bit1
nounbɪtbɪt
1A small piece, part, or quantity of something.
give the duck a bit of breadhe read bits of his work to me- With a few bits of cardboard, a light and a bit of plastic, Pratt's little model echoes both the reality and the dream.
- The force of its landing literally exploded it into little pieces, and tiny bits of bark covered my clothes.
- One of the outfits means I will be baring bits of skin that don't usually see the light of day.
- He made a telephone call to the Observer and with readers' help slowly began to piece bits of the puzzle together and build up the museum.
- Other than that, I've managed to put the finishing touches on some bits of music I've been working on.
- His is an impressive collection of rusty coins and nails, corroded bullets and belt buckles, pieces of swords and knives, shards and bits of broken bottles.
- It was piecing together different bits of conversations.
- I've been trying to identify what bits of the blog work well (that these bits should even exist may come as a bit of a shock to some of you, I'm sure) and what bits don't work so well.
- A bit of rain she can cope with but a deluge of hard, stinging pingy bits of ice is too much even for Dolly the Mega Cat.
- Reaching my chosen spot I dropped some bits of bread across to the far bank, watching it float downstream then across the current to our bank.
- With its clear chicken broth, bits of green onion, finely shredded cabbage and artfully fastened dumplings, said soup is a fine way to begin your feast.
- So for history's sake, check out these closeted bits of celluloid for a bit of perspective on how far we've come.
- In more prepared circumstances I might have added some bite sized bits of chicken.
- There are also files and other bits of correspondence littering every available surface and the whole area is generally a bit of a mess.
- Also, there are some really sad bits and some manipulative bits of very dubious taste.
- Otherwise, the piece had some good bits of news.
- Certainly there are bits of the concert on the dvd which I didn't remember, but you would expect a bit of that.
- You can't expect your role models to be perfect at everything, you have to piece them together from bits of everybody you admire for different reasons.
- We both study things in minute detail and piece bits of evidence together and it is very similar with scenes of crime work.
- Individual elements such as pieces of driftwood or bits of furniture retained traces of their former life, but also melted into the larger organic whole.
small portion, small piece, piece, portion, segment, section, partchunk, lump, hunk, slicefragment, scrap, shred, flake, chip, shaving, paring, crumb, grain, fleck, speckspot, drop, pinch, dash, soupçon, modicum, dollopmorsel, mouthful, spoonful, bite, taste, gobbet, sampleiota, jot, tittle, whit, atom, particle, scintilla, mote, trace, touch, suggestion, hint, tingeshard, sliversnippet, snatch, extract, excerptinformal smidgen, smidge, tadAustralian/New Zealand informal skerrickNorth American rare smitch- 1.1a bit A short time or distance.I fell asleep for a bitcan you move over a bit?
- Nanna was there so we all hung out for a bit and then she helped me dye my hair black for the party.
- If this means staying off the usual glass or three of wine per evening for a bit, so be it.
- As this is something of a landmark survey may we be excused for pushing the boat out a bit?
- And if so, we can say that it merely happened that the seed dropped where it did and not a bit further on.
moment, minute, second, little while, short timeinformal sec, jiffy, jiffBritish informal mo, tick, two tickssoon, in a (little) while, in a second, in a minute, in a moment, in a trice, in a flash, shortly, in a short time, in (less than) no time, in no time at all, before you know it, before long, directlyNorth American momentarilyinformal in a jiffy, in two shakes, in two shakes of a lamb's tailBritish informal in a tick, in two ticks, in a moNorth American informal in a snaparchaic or informal anonliterary ere long - 1.2a bit A fairly large amount.working in a foreign country took quite a bit of getting used to
- Yes, I mean, even though, I mean, the media has overblown some of the problems a fair bit.
- It was very unusual to be from a divorced family then and yes, there was a bit of stigma.
- Like all cliches, there was a good bit of truth attached to this comical declaration.
- It would get them out of the house and earn them a bit of extra cash at the same time.
- We're getting some fair bit of sales through and we haven't advertised.
- So it's, you know, he probably had to scrape a bit to get that amount up.
- I remember too that he did a bit of dealing in ponies and usually had one or two in the field.
- Online betting is big business and it is now a very simple job to splash a bit of cash on a flutter.
- Ian Moore has been doing well and the lads have all been telling him to calm down a bit.
- I did a bit of acting in Liverpool then moved down here to try and make it as an actress.
- I started to cry a bit but there were other people in the room so I had to get a hold of myself.
- Kathleen, it does look like there's a good bit of activity on the streets.
- So right now, in China, there is a good bit of activity going on trying to control this problem in a very aggressive way.
- Most jobs that will earn you a good amount of money involve a fair bit of training.
- There are still a few too many bulls by comparison but we can move them given a bit of time.
- The down side was that, well, Mr. B. and I fought a fair bit in those first months.
- We are entitled to expect a fair bit of intersubjectivity in judged verdicts.
- A bit of research suggests my initial guess was correct, and it's some Indian Reservation.
- They are teenage lads and they need a bit of ego to get up on stage but they take it in their stride.
- Once you take off all the stuff above you'd at least have a bit of time to do other things.
2informal with adjective A set of actions or ideas associated with a specific group or activity.
Miranda could go off and do her theatrical bit- There's a stunning, uncredited sax solo and a quirky contrapuntal bit for the trombones.
- Each main dancer got to do a little solo bit in the middle of the semi-circle.
- I'm not sure about the getting married bit, but the idea of them going off somewhere holds a certain appeal.
- The only really entertaining bit was the thing with Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson.
- John's issue page seemed a bit beefier than George's bit about his agenda.
- Charles and crew follow him for eight months as he works one five-minute bit into a full hour of worthy material.
3informal A girl or young woman.
he went and married some young bit half his age- Or you have to sit right there and some young bit who has no training or teaching is letting their children scream for the sake of screaming!
- He must have a young bit on the side.
- I was a grown woman, with children of my own, not a young bit thing with little experience of life.
4bitsBritish informal A person's genitals.
You could see everything! All her bits!5North American dated, informal A unit of 12 1/2 cents (used only in even multiples).
- A lad with tousled fair hair came out of the livery, and Ben handed over the horse and two bits for feed and a rub down.
- Abbey skipped up to the house, a silver bit and four coppers jingling in her apron pocket.
- Jim paid the four bits and ate in the dining room.
Phrases
a bit
Somewhat; to some extent.
he came back looking a bit annoyed- I must admit to finding it a bit slow to begin with and rather drawn out in some places.
- They are a good side but we were a bit better and hopefully this result shows we are now on our way.
- This goes some way to explaining why my cupboard is a bit bare when it comes to clothes.
- If you take a leg off of the spider, put it back on the table and tell it to walk, it walks a bit wobbly.
- My little boy is not speaking to me on the phone at the moment, which is a bit upsetting.
- Petrol usage would be a bit higher but not by so much that it equals the rent we would have paid.
- I'm now a bit stiff and have a big lump on my right foot where I caught a guy on the elbow.
- The weather at the Oval is looking a bit overcast but may hold long enough for us to do the biz.
- Then he said he had a proposal for me, which made me a bit worried about what was coming up.
