bit
//ˈbɪt//
Forms
- Plural
- bits
- present (v1)
- bit
- past (v2)
- bitted
- past participle (v3)
- bitted
- present participle
- bitting
- 3rd person singular
- bits
Definitions
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, brace, or router, used to bore or drill holes or to remove material from the profile of the workpiece.
- You are speaking a bit too fast for me. Could you please speak more slowly?
- I'm a bit short on cash.
- It's a bit strange to me.
3.Applied to a various small units of currency and coins.
- He left after shaking her down for four bits for carrying the bags.
- A quarter is two bits.
4.A small amount of something.
- Does your leg still hurt? , Just a bit now.
- I've done my bit; I expect you to do yours.
- There were bits of paper all over the floor.
1.simple past of bite
2.To put a bridle upon; to put the bit in the mouth of (a horse).
1.Having been bitten.
- Even though he's bit, of course the zombies would still chase him.
Frequency
Overall
Common· #808
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Common
- General reading & writing
- Common
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Rare
Related words
Etymology
From Middle English bitte, bite, from Old English bita (“bit; fragment; morsel”) and bite (“a bite; cut”), from Proto-Germanic *bitô and *bitiz; both from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeyd- (“to split”). More at bite.
Cognates