bite off more than (one) can chew

bite off more than (one) can chew

To take on more responsibility than one can handle. I bit off more than I could chew when I volunteered to manage three little league teams in one season.
See also: bite, can, chew, more, off
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

bite off more than one can chew

 
1. Lit. to take a larger mouthful of food than one can chew easily or comfortably. I bit off more than I could chew, and nearly choked.
2. Fig. to take (on) more than one can deal with; to be overconfident. Ann is exhausted again. She's always biting off more than she can chew.
See also: bite, can, chew, more, off, one
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

bite off more than one can chew

Take on more work or a bigger task than one can handle, as in With two additional jobs, Bill is clearly biting off more than he can chew. Cautions against taking on too much appear in medieval sources, although this particular metaphor, alluding to taking in more food than one can chew, dates only from about 1870.
See also: bite, can, chew, more, off, one
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

bite off more than you can chew

If you bite off more than you can chew, you try to do a task that is too big for you or too difficult. I didn't know if I could even memorize a text of that length and started to worry that I had bitten off more than I could chew. Don't bite off more than you can chew simply because everything is going so well.
See also: bite, can, chew, more, off
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

bite off more than you can chew

take on a commitment you cannot fulfil.
See also: bite, can, chew, more, off
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

bite off ˌmore than you can ˈchew

(informal) attempt to do something that is too difficult for you or that you do not have enough time to do: 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.
See also: bite, can, chew, more, off
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

bite off more than (one) can chew

To decide or agree to do more than one can finally accomplish.
See also: bite, can, chew, more, off
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
See also:
  • deep water
  • drive (one) out of office
  • force (one) out of office
  • force out of office
  • give (one) (one's) head
  • give head
  • give somebody their head
  • give someone their head
  • cooking for one
  • 1FTR