- Using it as a saw works a bit better, but it appears the faults in the blade help here.
rather, a little, fairly, slightly, somewhat, relatively, quite, to some degree, to some extent, comparatively, moderatelybit by bit
Gradually.
bit by bit the truth started to emerge- He had received medical help, was in counselling, had been given a flat and was trying bit by bit to put his life back together again.
- With that I go on again, begin to build, and fail, and learn another thing, and so it goes on, as bit by bit what I learn rises up like a stone wall.
- Left with the core essence of his basically decent character, he then sets about rebuilding his life, bit by bit.
- This got wilder and wilder until, bit by bit, the entire drum set was collapsing onto the floor under the fury of this onslaught.
- My family moved house while I was in London, and I've been going through the boxes from the old house bit by bit.
- When you meet your goals bit by bit, you will no doubt feel a sense of accomplishment which will be an incentive to move on.
- We gave away a big chunk of our sovereignty in 1972, and since then, bit by bit, we have been ceding more and more of it.
- The lesson is, undo communism slowly, bit by bit, and don't expect democracy overnight.
- But if there are more films like Promises, perhaps, bit by bit, awareness will grow.
- When we are replenished in our spirit, we go back into the liberal culture, changing it bit by bit.
assist, help, lend a hand, be of service, give one's support, give one's backing, contribute, chip in, throw in one's lotgradually, little by little, in stages, step by step, slowly, one step at a timea bit of a —
1Used to suggest that something is not severe or extreme, or is the case only to a limited extent.
I have had a bit of an accidenthe's a bit of a womanizer- It was a bit of an accident going there in the first place.
- He's a bit of an extremist - congratulating the Islamic thugs that beat him up in Afghanistan.
- Because we knew that it was a bit of a fiefdom at that point in time.
- I was in severe leg trouble, so the trip to Taunton was a bit of an ordeal.
- I mean, isn't that a bit of an extreme way to describe the detention centres?
- He is simply a bit of an idiot, and to an extent a victim of his times.
- I'd forgotten to mention but I had a bit of an accident with Dad's car whilst he was away.
- That he is here at all, in this lovely parkland rising to the church in the trees, is a bit of an accident.
- Although this procedure is not extremely difficult, it does require a bit of an experienced hand.
- A bit of an unknown quantity for GB, Brent has plenty of pace and is a prolific try-scorer.
- 1.1Used to denote a young person or one of slight build.the lad was a wee bit of a thing
- She was just a bit of a girl.
- When I was nearly four years old I was just a mere bit of a girl.
- I was just a bit of a lass back then.
a bit of all right
informal A pleasing person or thing, especially a woman regarded in sexual terms.
that blonde's a bit of all right- However, Arthur turns out to be a bit of all right - if you like the smell of Dentugrip - so Colleen ends up agreeing to a date!
- You're a bit of all right, if you don't mind me saying that.
- Gotta say, the car chase at the beginning of the Professional was a bit of all right.
- Of course, considering the financial consequences of being ‘done’ by Oprah, maybe she'd decided being ‘done’ by any club was a bit of all right.
- You're a bit of all right you know.
- With Roge and a host of sixties bikini-babes warming up the brown leather a DBS was finally seen as a bit of all right.
- ‘He's a bit of all right,’ sighed the girl in the green belly top.
- It might not have been a wonderful contest but he is a bit of all right and I'm thinking more towards the spring rather than Christmas with him.
- Well I must admit he was a bit of all right, but he was very fair and explained he couldn't give me a refund, and that's not what I was looking for anyway.
- ‘She's a bit of all right,’ Barry remarked over his brother's shoulder.
bit of fluff (or skirt or stuff)
informal A woman regarded in sexual terms.
- There is so much stuff you get put up for where you are obviously just the bit of fluff, even if you have brains and wear trousers all the time.
- I saw you and your bit of stuff at a bar last night.
- I could've gone there with this girl called Pearl who was a great bit of stuff.
- They wouldn't want a ruler with a bit of stuff on the side.
- The fact that they can do this is due to (amongst other things) the glass ceiling, and the fact that many positions of authority are occupied by sleazy old men who see women as nothing more than a nice bit of skirt.
- We are his fallback, his bit of stuff until something better comes along.
- Fella will become a symbol, showing that even an average schlub can land a sizzling bit of skirt.
- I loved the way she turned out to be a ruthless undercover agent and not a bit of fluff after all.
- Mind you, last time I went to a match I was with my dad and it could be that I was mistaken for his bit of stuff (it's happened before).
- I was afraid of committing to one person, I'm a flighty, teasing bit of fluff.
bit on the side
1informal A person with whom one is unfaithful to one's partner.
- It turns out, he is not simply fond of a bit on the side (another mistress emerged this week).
- And I don't think people will want her to be his bit on the side - his mistress, either.
- You can bring your bit on the side, and I'll bring one of mine!
- If you're going to be damned anyway, even for being faithful, you might as well have a bit on the side.
- There is rakish Andy; dear old Gran; long-suffering Liz; grumpy Phil; auntie Maggie whose been around a bit; Wills the teenage love interest and Chas with his bit on the side.
- I know you're in love with Michael, so I'm not asking to be your boyfriend or even your bit on the side.
- What easier way to send a grudging acknowledgement of your lover/spouse / bit on the side than down the computer wire?
- I was visited by my ‘bit on the side’ (actually, I'm his bit on the side!) before I went out to meet some friends in the usual haunts.
- It's his girlfriend as in the bit on the side he hopes his wife doesn't know about.
- Jane, Leon's bit on the side, recently separated and refusing to accept that her lover treats their casual liaison as if it was a one-night-stand, feels trapped in sexual limbo, all confidence gone.
2informal Money earned outside one's normal job.
I'd like to make a bit on the side- Marlowe obliquely tells the tale of her life from the bright New Jersey kid who made it to Harvard to her time as a needle-popping rock journalist who earned a bit on the side as a drugs money launderer.
- He earns a bit on the side by making photoreports on the film set.
- The pocket money will not be enough to cover all living expenses, and most apprentices will therefore have to earn a bit on the side on Saturdays.
- Everyone needs to make a bit on the side once in a while!
bits and pieces
An assortment of small items.
- On top of all of that I discovered numerous bits and pieces of farm equipment scattered around the place.
- We have called in to pick up a few bits and pieces, and to collect a rather expensive lamp for K's mother.
- So the Guru and I wandered off to Ikebukuro for the afternoon to nose, buy some bits and pieces, that sort of thing.
- It's an epidemic, I thought, standing in the sun outside while I sorted my bag of bits and pieces.
- The actual textiles seemed to be of all kinds, a few whole garments, old socks, hankies, torn-off sleeves, j-cloths, rags, babies' stuff, bits and bobs.
- There was a large collection of tools and other bits and bobs to look at, including the splendid generators.
- So far I have written 4 complete songs, with bits and bobs for another couple more; this is since last Sunday.
- I had to pick up a couple of bits and bobs in Sainsbury, so didn't get started in the kitchen until almost half seven.
- However there are other equally interesting bits and pieces on display.
