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bite off more than one can chew

bite off Mo·ré than one can chew
B b

Transcription

    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • UK Pronunciation
    • UK IPA
    • [bahyt awf, of muh-rey th an, th en wuhn kan choo]
    • /baɪt ɔf, ɒf məˈreɪ ðæn, ðɛn wʌn kæn tʃu/
    • /baɪt ɒf mɔː(r) ðən wʌn kæn tʃuː/
    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [bahyt awf, of muh-rey th an, th en wuhn kan choo]
    • /baɪt ɔf, ɒf məˈreɪ ðæn, ðɛn wʌn kæn tʃu/

Definitions of bite off more than one can chew words

  • noun bite off more than one can chew to attempt a task beyond one's capability 3
  • noun bite off more than one can chew to attempt more than one is capable of 3
  • verb with object bite off more than one can chew to cut, wound, or tear with the teeth: She bit the apple greedily. The lion bit his trainer. 1
  • verb with object bite off more than one can chew to grip or hold with the teeth: Stop biting your lip! 1
  • verb with object bite off more than one can chew to sting, as does an insect. 1
  • verb with object bite off more than one can chew to cause to smart or sting: an icy wind that bit our faces. 1
See all 40 definitions of bite off more than one can chew

Information block about the term

Origin of bite off more than one can chew

First appearance:

before 1000
One of the 6% oldest English words
before 1000; Middle English biten, Old English bītan; cognate with Old High German bīzan (German beissen), Gothic beitan, Old Norse bīta; akin to Latin findere to split

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Bite off more than one can chew

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
Full grammatical hierarchy of Bite off more than one can chew

bite off more than one can chew popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 97% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

Synonyms for bite off more than one can chew

verb bite off more than one can chew

  • overdo — to do to excess; overindulge in: to overdo dieting.
  • slave — a person who is the property of and wholly subject to another; a bond servant.
  • go too far — take sth past acceptable limits
  • keep one's nose to the grindstone — a rotating solid stone wheel used for sharpening, shaping, etc.
All 5 Synonyms of bite off more than one can chew

See also

Matching words

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