'BIT' definitions:

Definition of 'bit'

From: WordNet
noun
A small piece or quantity of something; "a spot of tea"; "a bit of paper"; "a bit of lint"; "I gave him a bit of my mind" [syn: spot, bit]
noun
A small fragment of something broken off from the whole; "a bit of rock caught him in the eye" [syn: bit, chip, flake, fleck, scrap]
noun
An indefinitely short time; "wait just a moment"; "in a mo"; "it only takes a minute"; "in just a bit" [syn: moment, mo, minute, second, bit]
noun
An instance of some kind; "it was a nice piece of work"; "he had a bit of good luck" [syn: piece, bit]
noun
Piece of metal held in horse's mouth by reins and used to control the horse while riding; "the horse was not accustomed to a bit"
noun
A unit of measurement of information (from binary + digit); the amount of information in a system having two equiprobable states; "there are 8 bits in a byte"
noun
A small amount of solid food; a mouthful; "all they had left was a bit of bread" [syn: morsel, bit, bite]
noun
A small fragment; "overheard snatches of their conversation" [syn: snatch, bit]
noun
A short theatrical performance that is part of a longer program; "he did his act three times every evening"; "she had a catchy little routine"; "it was one of the best numbers he ever did" [syn: act, routine, number, turn, bit]
noun
The part of a key that enters a lock and lifts the tumblers
noun
The cutting part of a drill; usually pointed and threaded and is replaceable in a brace or bitstock or drill press; "he looked around for the right size bit"

Definition of 'Bit'

From: GCIDE
  • Bit \Bit\ (b[i^]t), n. [OE. bitt, bite, AS. bite, bite, fr. b[imac]tan to bite. See Bite, n. & v., and cf. Bit a morsel.]
  • 1. The part of a bridle, usually of iron, which is inserted in the mouth of a horse, and having appendages to which the reins are fastened. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • The foamy bridle with the bit of gold. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. Fig.: Anything which curbs or restrains. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Bit'

From: GCIDE
  • Bit \Bit\, n. In the British West Indies, a fourpenny piece, or groat. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

Definition of 'Bit'

From: GCIDE
  • Bit \Bit\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bitted; p. pr. & vb. n. Bitting.] To put a bridle upon; to put the bit in the mouth of. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Bit'

From: GCIDE
  • Bit \Bit\, imp. & p. p. of Bite. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Bit'

From: GCIDE
  • Bite \Bite\ (b[imac]t), v. t. [imp. Bit (b[i^]t); p. p. Bitten (b[i^]t"t'n), Bit; p. pr. & vb. n. Biting.] [OE. biten, AS. b[imac]tan; akin to D. bijten, OS. b[imac]tan, OHG. b[imac]zan, G. beissen, Goth. beitan, Icel. b[imac]ta, Sw. bita, Dan. bide, L. findere to cleave, Skr. bhid to cleave. [root]87. Cf. Fissure.] [1913 Webster]
  • 1. To seize with the teeth, so that they enter or nip the thing seized; to lacerate, crush, or wound with the teeth; as, to bite an apple; to bite a crust; the dog bit a man. [1913 Webster]
  • Such smiling rogues as these, Like rats, oft bite the holy cords atwain. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. To puncture, abrade, or sting with an organ (of some insects) used in taking food. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. To cause sharp pain, or smarting, to; to hurt or injure, in a literal or a figurative sense; as, pepper bites the mouth. "Frosts do bite the meads." --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 4. To cheat; to trick; to take in. [Colloq.] --Pope. [1913 Webster]
  • 5. To take hold of; to hold fast; to adhere to; as, the anchor bites the ground. [1913 Webster]
  • The last screw of the rack having been turned so often that its purchase crumbled, . . . it turned and turned with nothing to bite. --Dickens. [1913 Webster]
  • To bite the dust, To bite the ground, to fall in the agonies of death; as, he made his enemy bite the dust.
  • To bite in (Etching), to corrode or eat into metallic plates by means of an acid.
  • To bite the thumb at (any one), formerly a mark of contempt, designed to provoke a quarrel; to defy. "Do you bite your thumb at us?" --Shak.
  • To bite the tongue, to keep silence. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Bit'