- Your poor pal has just made a terrifying investment and, as you say, is having to shell out for new furnishings and other bits and bobs.
odds and ends, oddments, stuff, paraphernalia, things, miscellanea, bric-a-brac, sundries, knick-knacks, souvenirs, keepsakes, mementoes, lumber, flotsam and jetsamdo one's bit
informal Make a useful contribution to an effort or cause.
I was persuaded to do my bit for the environment- It is appreciated that those who are involved in the development of two projects in the parish, the ball alley and the GAA pitches, are doing their bit.
- The majority of them are ordinary people, keen to do their bit for charity.
- In that time the couple has served on a number of committees in an effort to do their bit for the Geraldton.
- Models of a responsible society would have marketers doing their bit to contribute towards a just and fair society, alongside the contributions of other institutions such as the family and the Church.
- And I'll be doing my bit to contribute to the development of its ideology.
- The Goddard Arms Hotel in Old Town was packed on Friday night with people all eager to do their bit for the relief effort.
- The refugees who made it were clearly keen to do their bit in the war effort and the factory went on to produce 66 per cent of the leather required in the whole British war effort.
- Everybody is asked to do their bit and make an effort to recycle as much of their waste as possible.
- The idea is to do your own small bit, in whatever way, in checking the growing intolerance in people.
- He has also done his own bit to distance his current squad from their glorious recent past and the haphazard unsettled last season.
assist, help, lend a hand, be of service, give one's support, give one's backing, contribute, chip in, throw in one's lotin bits
informal Very upset or emotionally affected.
she found out he was two-timing her—she's in bits, really she is- At the end of his performance of Schubert's Die Schöne Müllerin with pianist Helmut Deutsch, the audience was in bits and pandemonium broke out, leaving Kaufmann looking slightly bemused at the sensation he had caused.
- A neighbour who did not want to be identified said: ‘Everybody has been left in bits and there was nothing anyone could do.’
- I thought it was fantastic and spent much of the last half hour in bits crying.
- I won by seven there, but the week before I was in bits, and the week after I was in bits.
- By the end, I was in bits.
- But it left me in bits, and I need someone to blame.
- She initially refused to give her details but later told police nothing happened between them and said: ‘My head is in bits.’
- I know this is probably taking all the fun out of it, but I have just read the instructions for installation and my head is in bits!
- I'm still in bits and I'm generally out of the firing line.
- I'll leave it there for now, because I'm in bits tonight, on and off, off and on.
not a bit
Not at all.
I'm not a bit tired- I'm not a bit surprised that other people are interested in Steve, not a bit.
- Compared with those jokes, I think it is not a bit exaggerated to suggest that lawyers, after defending so many people, should really sit down to think about doing something in their own defence.
- But little Risheek, a class IV student, is not a bit unnerved.
- And as our bill is tabulated by the fresh-faced high school boy behind the register, we would grab all the Safety-Pops we could and not feel guilty, not a bit.
- But at the same time it didn't surprise me, not a bit.
- The fact that none of these matched the dates of her royal lover, Solomon, King of Israel and Judah from 966 to 926 bc, mattered not a bit.
- It matters not a bit to the agitators that great uncle Lazaro has two convictions for drunk driving, and the other, Delfin, has been in drunk-driving accidents.
- Yet this time, those falls didn't hurt me, not a bit.
- Ignorant of this process, they worried not a bit.
- He just tossed the papers aside, not a bit interested.
not a bit of it
Not at all.
Am I being unduly cynical? Not a bit of it- When the Express closed, and then later the ill - fated Scottish Daily News, you'd have thought the bar would close but not a bit of it.
- You would think after 20 years he would be jaded, but not a bit of it.
- It sounds like a recipe for gross self-indulgence, but not a bit of it: ‘I've actually lost nearly a stone and a half since coming here.’
- After the torrential rain on Saturday, we had thought the event might be a bit of a wash-out, but not a bit of it.
- You might think, therefore, that he would welcome a move to reduce the taxes paid by those having their first child, but not a bit of it!
to bits
1Into pieces.
both cars were smashed to bits- It always seems that a bunch of men get together on the bumper cars and take great joy in bashing each other to bits for the entire day!
- There's nothing different about our clown acts though, same car that falls to bits when we drive in.
- MATZILATION - Smashing a piece of matzo to bits while trying to butter it.
- Standing in front of him, he longed to slowly carve Jaegar to pieces and burn those pieces to bits.
- She and her little piece of flotsam were going to be smashed to bits on the rocks!
- All serious race cars have the prop shaft balanced, otherwise it shakes the car to bits.
- Yin Yan, a lawyer at Beijing Jingyi Lawyer's Office, said knocking the car to bits was definitely the wrong thing to do.
- So I stumble down to the garage to see the back rear window of my car has been smashed to bits, and the inside of my car totally ransacked.
- By now anything that was going to be ripped into little pieces by the bomb had already vanished to bits smaller than even the best eye could see.
2Very much; to a great degree.
Vicky was thrilled to bitsI just love him to bits- I have always been a bit of a daddy's girl, I love him to bits.
- Obviously we are thrilled to bits.
- I own perhaps a third of the series (just drawn to a close at the 300th issue) and just love it to bits.
- He meant everything to me and I loved him to bits.
- She's great, I love her to bits, but wow, she's so smart and you can't just dodge questions from her, she doesn't let up.
- He's not a smart dog, he can't do any tricks, he doesn't come when he's called but he's my Harry Pup and I love him to bits.
- I love her to bits and quite simply I could not see myself being with anyone else.
- To be honest up until the last 4 years I loved it to bits.
- I love it to bits, all of it, especially the wonderfully ingenious and gorgeous to look at early optical devices, and the engravings of such inventions.
- I loved it to bits, although a little let down by the end.
Origin
Old English bita 'bite, mouthful', of Germanic origin; related to German Bissen, also to bite.
bite from Old English:
There are words related to bite in many other European languages. Their ancestor also gave us bit (Old English) and bitter, and it probably meant ‘to split, to cleave’. To bite the bullet now means ‘to face up to something unpleasant’. Its origin is said to be in battlefield surgery—that wounded soldiers would be given a bullet to bite on to prevent them from crying out when the pain became unbearable. However, there is no evidence that this ever happened, and surgeons always carried leather straps with them for this purpose. Another phrase involving biting something unusual is to bite the dust, ‘to be killed or come to an end’. Nowadays people are likely to associate it with Westerns and gunfights, but it is used by the Scottish novelist Tobias Smollett in 1750, and similar expressions such as to bite the ground and bite the sand are found even earlier. Man bites dog is a much-used jokey newspaper headline, which harks back to the quote: ‘When a dog bites a man, that is not news, because it happens so often. But if a man bites a dog, that is news.’ This was said by the American journalist John B. Bogart (1848–1921).
The bit in computing, a unit of information expressed as either a 0 or 1, is a contraction of binary digit. Bit and bite were combined to give byte, a group of eight bits.
