Meaning of bite In English

• 0 to use your teeth to cut into something or someone:

  • He bit into the apple.

  • He bites his fingernails.

  • The fish aren't biting today.

• 1 If an insect or snake bites you, it injures you by making a small hole in your skin:

  • An insect bit me on the arm.

• 2 to have a bad or unpleasant effect:

  • Higher mortgage rates are beginning to bite.

• 3 to show interest in buying something:

  • The new service is now available but clients don't seem to be biting.

• 4 the act of biting something:

  • He took a bite (= bit a piece) out of the apple.

• 5 a sore place or injury where a person, an animal, or an insect has bitten you

• 6 the act of a fish biting the hook (= curved piece of wire) on the end of a fishing line so that it is caught

• 7 a small amount of food or a small meal:

  • Let's have a bite to eat before we go.

  • They sell light bites such as hot dogs and nachos.

• 8 If food has bite, it has a sharp or strong taste:

  • I like mustard with bite.

• 9 a powerful effect:

  • This satire has (real) bite.

• 10 to use your teeth to cut into something:

  • [ I/T ] He bit (into) the apple.

  • [ I/T ] You have to teach your children not to bite (other kids).

  • [ I ] We can’t eat outside tonight – the mosquitoes are biting.

  • [ I ] We were on the lake all day, but the fish just weren’t biting.

• 11 to have an effect that is often unpleasant or severe:

  • When the recession began to bite, people spent less on eating out in restaurants.

• 12 the act of using your teeth to cut and tear something, or the piece torn away:

  • He took a few bites of the chicken and drank some water.

  • mosquito bites

• 13 to start to have a bad effect on something:

  • When the credit crunch started to bite, many smaller firms were forced out of business.

  • Sales will slow as interest rates begin to bite.

• 14 the harmful effect of something:

  • Homeowners need to be protected from the bite of tax increases.

• 15 to reduce the number or amount of something:

  • The budget deficit has taken a big bite out of federal funds.

• 16 another spelling of byte