bite /baɪt/► SEE ALLa bite at/of the cherrybite the big onebite the bulletbite the dustbite the hand that feeds youbite your lipbite your nails/fingernailsbite off more than you can chewbite your tongueI, etc. won’t bite (you)put the arm/bite on sbhis, her, etc. bark is worse than his, her, etc. bitebite/snap sb’s head off ●a bite at/of the ˈcherry ( a second/another bite at/of the ˈcherry) (BrE) an opportunity to do sth, or a second attempt at doing sth, especially sth you have failed to do earlier做某事的机会；另一次机会◆They all wanted a bite of the cherry. 他们都想得到这个机会。◆We’ve lost that contract with the German firm and we probably won’t get another bite at the cherry. 我们失去了与德国公司的合同，很难再有另一次机会了。●bite the ˈbig one (NAmE, slang) 1.be very bad or fail非常糟糕；失败◆This place really bites the big one! 这个地方糟糕透了！2.die死◆It’s a surprise to see him bite the big one at the end of the movie. 看到他在影片结束时死去着实令人吃惊。●bite the ˈbullet (informal) realize that you cannot avoid sth unpleasant, and so accept it咬紧牙关应付；硬着头皮应付◆Getting your car repaired is often an expensive business, but all you can do is bite the bullet and pay up. 修车往往是一件很花钱的事，可是你只能咬紧牙关付账单。ORIGINThis expression comes from the old custom of giving soldiers a bullet to bite on during medical operations, which had to be done without any drugs to stop the pain.这个表达法源于过去战地手术的习惯。战士们在无麻醉剂的情况下咬住子弹接受手术。●bite the ˈdust (informal) 1.fail, or be defeated or destroyed失败；被打败；被摧毁◆Thousands of small businesses bite the dust every year. 每年有数以千计的小企业倒闭。2. (humorous) die死●bite the hand that ˈfeeds yoube unkind or disloyal to sb who has been kind or helpful to you, or who pays your wages恩将仇报；以怨报德◆When you say such nasty things about the organization, you’re biting the hand that feeds you. 你这样恶语中伤组织是忘恩负义。●bite your ˈlipforce yourself not to express the negative emotions that you are feeling咬住嘴唇；抑制情感的流露◆You could tell she thought the criticism was unfair but she bit her lip and said nothing. 你可以看出她觉得这批评不公平，可是她克制住自己，什么也没说。OPPlet rip (at sb) (with sth)●bite your ˈnails/ˈfingernailsfeel very excited, nervous, or afraid感到焦虑不安，束手无策，担心害怕（而咬指甲）▸ˈnail-biting
adjective
very exciting or tense非常激动（或紧张）的◆What an exciting movie that was — real nail-biting stuff! 那部电影真刺激，着实令人神经紧张！●bite off ˌmore than you can ˈchew (informal) attempt to do sth that is too difficult for you or that you do not have enough time to do想一口吃成胖子；不自量力；承担超过自己能力的事◆He’s promised to get all this work finished by the weekend but I’ve got a feeling he’s bitten off more than he can chew. 他保证周末前完成所有的活儿，可是我觉得他有点不自量力。●bite your ˈtonguestop yourself from saying sth that might upset sb or cause an argument, although you want to speak（咬住舌头）忍住不说；隐忍不言（避免祸从口出）◆I didn’t believe her explanation but I bit my tongue. 我不相信她的解释，可是我忍住没有说出来。OPPgive sb a piece of your mind●I, etc. won’t ˈbite (you) (humorous) used to tell sb that they do not need to be afraid of sb（用于告诉某人不用惧怕某人）我（或他、她等）又不会吃人◆You should tell your teacher that you don’t understand — she won’t bite you! 你应该告诉老师你不懂，她又不会吃了你！●put the ˈarm/ˈbite on sb (NAmE, informal) ask sb for sth, especially money向…讨要（尤指钱）◆To pay for the tax reductions, the government will put the bite on smokers and motorists.为了弥补减税造成的损失，政府会将这笔账加到吸烟者和开车族身上。●his, her, etc. bark is worse than his, her, etc. bite (informal) sb is not really as angry or unkind as they seem嘴凶但心不坏；刀子嘴豆腐心◆Don’t worry about my father being angry — his bark is worse than his bite.别为我父亲发怒担心，他也就是嘴上凶。NOTE A bark is the short loud sound made by dogs, especially when they are angry. * bark 指狗叫，尤指怒吠。●bite/snap sb’s ˈhead off (informal) speak to sb angrily without good reason（无道理地）呵斥某人◆He was only making a suggestion — there’s no need to snap his head off!他只不过是提个建议，用不着这样呵斥他！
