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Glite Dictionary
to take a bite

to take a bite

49 1.4
To eat a small piece of food or reduce something a little
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : dar un mordisco
  • The wife is about to take a bite of steak and eggs.
  • take a bite of an apple
  • take a bite of a sandwich
  • take a bite of food

It's so big, which we'll take a bite because I like this sandwich.

Examples

  • I'd like it if you take a bite out of this side of the burger.

  • And when you take a bite, it makes you hungrier.

    Stuck on You! (1982)

  • You just pick one and take a bite.

    The Five-Year Engagement (2012)

  • You got to take a bite, honey.

    Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002)

  • OK, dig in, take a bite, taste everything.

  • And I was like about to take a bite of this vegan burger.

  • I would love for you to take a bite and tell us, is this a real Portillo's or a fake Portillo's?

  • We each peel our bananas and take a bite as Soler awaits our opinion.

    Academic text (1995)

  • Arna scoops up some rice and veggies with her fork and takes a bite.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • Before you comment on the dish, please take a bite and see if you like the flavor.

Synonyms

to try
vsto take a bite
661 1.0

To taste a small amount of food or drink

is used for casual eating or for noticeably reducing something
to lick
vsto take a bite
310 1.0

To pass the tongue over something to taste or clean it

in comparison, often involves chewing a small piece or reducing amount
to pick
vsto take a bite
116 3.6

To eat small amounts and not finish a meal

is more about a single small taste or decreasing something noticeably
to nibble
vsto take a bite
56 2.0

To eat small, gentle bites slowly or a little at a time

is broader and can mean a simple small taste or a reduction
to have a bite
vsto take a bite
17 1.8

Eat a small amount of food as a quick snack

is used more generally for tasting or for making something smaller
to bite off
vsto take a bite
12 2.1

To remove a piece from something using the teeth

is typically smaller, meaning a quick taste or a clear reduction
to peck
vsto take a bite
9 3.4

To eat small, quick bites like a bird

is not limited to rapid pecking and can mean reducing size
to pick at
vsto take a bite
1 4.2

Do something slowly and without interest, often doing only small parts

in contrast, can mean purposely tasting or actively making something smaller
to take a good lick
vsto take a bite
  • Informal
8.7

To put your tongue on food like ice cream to taste it a lot

is usually smaller in scale or can mean to lessen something

How Much

to devour
13 2.9
to eat
∞ 1.0
to take a bite
49 1.4
to nibble
56 2.0

Surface Forms

take a bite infinitive
taking a bite present participle
takes a bite third person singular
took a bite past
taken a bite past participle

Morphology

take + a + bite

The primary sense 'to eat or taste a small mouthful' is directly and transparently derivable from 'take' (have/use) + 'a' (indefinite article) + 'bite' (a small mouthful), so a B1 learner who knows the words can infer the meaning. The extended sense 'take a bite out of' meaning to reduce or diminish something is a straightforward metaphorical extension (removing a small part) and is also reasonably predictable cross-linguistically.

Etymology

Take a bite comes from the simple image of using your teeth to bite off a small piece of food and take it into your mouth. So, it now means 'to taste or try' something, and by that same image it can mean 'to reduce' part of something, as when we say money or time has had a bite taken out of it.