information in a system having two equiprobable states;

there are 8 bits in a byte

Bitenoun

(printing) A blank on the edge or corner of a page, owing to a portion of the frisket, or something else, intervening between the type and paper.

Bitnoun

a small amount of solid food; a mouthful;

all they had left was a bit of bread

Bitenoun

a wound resulting from biting by an animal or a person

Bitnoun

a small fragment;

overheard snatches of their conversation

Bitenoun

a small amount of solid food; a mouthful;

all they had left was a bit of bread

Bitnoun

a short theatrical performance that is part of a longer program;

he did his act three times every eveningshe had a catchy little routineit was one of the best numbers he ever did

Bitenoun

a painful wound caused by the thrust of an insect's stinger into skin

Bitnoun

the cutting part of a drill; usually pointed and threaded and is replaceable in a brace or bitstock or drill press;

he looked around for the right size bit

Bitenoun

a light informal meal

Bitenoun

(angling) an instance of a fish taking the bait;

after fishing for an hour he still had not had a bite

Bitenoun

wit having a sharp and caustic quality;

he commented with typical pungencythe bite of satire

Bitenoun

a strong odor or taste property;

the pungency of mustardthe sulfurous bite of garlicthe sharpness of strange spices

Bitenoun

the act of gripping or chewing off with the teeth and jaws

Bitenoun

a portion removed from the whole;

the government's weekly bite from my paycheck

Biteverb

to grip, cut off, or tear with or as if with the teeth or jaws;

Gunny invariably tried to bite her

Biteverb

cause a sharp or stinging pain or discomfort;

The sun burned his face

Biteverb

penetrate or cut, as with a knife;

The fork bit into the surface

Biteverb

deliver a sting to;

A bee stung my arm yesterday