bit 
Your caw in not a hit clearer Minn it wu seven years 
ago. Ai'l'iitlni"'. 
My yiiiiK companion was a l>it of a poet, a '"'' of an ar- 
tist, a I'H l a nillMciall, anil . . . it lift of all :i< t"I - 
I'. //<-*. (iillHTt linrney, I. I. 
5. Crisis; nick of time. [Scotch.] 6. A small 
piece of ground ; aspoi. [Scotch.] 
It's a bleldy eniMmh ''. >'"". "'avcrley. II. xxlii. 
7. Any small coin : as, a fourpenny-fciV .- a six- 
penny-bit. Specifically, the name nf a Mmill \\ct In- 
dian coin wortD ahont 10 cents; also, in part* of the 
1'nited Males, ..( a silver coin formerly current (in some 
state* railed a .!/ sii'im .<!< ill< ifi), of the value of 124 cents; 
now, ehicllj in tin' \\e.,t, the Mini of 12J uentn. 
With nix lni.1 in his pocket anil an axe upon his shoul- 
der. The Century, XXVII. 29. 
A bit of blood. See Muni. A long bit. fifteen cents. 
I Western r. .-.. A short bit, ten cenU. [Western I. s. | 
Bit by bit, little liy little ; iinperceptilily. 
Anil, bit try bit, 
'I'll'' rurinintr years steal all from us but woe. 
Lowell, Comm. Ode. 
To give a bit of one's mind, to speak out frankly what 
one think* of a person or a transaction ; express one's can- 
did conviction unrestrained by reserve or delieacy : gener- 
ally to the person himself, and in unflattering terms. 
He had given the house what was called o bit of his mind 
on the subject, and he wished very much that he would 
give them the whole. 
Lord Campbell, London Times, April 12, 1884. 
= Syn. 4. Scrap, fragment, morsel, particle, atom. 
bit :t (bit). Preterit and occasional past partici- 
ple of bite. 
bit't. A Miilille English and Anglo-Saxon con- 
traction of bitltletli, third person singular indi- 
cative present of bid. 
bit B t, An obsolete spelling of bitt. 
bitt, n. A Middle English form of butfl. 
bitangent (bl-tan'jent), n. [< W- 2 + tangent.] 
In math., a double tangent; a straight line 
which touches a given curve at 
two points. If in denotes the degree 
and n the class of a eurve, then (n Hi) 
(n 4- in - 9) is the excess of the number 
of its bitariKcnts over the number of its 
double points. -Isolated bitangent, a BHangem to cas- 
real line tangent to a curve at two ima- 
ginary point*. 
bitangential (bi-tan-jen'shal), a. [< bitangent 
+ -ial.] In math., pertaining to a bitangent. 
Bitangential curve, a curve which passes through the 
points of contact of the nitangents of a given curve. 
bitartrate (bi-tar'trat), . [< W- 2 + tartrate.] 
A tartrate which contains one hydrogen atom 
replaceable by a base.- potassium bitartrate. 
Same as I'ream of tartar, or ai-iitif (which see). 
bit-brace (bit'bras), n. A tool for holding 
and turning a boring-bit ; a brace ; a bit-stock. 
Bit-brace die, a small screw-cutting die used with a 
bitch (bich), . [< ME. bicche, biche, < AS. 
bicce, also bicge, = Icel. bikkya = Norw. bikkje, 
a bitch. Cf . G. betze, petse, a bitch, and P. biche, 
a bitch, also a fawn. The relations of these 
forms are undetermined.] 1. The female of 
the dog; also, by extension, the female of other 
canine animals, as of the wolf and fox. 2. A 
coarse name of reproach for a woman. 
John had not run a-madding so long had it not been 
for an extravagant bitch of a wife. 
.li-hiithiiiit, John Bull, p. 9. 
bitcheryt (bich'e-ri), n. [< bitch + -ery.] Vile- 
ness or coarseness in a woman ; unchastity or 
lowilncss in general. 
bitch-wood (Inch/wild), n. The wood of a le- 
guminous tree, Lonchnearpits latifoliux, of the 
West Indies and tropical South America. 
bite (lilt), r. ; pret. bit, pp. bitten, sometimes bit. 
ppr. biting. [< MM. hitrii (pret. but, boot,fi[.biten, 
pp. biten), < AS. bit/in (pret. bat, pi. biton, pp. 
