bite
/baɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /baɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈbīt/ (ame, mw)
bite — verb
1. to press your teeth into food, an object, or a person's body, often to cut a pie
to press your teeth into food, an object, or a person's body, often to cut a piece off, hold it firmly, or hurt them.
Zara bit into the warm apple and felt the juice run down her chin.
bite into + food noun
The neighbour's dog bit Tomás on the leg while he was jogging in the park.
bite + person + on + body part
Be careful with the corn on the cob, or you might bite your tongue.
Xander bit off a small piece of chocolate and passed the rest to her brother.
The toddler bit down hard on the wooden spoon during the dental check.
文法句型
bite + noun
bite into + noun
bite (off) a piece of + noun
用法筆記
Subject is usually a person or animal with teeth or jaws; the object is often food or a body part. Distinguish from sense 3 (snake/insect) where there are no real teeth involved.
常見錯誤
2. of a fish — to take the food attached to a fishing line into its mouth, so that
of a fish — to take the food attached to a fishing line into its mouth, so that the angler can catch it.
The trout weren't biting that morning, so Grandpa packed up his rods early.
intransitive: subject = fish, no object
Olu waited two hours by the lake before a single carp finally bit.
single fish + bit (past simple)
If the salmon are not biting, try moving to the deeper water near the rocks.
Lior used live worms as bait and the perch started to bite within minutes.
- nibble
to take small tastes of bait without being fully hooked
- take the bait
fixed phrase, same idea
文法句型
the fish + bite (no object)
用法筆記
Used only intransitively. The subject is always a fish or fish species; no human or other animal can be the subject in this sense.
常見錯誤
3. of a small creature such as a mosquito, ant, or snake — to make a small painful
of a small creature such as a mosquito, ant, or snake — to make a small painful hole in someone's skin, sometimes leaving poison behind.
Lior was bitten by mosquitoes all over her arms during the camping trip.
passive: be bitten by + insect
A small green snake bit the farmer's ankle as he walked through the long grass.
active: snake + bite + body part
Red ants bite hard if you stand on their nest by accident.
Dr. Vesna warned the children that some spiders in the garden bite.
文法句型
bite + person
be bitten by + creature
用法筆記
Frequently appears in the passive (be bitten by). Subject is a small animal that pierces the skin rather than chews; for animals with full jaws like dogs, use sense 1.
常見錯誤
4. of a policy, tax, or difficult situation — to start to cause real harm or hardsh
of a policy, tax, or difficult situation — to start to cause real harm or hardship that people clearly feel.
Higher fuel prices are starting to bite for families on low incomes.
start to bite + for + group affected
The new import tax really began to bite when small shops closed across the town.
begin to bite + concrete result
The summer drought is biting hard at farms in the southern valleys.
Sanctions on Russian oil exports are expected to bite when factory workers in Moscow lose overtime pay.
- hurt
more general; 'bite' suggests slow, gradual pressure
- take effect
neutral; 'bite' carries a clearly negative tone
- ease
to become less severe
文法句型
something + bite (no object)
begin/start to bite
用法筆記
Subject is usually an abstract force like a tax, sanction, recession, or weather event — not a person. Often paired with 'start to', 'begin to', or 'really'.
常見錯誤
5. to show that you are interested in a deal, suggestion, or trick, usually by agre
to show that you are interested in a deal, suggestion, or trick, usually by agreeing to talk further or accepting it.
We dropped the price by ten percent, but no buyers were biting.
no one biting + sales context
Tomás offered Zara a free trial, hoping she would bite.
hope + someone + bite (informal)
The recruiter sent three messages before the candidate finally bit.
I dangled the idea of a weekend trip, and my parents bit straight away.
- refuse
to clearly say no to an offer
文法句型
someone + bite (no object)
bite at + offer
用法筆記
Informal, often in business or sales contexts. Echoes sense 2 (fish biting bait) — the offer is the bait and the person is the fish. Distinguish from sense 1: nothing is actually bitten with teeth here.
常見錯誤
bite — noun
1. the action of pressing your teeth into something, especially food, in order to t
the action of pressing your teeth into something, especially food, in order to take a piece into your mouth.