Rhymes
acquit, admit, backlit, bedsit, befit, Brit, Britt, chit, commit, demit, dit, emit, fit, flit, frit, git, grit, hit, intermit, it, kit, knit, legit, lickety-split, lit, manumit, mishit, mitt, nit, omit, outsit, outwit, permit, pit, Pitt, pretermit, quit, remit, retrofit, sit, skit, slit, snit, spit, split, sprit, squit, submit, transmit, twit, whit, wit, writ, zit
bit2
bɪtbɪt
- past of bite
bit3
nounbɪtbɪt
1A mouthpiece, typically made of metal, which is attached to a bridle and used to control a horse.
- A vet or an equine dental specialist can address any oral problems that may cause the horse to lean or grab onto the bit.
- You don't need a big bit to get the horse's attention and you don't need a big bit to get the horse stopped.
- You can also go shopping at the C Quarter Circle Saddlery for saddles, bridles, bits, spurs and much more!
- In the tackroom where the bridles, bits, snaffles, girths and whips were hanging on the wall, Jackson asked me about everything.
- It seems there are different opinions as to whether the rein attached to the bit should be left on, in addition to the direct one.
- The leather was dull and dusty, and the metal of the bits and stirrups of the English saddle seemed to be tarnished.
- We'll still put bits in our horses' mouths, but they'll be made from temperature sensitive materials and will mould to the individual shape of the horse's inner mouth.
- It will help as he collects up the horse and allows the horse to hold the bit better as it tucks it head and stretches over its poll.
- The reason is probably not the bit, but the way in which the horse is schooled.
- Malloy grabbed her wrist as she reached to place the bit in the horse's mouth.
- He knew she was very upset when she couldn't get her horse to accept its bit.
- Iron components of the chariot were found in a good state of preservation, including the two wheel rims and hub - hoops, the yoke fittings, harness and horse bits.
- There was more speech amongst the Danes, and movement of horses, and jingling of bridle bits.
- Her new owners said the only remaining evidence of her old life had been a fear of having a bridle bit placed in her mouth.
- She puts her head right in the hackamore but won't stand still for the bit.
- For example, a collection of bits for horses, at least seven of them, are presented on a piece of felt that has seen better days.
- Spahis rode hardy little barb stallions, which they controlled with severe bits.
- However, what I am saying, is there are different ways to achieve more harmony and control than by using one of these bits.
- There were two saddles, an English and a racing, as well as two different bridles, with interchangeable bits.
- Most of the time he'll go in, check for the general health of the mouth, then file down teeth both for comfort and so the bridle bit sits well.
2A tool or piece for boring or drilling.
a drill bit- An existing underground pipe was ruptured by a drill bit from a digging machine.
- Switch bits, and drill the hole in the door's edge.
- The family-run store in Texas that's been mixing drill bits and Limoges boxes for more than 60 years.
- If you've ever drilled a hole through a relatively thick piece of steel, you know that drill bits tend to wander quickly.
- Diamond drilling bits were used in prospecting, and thermal ore processing allowed winter panning in placer mines.
- Start the holes off by turning the drill bit where centre of the markings are.
- During the same month, a Makita drill and drill bits, in their original case were also found and never claimed.
- Drilling can be done with many of the same tools you use for drilling wood or metal, including twist drills, brad point drill bits, spade bits or a hole saw with a pilot bit.
- It is made from granite roughbacks and discarded drill bits.
- The trail down to the foot of the falls was all but vertical, a white-knuckle descent by means of chains and old drill bits hammered into the rock.
- It has a church and a bar, a welding shop, and a small ironworks that manufactures bits for oil drilling.
- Most boring bits, at first glance, may look the same except for size.
- Several attendees shared what they have done at their facilities regarding reprocessing drill bits.
- Nowadays, most tool purchases involve replacing the expendable items such as drill bits, sanding belts and specialty taps and anything else that wears out.
- However, this could be minimized if every tunnel is bored with a road header with extremely strong drill bits.
- And they planned to modify the drill bits to make them less susceptible to jamming from the rocks.
- Look for drills described as high-speed drill bits.
- He's wearing a belt with screwdrivers, drill bits, spanners, hacksaws and nails lodged in every pocket.
- Drill bits are not an easy tool to sharpen correctly.
- You drill out small holes in the outer cortex in two lateral skull locations with custom drill bits at the incision site.
- 2.1 The cutting or gripping part of a plane, pincers, or other tool.
- It is a good idea to also cut out a small opening above the bit for air-flow, and leave sufficient room in your table opening for sawdust to escape the cut.
- The hole is right above the bit for virtually dust-free routering, and the connector is a friction fit so it can be removed in an instant.
- Start your router with the piece raised above the bit and the lines positioned like this, and then push the stock down onto the bit and then keeping the stock against the fence, push the stock from right to left till the bit pops out the back.
- The way to change the cutting depth of the bit varies among different router types, makes, and models.
- Align the pilot bit of the hole saw with the center point you marked earlier in the face of the door, and begin drilling.
- They were Rris-built devices, requiring two Rris to power the treadle turning the shaft, but the bits and cutting blades were of improved carbon steel.
- Turn on the router and position the stock, angled so that the back of the piece rests on the table, but the front of the piece is just above the bit at the first mark.
- 2.2 The part of a key that engages with the lock lever.
- The next step in the evolution of locks was the invention of the "bit".
- To take the impression the bit of a flat blank key of the correct size was covered with a layer of wax.
- It has lever tumblers that require a key with a bit, or projecting part, of proper depth and position.
- 2.3 The copper head of a soldering iron.
- The soldering iron bit should be cleaned.
- The bit then fits over or inside the heating element dependent on the design of the soldering iron.
- The bit may be heated in many different ways.
verbbɪtbɪt
[with object]1Put a bit into the mouth of (a horse).
- I began long-lining him and bitting him up, teaching him that there was more to life than galloping in a straight line.
- What Is The Best Way To Bit A Horse?
- However, they can experience behavioral problems when ridden, many coming back to bad experiences with what type of bit was used and how they were initially bitted.
- 1.1 Restrain.my own hysteria was bitted by upbringing and respect
- My own hysteria was bitted by upbringing and respect.
- If it hadnt been for this fellow here who disclosed it all, theyd have bitted me and led me along with their tricks till the end of time.
Phrases
above the bit
(of a horse) carrying its head too high so that it evades correct contact with the bit.
- The horse went above the bit means an absence of contact with the rider's hands, legs, and seat, also leading to loss of impulsion.
- He's above the bit, and your legs are a hair too far forward.
- This results in jerky movements, problems with rhythm, being behind or above the bit, general dissatisfaction or resistance.
- Their horses often wind up above the bit; become pullers; develop a ewe-neck; a stiff, tight back; travel heavy on the forehand or any combination.
- This is a harder evasion to correct than going above the bit.
- Further in front of that point the horse will be above the bit, and the action of the reins will not be able to go through because of stiffness.
behind the bit
(of a horse) carrying its head with the chin tucked in so that it evades contact with the bit.
- When the horse comes too low and behind the bit, there must be something else going on at the same time.
- Such riders should be able to get a colt to yield without gimmicks because there is always danger of getting a horse behind the bit through their use.
- It would also be a mistake to let the horse lag behind the bit; the trainer must, therefore, create and maintain the proper tempo and rhythm.
get (or take or have) the bit between one's teeth
Begin to tackle a problem or task in a determined or independent way.