&/'/<) = OS. 6i<rt=:OFries. bita = T>. bjjten = 
MLO. biti-n. l-(i. liiti'ii =()HG. bi:nn, MHG. bi- 
:<n, <;. /( /.( = Icel. bita = 8w. bita = Dan. 
bitlr = Goth, beitan, bite, = L. findcre (W-0, 
cleave, = Skt. -\/ bhitl, divide. From the AS. 
come bite. H., W.I, /,-', bitter^, beetle*, beetle^; 
to the Icel. are due bait 1 , and prob. bitt; from 
L. fiiiili-ff come fissile, fissure, bifid, etc.] I. 
trans. 1. To cut, pierce, or divide with the 
teeth : as, to bite an apple. 
The fish that once was caught new bait il hardly bull-. 
.s>'nv. K. (?.. II. i. I. 
2. To remove with the teeth; cut away l>y bit- 
ing: with off, <>nt, etc. : as, to bite off a piece of 
an apple, or bitr a piece nut of it ; to hiti- off 
one's nose to spite one's face. 
I'll bitf my tonyuc <>nt. ere it pime a traitor. 
/.'-re. >tti>l /'/.. \\ it at Several \\eajH.ns, iv. 1. 
3. To grasp or grip with the teeth; press the 
teeth strongly upon: as, to bite the thumb or 
lip. (See phrases below.) 
There Faction roar, Kcliellion bite her chain. 
1'oiie, Windsor Forest, 1. 421. 
567 
4. To sting, as an insect : as, to bo bittfn by a 
flea. 6. To cause a sharp or smarting pain in ; 
<aii.se lo smart : as, pepper hi leu the mouth. 
6. To nip, as with frost ; blast, Might, or injure. 
Like an envinns sneapiiJK frost, 
That Mtei the Hrst-liorn Infants of the pi ini: 
Shalt., L I.. I.., I. 1. 
All three of them are desperate ; their great guilt, 
Like poison given to work a great time after, 
Now Kins to bilr the spirit*. Shalt., Tempest, iii. 3. 
7. To take fast hold of; grip or catch into or 
on, so as to act with effect : get purchase from, 
as by friction : as, the anchor lull's the ground ; 
the file tuti.f the iron ; the wheels luti- the rails. 
The last screw of the rack having Keen turned so often 
that its purchase crumbled, and it now turned and turned 
with notliing to bitf. Dickem. 
8. In etching, to corrode or eat into with aqua- 
fortis or other mordant, as a metal surface 
that has been laid bare with an etching-needle : 
often with in : as, the plate is now bitten in. 
9. To cheat; trick; deceive; overreach: now 
only in the past participle : as, the biter was bit . 
The rogue was bit. Pope, Moral Essays, iii. 364. 
At last she played for her left eye ; . . . this too she lost ; 
however, she had the consolation of biting the sharper, 
for he never perceived that it was made of glass till it be- 
came his own. Golitmiiith, Citizen of the World, cii. 
To bite the dust or the ground, to fall ; he thrown or 
struck down ; be vanquished or humbled. 
His vanquished rival was to bite the duat before him. 
Ditraeli. 
To bite the glove. See glove. To bite the lip, to press 
the lip between the teeth in order to repress signs of an 
ger, mirth, or other emotion. (Compare to bite the tongue.) 
To bite the thumb att, to intuit or defy by putting 
the thumb-nail into the mouth, and with a jerk making 
it knack. 
I will bite my thumb at them, which is a disgrace to 
them, if they bear it. Shot., R. and J., i. 1. 
To bite the tongue, to hold one's tongue ; repress (an- 
gry) speech ; maintain fixed silence. (Compare to bite the 
lip, and in hold one's tongue.) 
So York must sit, and fret, and bite hut tonffue, 
While his own lands are bargain'd for and sold. 
