to bite
- verb
- /baɪt/
- The cold wind can really bite your skin during the winter months.
- biting cold
- begin to bite
Examples
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It's biting me.
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Did it bite you?
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Did it bite you or scratch you?
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- It's biting me!
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It won't bite you.
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If you don’t wear gloves, the chilly air will bite at your fingertips.
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Walking barefoot on the icy pavement will bite your feet unexpectedly.
Synonyms
To feel a hot, stinging pain after heat or chemicals
To feel a sharp, sudden pain like an insect bite
To make someone feel physical hurt
Cause a small stinging or tingling feeling on the skin
Antonyms
Idioms
- Informal
Stop yourself from saying something you want to say because it would be rude
- Informal
Pressing your lips together to keep from laughing or saying something
- Informal
To finish a very large task by doing small easy steps
Phrasal Verbs
Compounds
- Literature
A short part of a recorded statement on radio or television, often by a politician
- Specialized
A small removable piece of plastic that fits on the roof of the mouth to help the teeth or jaw
How Painful
Surface Forms
Etymology
Bite meaning the cold or wind that 'stings' you comes from the same old English word bītan meaning 'to cut with the teeth'. So when weather 'bites', it feels like a sharp, painful touch, similar to a bite.