- I've got the bit in my teeth with this show and I'm very determined to take it as far as it will go.
- In the end, I don't see that happening because I feel Brazil now have the bit between their teeth.
- But I will warn you I have the bit between my teeth today.
- They were all heroes because they worked very, very hard and have the bit between their teeth right now.
- And one of the big questions is whether he's going to be able to really get the bit in his teeth.
- I think there's a real sense right across Government of having the bit between our teeth and wanting to get on with it.
- They will have the bit between their teeth again and we will really have to pull something out of the top drawer to qualify for the semi-final.
- Mencken believed that the human race would accomplish greater things if the halt and lame were left to themselves and the bright and swift took the bit between their teeth.
- I have the bit between my teeth now, and shall not finish the project until I've been through every nook and cranny of cupboards, drawers and shelves, rooting out stuff I really do not need to keep on paper.
- They seem to have the bit between their teeth regarding a property.
off the bit (or bridle)
(of a horse) ridden on a loose rein to allow it to gallop freely.
- At home, he'd only work as well as the horse beside him but we'd never take him off the bridle at home either.
- Unfortunately I got trapped behind Royal Rebel for a while, when he was on and off the bridle a bit, but five out I got on the tail of Westerner and followed him.
- Norman knew he would stay and even though he was a bit off the bridle round the turn he just kept on galloping.
- He was making a bit of a run coming to the turn, but when Frankie Dettori shifted out, we ended up copping a bit of a bump, just when I was letting Media Puzzle off the bit, and that was the end of us.
- Nicky Richard's horse looked like winning last time over this course and distance, but did not find as much as expected off the bridle.
- But, not for the first time, he didn't find a lot off the bridle and was a length adrift at the line.
- Most of the runners are off the bridle while Shergar is cantering.
- Just over two furlongs out he sneaked a glance behind and the sight of everything else off the bridle was all he needed.
- ‘He came off the bit,’ Johnson said of Perfect Drift's momentary pause.
- He was the first horse off the bridle, but he kept coming on ground which certainly wasn't ideal for him.
on the bit (or bridle)
(of a horse) ridden with a light but firm contact on the mouth.
- Not since Arkle won his second Gold Cup have I seen a horse coming down the hill still on the bridle like that.
- Barry Geraghty, on Kicking King, had been cruising in behind the lead from the off, and he was still on the bridle as he cantered clear going to the home turn.
- How many horses can come to the last still on the bridle in the Champion Hurdle?
- ‘He was never on the bridle and wasn't happy about the whole thing,’ trainer Pat Kelly said of Evening Attire.
- It takes a lot of practice, but eventually you'll be able to advance to a faster trot and even a canter and still keep your horse on the bit without getting into a pulling match.
- The third horse home looked to be going like the winner three furlongs out as he swept into the lead on the bit but he could not match the winner's stamina over the final quarter of the two-mile trip.
- He was on the bridle with me the whole way and he dug in gamely.
- To see a Gold Cup winner being schooled with a long leg and going on the bit was a revelation.
- But no sooner had he given his supporters real hope than Adamant Approach came cantering in behind on the bridle.
- ‘My horse left the gate and was on the bit,’ Berry said.
Derivatives
bitted
- in combination a double-bitted axe
adjective
Origin
Old English bite 'biting, a bite', of Germanic origin; related to Dutch beet and German Biss, also to bite.
bit4
nounbɪtbɪt
Computing A unit of information expressed as either a 0 or 1 in binary notation.
Compare with byte- I now know there are eight bits in a byte, and 1024 megabytes in a gigabyte.
- The interesting thing is to watch them write a subroutine that counts all the bits in a byte, then ask them to make it much, much faster.
- For example, is it important to discuss computer bits, bytes, disk drives and the like in an agricultural mechanics textbook?
- How do we turn these unique numbers - known as code points in the Unicode universe - into bits and bytes?
- It's complex because you're talking about bits and bytes of software, radio frequencies, protocols and a litany of technical items.
Origin
1940s: blend of binary and digit.
bit1
nounbɪtbit
1A small piece, part, or quantity of something.
give the duck a bit of breadhe read bits of his work to me- Individual elements such as pieces of driftwood or bits of furniture retained traces of their former life, but also melted into the larger organic whole.
- We both study things in minute detail and piece bits of evidence together and it is very similar with scenes of crime work.
- He made a telephone call to the Observer and with readers' help slowly began to piece bits of the puzzle together and build up the museum.
- I've been trying to identify what bits of the blog work well (that these bits should even exist may come as a bit of a shock to some of you, I'm sure) and what bits don't work so well.
- One of the outfits means I will be baring bits of skin that don't usually see the light of day.
- Also, there are some really sad bits and some manipulative bits of very dubious taste.
- The force of its landing literally exploded it into little pieces, and tiny bits of bark covered my clothes.
- With its clear chicken broth, bits of green onion, finely shredded cabbage and artfully fastened dumplings, said soup is a fine way to begin your feast.
- A bit of rain she can cope with but a deluge of hard, stinging pingy bits of ice is too much even for Dolly the Mega Cat.
- So for history's sake, check out these closeted bits of celluloid for a bit of perspective on how far we've come.
- His is an impressive collection of rusty coins and nails, corroded bullets and belt buckles, pieces of swords and knives, shards and bits of broken bottles.
- Certainly there are bits of the concert on the dvd which I didn't remember, but you would expect a bit of that.
- In more prepared circumstances I might have added some bite sized bits of chicken.
- Reaching my chosen spot I dropped some bits of bread across to the far bank, watching it float downstream then across the current to our bank.
- Other than that, I've managed to put the finishing touches on some bits of music I've been working on.
- You can't expect your role models to be perfect at everything, you have to piece them together from bits of everybody you admire for different reasons.
- There are also files and other bits of correspondence littering every available surface and the whole area is generally a bit of a mess.
- Otherwise, the piece had some good bits of news.
- With a few bits of cardboard, a light and a bit of plastic, Pratt's little model echoes both the reality and the dream.
- It was piecing together different bits of conversations.
small portion, small piece, piece, portion, segment, section, part- 1.1a bit A short time or distance.I fell asleep for a bit
- Nanna was there so we all hung out for a bit and then she helped me dye my hair black for the party.
- As this is something of a landmark survey may we be excused for pushing the boat out a bit?
- And if so, we can say that it merely happened that the seed dropped where it did and not a bit further on.
- If this means staying off the usual glass or three of wine per evening for a bit, so be it.
moment, minute, second, little while, short timesoon, in a while, in a little while, in a second, in a minute, in a moment, in a trice, in a flash, shortly, in a short time, in no time, in less than no time, in no time at all, before you know it, before long, directly - 1.2a bit A fair amount.there's a bit to talk about there
- So right now, in China, there is a good bit of activity going on trying to control this problem in a very aggressive way.
- We are entitled to expect a fair bit of intersubjectivity in judged verdicts.
- We're getting some fair bit of sales through and we haven't advertised.
- I did a bit of acting in Liverpool then moved down here to try and make it as an actress.
- It would get them out of the house and earn them a bit of extra cash at the same time.