Shak.,-2Hen. VI., i. 1. 
= 8yn. See eat. 
il. in trans. 1. To have a habit of biting or 
snapping at persons or things: as, a dog that 
bites; a biting horse. 2. To pierce, sting, or 
inflict in jury by biting, literally or figuratively. 
It [wine] biteth like a serpent and stiugeth like an adder. 
Prov. xxiii. 82. 
Look, when he fawns he bites ; and when he bite*, 
His venom tooth will rankle to the death. 
Shalt.. Rich. III., i. 3. 
Smiling and careless, casting words that bit 
Like poisoned darta. 
Will in HI Morrii, Earthly Paradise, II. 327. 
3. To take a bait, as a fish: either literally or 
figuratively. 
Bait the hook well : this flsh will hitr. 
Shalt., Much Ado, ii. 3. 
We'll bait that men may bitr fair. 
Fletcher, Wildgoose Chase. 
4. To take and keep hold ; grip or catch into 
another object, so as to act on it with effect, 
obtain purchase or leverage-power from it, and 
the like: as, the anchor bites; cog-wheehj bite 
when the teeth of one enter into the notches 
of the other and cause it to revolve. 
In dry weather the roads require to be watered before 
l>eing swept, so that the brushes may bitr. Mayhew. 
To bite at, to snap at with the teeth ; hence, figuratively, 
to snarl or carp at ; inveigh against. 
No marvel, though you bite so sharp at reasons, 
You are so empty of them. Shalt., T. and C., ii. 2. 
To bite In. (a) To corrode, as the acid used in etching. 
I'-) To repress one's thoughU, or restrain one's feelings. 
bite (bit), H. [< late ME. byte, bite (bite), tak- 
ing the place of earlier bite (bite), in mod. E. 
bit (see wt 1 ); from the verb.] 1. The act of 
cutting, piercing, or wounding with the teeth 
or as with the teeth: as, the bite of a dog; the 
bite of a crab. 2. The seizing of bait by a 
fish : as, waiting for a liiti-. 
I have known a very good fisher angle diligently four 
or six hours for a river carp, and not have a bite. 
I. Walton, Complete Anu'ler. 
3. A wound made by the teeth of an animal or 
by any of the biting, piercing, or stinging or- 
gans of the lower animals: as, a dog's Iii if : a 
mosquito-W<c .- a flea-Wte. 
Their venom 'il bitr. liriiiltn, tr. of Virgil'* Oeorgics. 
4. As much as is taken at once by biting; a 
mouthful : as, a bite of bread. 
Itetter one bitr at forty, of Truth's bitter rind. 
Than the hot wine that gushed from the vlntageof twenty : 
/.""./'. Life of Blonde). 
5. Food; victuals: as, three days without 
either bite or sup. 6. The catch or hold that 
one object or one part of a mechanical appa- 
ratus has on another; specifically, in a file, the 
bltnoben 
ronjfhnpRR or power of abrasion: as, the bitt of 
an anchor on the ground; thefciteof the wh-eU 
of a locomotive <m (lie rails. 
The shorter the hiir of a cniuhar, the greater is the 
power nain- d. 
'. Xlltthi'ii'*, CettillK I'll ill the World, p. 119. 
7. In etching, the corrosion effected by the acid. 
8. In printing, an imperfection in a printed 
sheet caused by part of the impression being 
received on the frisket or paper mask. 9t. A 
cheat; a trick; a fraud. 
I'll teach you a way to outwit Mrs. Johnson ; it i* a 
new-fangled way of bein^ wtttv, and they call it a bitr. 
Mfft To a Kri'end of Mrs. Johnson, 1708. 
lOf. A sharper; one who cheats. Johnton. 
His bark la worse than his bite. See tern . 
biteless (bit'les), a. [< bitf, n., + -/*.] With- 
out bite; wanting in ability or desire to bite ; 
harmless. 
Chilled them [midges] speechless and bitrlett. 
The Century, XXVII. 780. 
bitentaculate (bi-ten-tak'u-lat), a. [< *-'-' + 
tentaculated Having two tentacles, or a pair 
of organs likened to tentacles. 