Xander took one bite of the cake and decided it was too sweet.
take + a + bite of + food
Olu offered me a bite of his sandwich while we waited for the bus.
a bite of + food noun
With one quick bite, the puppy finished the whole biscuit.
The chef showed the children how to take small bites and chew slowly.
文法句型
a bite of + noun
take a bite (of + noun)
用法筆記
Countable. Most common pattern is 'take a bite (of)'. Distinguish from sense 4 ('a small meal'), where 'a bite' refers to the food itself, not the action.
常見錯誤
2. a red, sore, or painful mark on the skin where a person, animal, or insect has u
a red, sore, or painful mark on the skin where a person, animal, or insect has used their teeth, fangs, or stinger.
Lior scratched the mosquito bites on her ankles all through the meeting.
mosquito bites (compound noun)
The dog bite on his hand needed five stitches at the hospital.
dog bite + need + stitches
Snake bites can be very dangerous if you do not get help quickly.
Dr. Vesna cleaned the small bite on the boy's leg with warm water.
文法句型
a + bite
[creature] + bite (compound: snake bite, mosquito bite)
用法筆記
Often forms compound nouns naming the creature: 'mosquito bite', 'snake bite', 'dog bite', 'flea bite'. The location is usually marked with 'on + body part'.
常見錯誤
3. an event during fishing in which a fish takes the bait on the hook, giving the a
an event during fishing in which a fish takes the bait on the hook, giving the angler a chance to catch it.
Grandpa got his first bite of the day just before lunch.
get + a bite (fishing event)
After three quiet hours, Olu felt a strong bite on his line.
feel + a bite + on + line
The boat crew cheered loudly when they had a bite from a big tuna.
Lior stayed quiet on the riverbank, hoping for a bite before sunset.
文法句型
get + a bite
have + a bite
用法筆記
Used in the singular with 'a' or 'the'. Almost always in fishing or angling contexts; not used about other animals taking food.
常見錯誤
4. a small or quick amount of food, eaten between main meals or when there is littl
a small or quick amount of food, eaten between main meals or when there is little time.
Let's grab a bite at the café before the film starts.
grab + a bite (informal)
Xander only had time for a quick bite between her two morning classes.
a quick bite + between + events
We stopped at a roadside stall for a bite to eat on the way home.
Tomás invited his colleagues out for a bite after the long meeting.
- feast
a very large meal, the opposite of a small bite
文法句型
a bite to eat
grab a bite
have a bite
用法筆記
Informal. The most common patterns are 'grab/have a bite' and 'a bite to eat'. The food itself, not the act of biting (sense 1), is the meaning here.
常見錯誤
5. a sharp, hot, or strong flavour in food or drink that you can clearly feel on yo
a sharp, hot, or strong flavour in food or drink that you can clearly feel on your tongue.
The chef added fresh ginger to give the soup a bit more bite.
give + something + bite (taste)
This blue cheese has real bite — try a small piece first.
have + bite (uncountable)
Zara's grandmother makes a curry with plenty of bite from green chillies.
The mustard sauce on the steak had real bite that Tomás loved.
- blandness
a lack of strong taste
文法句型
have + bite
a bit of bite
用法筆記
Uncountable in this sense — no plural and no 'a'. The cause of the sharpness (chilli, ginger, mustard, strong cheese) is often added with 'from'.
常見錯誤
6. a sharp, strong quality in writing, speech, music, or rules that makes them feel
a sharp, strong quality in writing, speech, music, or rules that makes them feel powerful and have a clear effect on people.
The new rules on plastic waste finally have some bite.
have + bite (rules with effect)
The mayor's opening speech lacked the bite the audience had expected before the election.
lack + bite (insufficient force)
The young guitarist's playing had real bite, sharp and full of energy.
The editor told Tomás his article needed more bite and a stronger ending.
- weakness
lack of strong impact
文法句型
have + bite
lack + bite
用法筆記
Uncountable and figurative. Subject is usually a piece of work, performance, or policy — not a physical object. Often paired with 'have', 'lack', or 'need more'.