- I remember too that he did a bit of dealing in ponies and usually had one or two in the field.
- There are still a few too many bulls by comparison but we can move them given a bit of time.
- Ian Moore has been doing well and the lads have all been telling him to calm down a bit.
- So it's, you know, he probably had to scrape a bit to get that amount up.
- They are teenage lads and they need a bit of ego to get up on stage but they take it in their stride.
- Kathleen, it does look like there's a good bit of activity on the streets.
- It was very unusual to be from a divorced family then and yes, there was a bit of stigma.
- A bit of research suggests my initial guess was correct, and it's some Indian Reservation.
- Yes, I mean, even though, I mean, the media has overblown some of the problems a fair bit.
- Online betting is big business and it is now a very simple job to splash a bit of cash on a flutter.
- Most jobs that will earn you a good amount of money involve a fair bit of training.
- Once you take off all the stuff above you'd at least have a bit of time to do other things.
- The down side was that, well, Mr. B. and I fought a fair bit in those first months.
- Like all cliches, there was a good bit of truth attached to this comical declaration.
- I started to cry a bit but there were other people in the room so I had to get a hold of myself.
2informal with adjective A set of actions or ideas associated with a specific group or activity.
she's gone off to do her theatrical bit- John's issue page seemed a bit beefier than George's bit about his agenda.
- I'm not sure about the getting married bit, but the idea of them going off somewhere holds a certain appeal.
- Each main dancer got to do a little solo bit in the middle of the semi-circle.
- The only really entertaining bit was the thing with Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson.
- There's a stunning, uncredited sax solo and a quirky contrapuntal bit for the trombones.
- Charles and crew follow him for eight months as he works one five-minute bit into a full hour of worthy material.
3North American dated, informal A unit of 12 1/2 cents (used only in even multiples)
the sideshow admission was twenty-five cents, two bits, the fourth of a dollar- Abbey skipped up to the house, a silver bit and four coppers jingling in her apron pocket.
- A lad with tousled fair hair came out of the livery, and Ben handed over the horse and two bits for feed and a rub down.
- Jim paid the four bits and ate in the dining room.
Phrases
a bit
Somewhat; to some extent.
he came back looking a bit annoyed- This goes some way to explaining why my cupboard is a bit bare when it comes to clothes.
- Using it as a saw works a bit better, but it appears the faults in the blade help here.
- I must admit to finding it a bit slow to begin with and rather drawn out in some places.
- My little boy is not speaking to me on the phone at the moment, which is a bit upsetting.
- Petrol usage would be a bit higher but not by so much that it equals the rent we would have paid.
- They are a good side but we were a bit better and hopefully this result shows we are now on our way.
- Then he said he had a proposal for me, which made me a bit worried about what was coming up.
- I'm now a bit stiff and have a big lump on my right foot where I caught a guy on the elbow.
- If you take a leg off of the spider, put it back on the table and tell it to walk, it walks a bit wobbly.
- The weather at the Oval is looking a bit overcast but may hold long enough for us to do the biz.
rather, a little, fairly, slightly, somewhat, relatively, quite, to some degree, to some extent, comparatively, moderatelybit by bit
Gradually.
the school was built bit by bit over the years- This got wilder and wilder until, bit by bit, the entire drum set was collapsing onto the floor under the fury of this onslaught.
- We gave away a big chunk of our sovereignty in 1972, and since then, bit by bit, we have been ceding more and more of it.
- Left with the core essence of his basically decent character, he then sets about rebuilding his life, bit by bit.
- My family moved house while I was in London, and I've been going through the boxes from the old house bit by bit.
- He had received medical help, was in counselling, had been given a flat and was trying bit by bit to put his life back together again.
- When you meet your goals bit by bit, you will no doubt feel a sense of accomplishment which will be an incentive to move on.
- But if there are more films like Promises, perhaps, bit by bit, awareness will grow.
- The lesson is, undo communism slowly, bit by bit, and don't expect democracy overnight.
- With that I go on again, begin to build, and fail, and learn another thing, and so it goes on, as bit by bit what I learn rises up like a stone wall.
- When we are replenished in our spirit, we go back into the liberal culture, changing it bit by bit.
assist, help, lend a hand, be of service, give one's support, give one's backing, contribute, chip in, throw in one's lotgradually, little by little, in stages, step by step, slowly, one step at a timea bit of a —
1Used to suggest that something is not severe or extreme, or is true only to a limited extent.
he's a bit of a womanizer- Although this procedure is not extremely difficult, it does require a bit of an experienced hand.
- I was in severe leg trouble, so the trip to Taunton was a bit of an ordeal.
- He is simply a bit of an idiot, and to an extent a victim of his times.
- He's a bit of an extremist - congratulating the Islamic thugs that beat him up in Afghanistan.
- I mean, isn't that a bit of an extreme way to describe the detention centres?
- A bit of an unknown quantity for GB, Brent has plenty of pace and is a prolific try-scorer.
- I'd forgotten to mention but I had a bit of an accident with Dad's car whilst he was away.
- That he is here at all, in this lovely parkland rising to the church in the trees, is a bit of an accident.
- Because we knew that it was a bit of a fiefdom at that point in time.
- It was a bit of an accident going there in the first place.
- 1.1Only a little —; a mere —we went on a bit of a walk
bits and pieces
An assortment of small items.
weird bits and pieces of paraphernalia- It's an epidemic, I thought, standing in the sun outside while I sorted my bag of bits and pieces.
- I had to pick up a couple of bits and bobs in Sainsbury, so didn't get started in the kitchen until almost half seven.
- However there are other equally interesting bits and pieces on display.
- There was a large collection of tools and other bits and bobs to look at, including the splendid generators.
- We have called in to pick up a few bits and pieces, and to collect a rather expensive lamp for K's mother.
- On top of all of that I discovered numerous bits and pieces of farm equipment scattered around the place.
- Your poor pal has just made a terrifying investment and, as you say, is having to shell out for new furnishings and other bits and bobs.
- So far I have written 4 complete songs, with bits and bobs for another couple more; this is since last Sunday.
- The actual textiles seemed to be of all kinds, a few whole garments, old socks, hankies, torn-off sleeves, j-cloths, rags, babies' stuff, bits and bobs.
- So the Guru and I wandered off to Ikebukuro for the afternoon to nose, buy some bits and pieces, that sort of thing.
odds and ends, oddments, stuff, paraphernalia, things, miscellanea, bric-a-brac, sundries, knick-knacks, souvenirs, keepsakes, mementoes, lumber, flotsam and jetsamdo one's bit
informal Make a useful contribution to an effort or cause.
she was keen to do her bit to help others- Everybody is asked to do their bit and make an effort to recycle as much of their waste as possible.
- He has also done his own bit to distance his current squad from their glorious recent past and the haphazard unsettled last season.
- In that time the couple has served on a number of committees in an effort to do their bit for the Geraldton.
- The refugees who made it were clearly keen to do their bit in the war effort and the factory went on to produce 66 per cent of the leather required in the whole British war effort.
- The idea is to do your own small bit, in whatever way, in checking the growing intolerance in people.
- And I'll be doing my bit to contribute to the development of its ideology.