From: GCIDE
  • Bite \Bite\ (b[imac]t), v. t. [imp. Bit (b[i^]t); p. p. Bitten (b[i^]t"t'n), Bit; p. pr. & vb. n. Biting.] [OE. biten, AS. b[imac]tan; akin to D. bijten, OS. b[imac]tan, OHG. b[imac]zan, G. beissen, Goth. beitan, Icel. b[imac]ta, Sw. bita, Dan. bide, L. findere to cleave, Skr. bhid to cleave. [root]87. Cf. Fissure.] [1913 Webster]
  • 1. To seize with the teeth, so that they enter or nip the thing seized; to lacerate, crush, or wound with the teeth; as, to bite an apple; to bite a crust; the dog bit a man. [1913 Webster]
  • Such smiling rogues as these, Like rats, oft bite the holy cords atwain. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. To puncture, abrade, or sting with an organ (of some insects) used in taking food. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. To cause sharp pain, or smarting, to; to hurt or injure, in a literal or a figurative sense; as, pepper bites the mouth. "Frosts do bite the meads." --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 4. To cheat; to trick; to take in. [Colloq.] --Pope. [1913 Webster]
  • 5. To take hold of; to hold fast; to adhere to; as, the anchor bites the ground. [1913 Webster]
  • The last screw of the rack having been turned so often that its purchase crumbled, . . . it turned and turned with nothing to bite. --Dickens. [1913 Webster]
  • To bite the dust, To bite the ground, to fall in the agonies of death; as, he made his enemy bite the dust.
  • To bite in (Etching), to corrode or eat into metallic plates by means of an acid.
  • To bite the thumb at (any one), formerly a mark of contempt, designed to provoke a quarrel; to defy. "Do you bite your thumb at us?" --Shak.
  • To bite the tongue, to keep silence. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Bit'

From: GCIDE
  • Bit \Bit\, n. [OE. bite, AS. bita, fr. b[imac]tan to bite; akin to D. beet, G. bissen bit, morsel, Icel. biti. See Bite, v., and cf. Bit part of a bridle.]
  • 1. A part of anything, such as may be bitten off or taken into the mouth; a morsel; a bite. Hence: A small piece of anything; a little; a mite. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. Somewhat; something, but not very great. [1913 Webster]
  • My young companion was a bit of a poet. --T. Hook. [1913 Webster]
  • Note: This word is used, also, like jot and whit, to express the smallest degree; as, he is not a bit wiser. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. A tool for boring, of various forms and sizes, usually turned by means of a brace or bitstock. See Bitstock. [1913 Webster]
  • 4. The part of a key which enters the lock and acts upon the bolt and tumblers. --Knight. [1913 Webster]
  • 5. The cutting iron of a plane. --Knight. [1913 Webster]
  • 6. In the Southern and Southwestern States, a small silver coin (as the real) formerly current; commonly, one worth about 12 1/2 cents; also, the sum of 12 1/2 cents. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Bit'

From: GCIDE
  • Bit \Bit\,
  • 3d sing. pr. of Bid, for biddeth. [Obs.] --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Bit'

From: GCIDE
  • Bit \Bit\ (Computers) [binary digit.]
  • 1. the smallest unit of information, equivalent to a choice between two alternatives, as yes or no; on or off. [PJC]
  • 2. (Computers) the physical representation of a bit of information in a computer memory or a data storage medium. Within a computer circuit a bit may be represented by the state of a current or an electrical charge; in a magnetic storage medium it may be represented by the direction of magnetization; on a punched card or on paper tape it may be represented by the presence or absence of a hole at a particular point on the card or tape. [PJC]
  • Bit my bit, piecemeal. --Pope. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'BIT'

From: Easton
  • Bit the curb put into the mouths of horses to restrain them. The Hebrew word (metheg) so rendered in Ps. 32:9 is elsewhere translated "bridle" (2 Kings 19:28; Prov. 26:3; Isa. 37:29). Bits were generally made of bronze or iron, but sometimes also of gold or silver. In James 3:3 the Authorized Version translates the Greek word by "bits," but the Revised Version by "bridles."

Acronyms for 'BIT'

From: V.E.R.A.
  • Basic Interconnection Test (ISO 9646-1)
  • Binary digIT

Words containing 'BIT'