bit
noun
- 1
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.”
- 2
A rotary cutting tool fitted to a drill, used to bore holes.
- 3
A coin of a specified value.
“a threepenny bit”
- 4
A ten-cent piece, dime.
- 5
A unit of currency or coin in the Americas worth a fraction of a Spanish dollar; now specifically, an eighth of a US dollar.
“A quarter is two bits.”
- 6
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.
- 7
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.”
- 8
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.”
- 9
(plural) Fractions of a second.
“The 400 metres race was won in 47 seconds and bits.”
- 10
A portion of something.
“I'd like a big bit of cake, please.”
- 11
Somewhat; something, but not very great; also used like jot and whit to express the smallest degree. See also a bit.
“Am I bored? Not a bit of it!”
- 12
A prison sentence, especially a short one.
- 13
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.”
- 14
A small part or role, sometimes with spoken lines, in a theatrical performance.
“She acted her bit in the opening scene.”
- 15
The part of a key which enters the lock and acts upon the bolt and tumblers.
- 16
The cutting iron of a plane.
- 17
The bevelled front edge of an axehead along which the cutting edge runs.
verb
- 1
To put a bridle upon; to put the bit in the mouth of (a horse).
adjective
- 1
Bitten.
“Even though he's bit, of course the zombies would still chase him.”
- 2
(only in combination) Having been bitten.
verb
- 1
To cut into something by clamping the teeth.
“As soon as you bite that sandwich, you'll know how good it is.”
- 2
To hold something by clamping one's teeth.
- 3
To attack with the teeth.
“That dog is about to bite!”
- 4
To behave aggressively; to reject advances.
“If you see me, come and say hello. I don't bite.”
- 5
To take hold; to establish firm contact with.
“I needed snow chains to make the tires bite.”
- 6
To have significant effect, often negative.
“For homeowners with adjustable rate mortgages, rising interest will really bite.”
- 7
(of a fish) To bite a baited hook or other lure and thus be caught.
“Are the fish biting today?”
- 8
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?”
- 9
(of an insect) To sting.
“These mosquitoes are really biting today!”
- 10
To cause a smarting sensation; to have a property which causes such a sensation; to be pungent.
“It bites like pepper or mustard.”
- 11
(sometimes figurative) To cause sharp pain or damage to; to hurt or injure.
“Pepper bites the mouth.”
- 12
To cause sharp pain; to produce anguish; to hurt or injure; to have the property of so doing.
- 13
To take or keep a firm hold.
“The anchor bites.”
- 14
To take hold of; to hold fast; to adhere to.
“The anchor bites the ground.”
- 15
To lack quality; to be worthy of derision; to suck.
“This music really bites.”
- 16
To perform oral sex on. Used in invective.
“You don't like that I sat on your car? Bite me.”
- 17
To plagiarize, to imitate.
“He always be biting my moves.”
- 18
To deceive or defraud; to take in.
noun
- 1
A binary digit, generally represented as a 1 or 0.
- 2
The smallest unit of storage in a digital computer, consisting of a binary digit.
- 3
Any datum that may take on one of exactly two values.
“permission bits in a file system”
- 4
A unit of measure for information entropy.
- 5
A microbitcoin, or a millionth of a bitcoin (0.000001 BTC).
Synonyms
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