- The majority of them are ordinary people, keen to do their bit for charity.
- It is appreciated that those who are involved in the development of two projects in the parish, the ball alley and the GAA pitches, are doing their bit.
- Models of a responsible society would have marketers doing their bit to contribute towards a just and fair society, alongside the contributions of other institutions such as the family and the Church.
- The Goddard Arms Hotel in Old Town was packed on Friday night with people all eager to do their bit for the relief effort.
assist, help, lend a hand, be of service, give one's support, give one's backing, contribute, chip in, throw in one's lotnot a bit
Not at all.
I'm not a bit tired- He just tossed the papers aside, not a bit interested.
- The fact that none of these matched the dates of her royal lover, Solomon, King of Israel and Judah from 966 to 926 bc, mattered not a bit.
- I'm not a bit surprised that other people are interested in Steve, not a bit.
- And as our bill is tabulated by the fresh-faced high school boy behind the register, we would grab all the Safety-Pops we could and not feel guilty, not a bit.
- But at the same time it didn't surprise me, not a bit.
- Yet this time, those falls didn't hurt me, not a bit.
- It matters not a bit to the agitators that great uncle Lazaro has two convictions for drunk driving, and the other, Delfin, has been in drunk-driving accidents.
- Ignorant of this process, they worried not a bit.
- Compared with those jokes, I think it is not a bit exaggerated to suggest that lawyers, after defending so many people, should really sit down to think about doing something in their own defence.
- But little Risheek, a class IV student, is not a bit unnerved.
to bits
1Into pieces.
he smashed it to bits with a hammer- She and her little piece of flotsam were going to be smashed to bits on the rocks!
- All serious race cars have the prop shaft balanced, otherwise it shakes the car to bits.
- It always seems that a bunch of men get together on the bumper cars and take great joy in bashing each other to bits for the entire day!
- Yin Yan, a lawyer at Beijing Jingyi Lawyer's Office, said knocking the car to bits was definitely the wrong thing to do.
- Standing in front of him, he longed to slowly carve Jaegar to pieces and burn those pieces to bits.
- By now anything that was going to be ripped into little pieces by the bomb had already vanished to bits smaller than even the best eye could see.
- There's nothing different about our clown acts though, same car that falls to bits when we drive in.
- MATZILATION - Smashing a piece of matzo to bits while trying to butter it.
- So I stumble down to the garage to see the back rear window of my car has been smashed to bits, and the inside of my car totally ransacked.
2Very much; to a great degree.
we've got two great kids whom I love to bits- Obviously we are thrilled to bits.
- I loved it to bits, although a little let down by the end.
- I own perhaps a third of the series (just drawn to a close at the 300th issue) and just love it to bits.
- I love it to bits, all of it, especially the wonderfully ingenious and gorgeous to look at early optical devices, and the engravings of such inventions.
- I love her to bits and quite simply I could not see myself being with anyone else.
- He meant everything to me and I loved him to bits.
- She's great, I love her to bits, but wow, she's so smart and you can't just dodge questions from her, she doesn't let up.
- I have always been a bit of a daddy's girl, I love him to bits.
- He's not a smart dog, he can't do any tricks, he doesn't come when he's called but he's my Harry Pup and I love him to bits.
- To be honest up until the last 4 years I loved it to bits.
Origin
Old English bita ‘bite, mouthful’, of Germanic origin; related to German Bissen, also to bite.
bit2
bitbɪt
- past of bite
bit3
nounbɪtbit
1A mouthpiece, typically made of metal, which is attached to a bridle and used to control a horse.
- You can also go shopping at the C Quarter Circle Saddlery for saddles, bridles, bits, spurs and much more!
- Most of the time he'll go in, check for the general health of the mouth, then file down teeth both for comfort and so the bridle bit sits well.
- It seems there are different opinions as to whether the rein attached to the bit should be left on, in addition to the direct one.
- For example, a collection of bits for horses, at least seven of them, are presented on a piece of felt that has seen better days.
- In the tackroom where the bridles, bits, snaffles, girths and whips were hanging on the wall, Jackson asked me about everything.
- She puts her head right in the hackamore but won't stand still for the bit.
- Spahis rode hardy little barb stallions, which they controlled with severe bits.
- You don't need a big bit to get the horse's attention and you don't need a big bit to get the horse stopped.
- Her new owners said the only remaining evidence of her old life had been a fear of having a bridle bit placed in her mouth.
- He knew she was very upset when she couldn't get her horse to accept its bit.
- A vet or an equine dental specialist can address any oral problems that may cause the horse to lean or grab onto the bit.
- The reason is probably not the bit, but the way in which the horse is schooled.
- It will help as he collects up the horse and allows the horse to hold the bit better as it tucks it head and stretches over its poll.
- There were two saddles, an English and a racing, as well as two different bridles, with interchangeable bits.
- Malloy grabbed her wrist as she reached to place the bit in the horse's mouth.
- There was more speech amongst the Danes, and movement of horses, and jingling of bridle bits.
- The leather was dull and dusty, and the metal of the bits and stirrups of the English saddle seemed to be tarnished.
- However, what I am saying, is there are different ways to achieve more harmony and control than by using one of these bits.
- Iron components of the chariot were found in a good state of preservation, including the two wheel rims and hub - hoops, the yoke fittings, harness and horse bits.
- We'll still put bits in our horses' mouths, but they'll be made from temperature sensitive materials and will mould to the individual shape of the horse's inner mouth.
2A tool or piece for boring or drilling, typically of metal.
a drill bit- And they planned to modify the drill bits to make them less susceptible to jamming from the rocks.
- Drill bits are not an easy tool to sharpen correctly.
- However, this could be minimized if every tunnel is bored with a road header with extremely strong drill bits.
- You drill out small holes in the outer cortex in two lateral skull locations with custom drill bits at the incision site.
- It has a church and a bar, a welding shop, and a small ironworks that manufactures bits for oil drilling.
- Nowadays, most tool purchases involve replacing the expendable items such as drill bits, sanding belts and specialty taps and anything else that wears out.
- Most boring bits, at first glance, may look the same except for size.
- He's wearing a belt with screwdrivers, drill bits, spanners, hacksaws and nails lodged in every pocket.
- If you've ever drilled a hole through a relatively thick piece of steel, you know that drill bits tend to wander quickly.
- Switch bits, and drill the hole in the door's edge.
- An existing underground pipe was ruptured by a drill bit from a digging machine.
- The family-run store in Texas that's been mixing drill bits and Limoges boxes for more than 60 years.
- Start the holes off by turning the drill bit where centre of the markings are.
- Several attendees shared what they have done at their facilities regarding reprocessing drill bits.
- Look for drills described as high-speed drill bits.
- It is made from granite roughbacks and discarded drill bits.
- The trail down to the foot of the falls was all but vertical, a white-knuckle descent by means of chains and old drill bits hammered into the rock.
- Diamond drilling bits were used in prospecting, and thermal ore processing allowed winter panning in placer mines.
- During the same month, a Makita drill and drill bits, in their original case were also found and never claimed.
