bite the hand that feeds one

verb

transitive verb

to seize especially with teeth or jaws so as to enter, grip, or wound

was bitten by a dog

to wound, pierce, or sting especially with a fang or a proboscis a snake bit his leg

getting bitten by mosquitoes

to cut or pierce with or as if with an edged weapon

bit by his sword

to cause sharp pain or stinging discomfort to

the sleet biting our faces

to take hold of

help the pliers bite the part

archaic to take in : cheat

intransitive verb

to bite or have the habit of biting something

This cat bites.

of a weapon or tool to cut, pierce, or take hold The anchor bites into the ocean floor.

bites down on the part

to cause irritation or smarting

Her criticisms really bite.

corrode

of fish to take a bait

The fish aren't biting today.

to respond so as to be caught (as by a trick)

to accept a suggestion or an offer

offered them a deal but they wouldn't bite

to take or maintain a firm hold

The anchor didn't bite well.

to produce a negative effect

the recession began to bite

chiefly US slang, sometimes vulgar to be objectionable or extremely bad in quality : stink, suck

This song bites.

US slang to imitate or copy (someone or something) especially without permission

There are lots of rappers biting his style—but there's only one James Brown!—Spin

noun

the act of biting felt a bite at the end of the fishing line

took a bite of the sandwich

the manner of bitingespecially, dentistry: occlusion sense 1b

wore braces to correct her bite

food: such as

the amount of food taken at a bite : morsel

couldn't eat another bite

a small amount of food : snack

have a bite to eat

cheat, trick

sharper

a wound made by biting

The bite became infected.

the hold or grip by which friction (see friction sense 1b) is created or purchase (see purchase entry 2 sense 3a(1)) is obtained

a surface that creates friction or is brought into contact with another for the purpose of obtaining a hold

a keen incisive quality a satirical bite

a writing style that lacks bite

a sharp penetrating effect the bite of the wind on our cheeks

The soup has a peppery bite.

etching a single exposure of an etcher's plate to the corrosive action of acid

an amount (as of money) taken usually in one operation for one purpose : share

a 15 percent bite for his manager

sound bite

a 10-second news bite

an expression of interest in something being offered

In seven previous days, the seller didn't get a single bite [=no one expressed interest in buying what was offered].—Jerry Garrett et al.

Verb Middle English biten, going back to Old English bītan, going back to Germanic *bītan- (whence Old Saxon bītan "to bite, cut into," Old High German bīzan, Old Norse bíta, Gothic beitan), going back to Indo-European *bhei̯d- "split," whence also Latin findere "to split, cleave, divide" (from a derivative *bhi-n-d-), Sanskrit abhet "has split," bhinátti "(s/he) splits" and perhaps Greek pheídomai, pheídesthai "to spare, save, refrain from" Noun derivative of bite >entry 1

The first known use of bite was before the 12th century

want adnoun

a newspaper advertisement stating that something (as an employee, job, or item) is wanted

bend1 of 2verb

to pull tight

bend a bow

to curve or cause a change of shape

bend a wire into a circle

to turn in a certain direction

bent their steps toward town

to apply or apply oneself closely

she bent herself to the task

to curve out of line

the road bends to the left

to curve downward : stoop

bend over and pick it up

bend2 of 2noun

the act or process of bending : the state of being bent

something (as a curved part of a stream) that is bent

plural a severe disorder marked by pain (as in joints), by difficulty in breathing, and often by collapsing and caused by release of gas bubbles (as of nitrogen) in the tissues upon too rapid a change from an environment of high air pressure to one of lower air pressure called alsocaisson disease, decompression sickness

besidepreposition

by the side of

walk beside me

in comparison with

the kitten looks tiny beside that big dog

besides entry 1

was the only one, beside me, who objected

not relating to

beside the point

bideverb

to wait or wait for

bided his time before acting

big1 of 2adjective

of great force

a big storm

large in size, bulk, or extent big government a big city

a big house

large in number or amount big money

a big fleet

capital entry 1 sense 2

big letters

of great importance a big star in movies

my big chance

informal being older

my big sister

big2 of 2adverb

in a big way

win big

so as to boast

talk big

bite1 of 2verb

to seize, grip, or cut into with or as if with teeth

bite an apple

to wound, pierce, or sting a mosquito bit me

bitten by a snake

to cause to smart : sting

pepper bites the mouth

to eat into

acid biting into metal

to take bait

the fish are biting

to respond to something tempting

bite2 of 2noun

a seizing of something by biting

the grip taken in biting

the amount of food taken at a bite

a small amount of food : snack

a wound made by biting

a sharp penetrating quality or effect

the bite of the cold wind on our cheeks