The gonophore contained in a gonaugium, somewhat 
like that of Laomedea, is set free as a ciliated liitrntaru- 
Intr body. lluxleti, Anat. Invert, p. 120. 
biter (bi'ter), . [ME. biter, bitere; < bit + 
-!.] 1. One who or that which bites; an 
animal given to biting; a fish apt to take bait. 
Great barkers are no Intern. Camden. 
A Iwld biter. I. Walton, Complete Angler. 
2. One who cheats or defrauds ; also, formerly, 
one who deceives by way of joke. 
A biter is one who tells you a thing you have no reason 
to distielieve in itself, and, if you give him credit, laughs 
In your face, and triumphs that he has deceived yon. 
Spectator, No. 504. 
biterminal (bi-ter'mi-nal), n. [Tr. of Or. tit Sva 
.'.l",;r; -,,,;.] A IlillOlllin I lilM' J a line that 18 ill'' 
sum of two incommensurable lines. 
biternate (bi-ter'nat), a. [< 6i- 2 + termite.] 
In tot., doubly ternate, as when each of the 
partial petioles of a ternate leaf bears three 
leaflets. 
bite-aheept (bit'shep), n. [So MLG. bitcschdp, 
G. biss-xchuf, with the same allusion.] A once 
favorite pun upon bishop, as if one who bites 
the sheep which he ought to feed. JV. E. D. 
bitheism (bi'the-izm), n. [< W- 2 + theism.] 
Belief in two gods, specifically a good and an 
evil one; dualism. [Rare.] 
bit! (be'te), n. [E. Ind.] An East Indian name 
for species of Dalbergia, especially D. lattfolia, 
one of the East Indian rosewoods. 
biting (bi'ting), n. [< ME. biting; verbal n. of 
bite, r.] 1 . The action of cutting, piercing, etc., 
in any sense of bite. 2. The corroding action 
of a mordant upon a metal plate, wherever 
the lines of a design, drawn upon a prepared 
ground, have been laid bare with a needle, as 
in etching, or the surface is alternately stopped 
out and exposed, as in aquatint. 
biting fbl'ting), p. a. [Ppr. of bite, r.] 1. Nip- 
ping; keen: as, biting cold; biting weather. 
The western breeze. 
And years of biting frost and biting rain, 
Had made the carver's labor wellnigh vain. 
William .Worm, Earthly Paradise, I. 32ft. 
2. Severe; sharp; bitter ; painful : as, a "bit- 
ing affliction," tihal:, M. W. of W., v. 5. 3. 
Acrid; hot; pungent: as, a biting taste. Hence 
4. Sharp; severe; cutting; sarcastic: as, a 
biting remark. 
Tliis wag a nipping sermon, a pinching sermon, a biting 
sermon. Latimer, Sermon nef. Edw. VI., 1550. 
Pope'* provocation was too often the mere opportunity 
to say a biting thing, where he could do it safely. 
/."".//. Among my Books, 1st *er., p. 70. 
biting-dragon (W ting-drag 'on), . An old 
name for tarragon, Artemisia IJracmtculus. 
bitingly (bi'ting-li), adv. In a biting manner; 
sarcastically ; sneeringly. 
bitingness(bi'ting-nes), w. Pungency; acridity. 
bit-key (bit'ke), . A key designed to fit a 
permutation-lock, the steps of which are form- 
ed by movable bits. See lock. 
bitless (bit'les), a. [< bifl, ., + -less.] With- 
out bit or bridle. 
Bitlemt Numidfan horse. Fatuhaicr, .Kncid, iv. 
bitlingt (bit'ling), n. [< bift + dim. -ling.] A 
very small bit or piece. 
bitmoutht (bit'mouth), H. The bit or iron put 
into a horse's mouth. Bdilxj. 
bitnoben (bit -no 'ben), n. [A corruption of 
the Hind, name bit lat-an, or bi<l laran : ft, bid 
(cerebral t or <f) is of uncertain meaning; lanm, 
dial. l<il>tin, Inn, tun, etc., < Skt. laviina, salt.] A 