- Drilling can be done with many of the same tools you use for drilling wood or metal, including twist drills, brad point drill bits, spade bits or a hole saw with a pilot bit.
- 2.1 The cutting or gripping part of a plane, pliers, or other tool.
- The hole is right above the bit for virtually dust-free routering, and the connector is a friction fit so it can be removed in an instant.
- It is a good idea to also cut out a small opening above the bit for air-flow, and leave sufficient room in your table opening for sawdust to escape the cut.
- They were Rris-built devices, requiring two Rris to power the treadle turning the shaft, but the bits and cutting blades were of improved carbon steel.
- Align the pilot bit of the hole saw with the center point you marked earlier in the face of the door, and begin drilling.
- The way to change the cutting depth of the bit varies among different router types, makes, and models.
- Turn on the router and position the stock, angled so that the back of the piece rests on the table, but the front of the piece is just above the bit at the first mark.
- Start your router with the piece raised above the bit and the lines positioned like this, and then push the stock down onto the bit and then keeping the stock against the fence, push the stock from right to left till the bit pops out the back.
- 2.2 The part of a key that engages with the lock lever.
- The next step in the evolution of locks was the invention of the "bit".
- It has lever tumblers that require a key with a bit, or projecting part, of proper depth and position.
- To take the impression the bit of a flat blank key of the correct size was covered with a layer of wax.
- 2.3 The copper head of a soldering iron.
- The soldering iron bit should be cleaned.
- The bit then fits over or inside the heating element dependent on the design of the soldering iron.
- The bit may be heated in many different ways.
verbbɪtbit
[with object]1Put a bit into the mouth of (a horse).
- What Is The Best Way To Bit A Horse?
- I began long-lining him and bitting him up, teaching him that there was more to life than galloping in a straight line.
- However, they can experience behavioral problems when ridden, many coming back to bad experiences with what type of bit was used and how they were initially bitted.
- 1.1 Restrain.my own hysteria was bitted by upbringing and respect
- My own hysteria was bitted by upbringing and respect.
- If it hadnt been for this fellow here who disclosed it all, theyd have bitted me and led me along with their tricks till the end of time.
Phrases
above the bit
(of a horse) carrying its head too high so that it evades correct contact with the bit.
- Their horses often wind up above the bit; become pullers; develop a ewe-neck; a stiff, tight back; travel heavy on the forehand or any combination.
- Further in front of that point the horse will be above the bit, and the action of the reins will not be able to go through because of stiffness.
- The horse went above the bit means an absence of contact with the rider's hands, legs, and seat, also leading to loss of impulsion.
- He's above the bit, and your legs are a hair too far forward.
- This results in jerky movements, problems with rhythm, being behind or above the bit, general dissatisfaction or resistance.
- This is a harder evasion to correct than going above the bit.
behind the bit
(of a horse) carrying its head with the chin tucked in so that it evades contact with the bit.
- It would also be a mistake to let the horse lag behind the bit; the trainer must, therefore, create and maintain the proper tempo and rhythm.
- When the horse comes too low and behind the bit, there must be something else going on at the same time.
- Such riders should be able to get a colt to yield without gimmicks because there is always danger of getting a horse behind the bit through their use.
take (or get or have) the bit in (or between) one's teeth
Begin to tackle a problem or task in a determined or independent way.
- But I will warn you I have the bit between my teeth today.
- They seem to have the bit between their teeth regarding a property.
- In the end, I don't see that happening because I feel Brazil now have the bit between their teeth.
- And one of the big questions is whether he's going to be able to really get the bit in his teeth.
- They were all heroes because they worked very, very hard and have the bit between their teeth right now.
- They will have the bit between their teeth again and we will really have to pull something out of the top drawer to qualify for the semi-final.
- I have the bit between my teeth now, and shall not finish the project until I've been through every nook and cranny of cupboards, drawers and shelves, rooting out stuff I really do not need to keep on paper.
- Mencken believed that the human race would accomplish greater things if the halt and lame were left to themselves and the bright and swift took the bit between their teeth.
- I think there's a real sense right across Government of having the bit between our teeth and wanting to get on with it.
- I've got the bit in my teeth with this show and I'm very determined to take it as far as it will go.
off the bit (or bridle)
(of a horse) ridden on a loose rein to allow it to gallop freely, especially at the end of a race.
- Nicky Richard's horse looked like winning last time over this course and distance, but did not find as much as expected off the bridle.
- ‘He came off the bit,’ Johnson said of Perfect Drift's momentary pause.
- At home, he'd only work as well as the horse beside him but we'd never take him off the bridle at home either.
- He was the first horse off the bridle, but he kept coming on ground which certainly wasn't ideal for him.
- He was making a bit of a run coming to the turn, but when Frankie Dettori shifted out, we ended up copping a bit of a bump, just when I was letting Media Puzzle off the bit, and that was the end of us.
- Unfortunately I got trapped behind Royal Rebel for a while, when he was on and off the bridle a bit, but five out I got on the tail of Westerner and followed him.
- Norman knew he would stay and even though he was a bit off the bridle round the turn he just kept on galloping.
- Just over two furlongs out he sneaked a glance behind and the sight of everything else off the bridle was all he needed.
- Most of the runners are off the bridle while Shergar is cantering.
- But, not for the first time, he didn't find a lot off the bridle and was a length adrift at the line.
on the bit (or bridle)
(of a horse) ridden with a light but firm contact on the mouth, and accepting the bit in a calm and relaxed manner.
- ‘He was never on the bridle and wasn't happy about the whole thing,’ trainer Pat Kelly said of Evening Attire.
- The third horse home looked to be going like the winner three furlongs out as he swept into the lead on the bit but he could not match the winner's stamina over the final quarter of the two-mile trip.
- ‘My horse left the gate and was on the bit,’ Berry said.
- How many horses can come to the last still on the bridle in the Champion Hurdle?
- Barry Geraghty, on Kicking King, had been cruising in behind the lead from the off, and he was still on the bridle as he cantered clear going to the home turn.
- But no sooner had he given his supporters real hope than Adamant Approach came cantering in behind on the bridle.
- He was on the bridle with me the whole way and he dug in gamely.
- Not since Arkle won his second Gold Cup have I seen a horse coming down the hill still on the bridle like that.
- To see a Gold Cup winner being schooled with a long leg and going on the bit was a revelation.
- It takes a lot of practice, but eventually you'll be able to advance to a faster trot and even a canter and still keep your horse on the bit without getting into a pulling match.
Origin
Old English bite ‘biting, a bite’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch beet and German Biss, also to bite.
bit4
nounbɪtbit
Computing A unit of information expressed as either a 0 or 1 in binary notation.
- The interesting thing is to watch them write a subroutine that counts all the bits in a byte, then ask them to make it much, much faster.
- It's complex because you're talking about bits and bytes of software, radio frequencies, protocols and a litany of technical items.
- For example, is it important to discuss computer bits, bytes, disk drives and the like in an agricultural mechanics textbook?
- How do we turn these unique numbers - known as code points in the Unicode universe - into bits and bytes?
- I now know there are eight bits in a byte, and 1024 megabytes in a gigabyte.
Origin
1940s: blend of binary and digit.