Definition of
Bit
- (noun, quantity) a small piece or quantity of something
a bit of paper
a bit of lint
I gave him a bit of my mind - (noun, object) a small fragment of something broken off from the whole
- (noun, time) an indefinitely short time
in a mo
it only takes a minute
in just a bit - (noun, event) an instance of some kind
he had a bit of good luck - (noun, artifact) piece of metal held in horse's mouth by reins and used to control the horse while riding
- (noun, quantity) a unit of measurement of information (from binary + digit); the amount of information in a system having two equiprobable states
- (noun, food) a small amount of solid food; a mouthful
- (noun, communication) a small fragment
- (noun, communication) a short theatrical performance that is part of a longer program
she had a catchy little routine
it was one of the best numbers he ever did - (noun, artifact) the part of a key that enters a lock and lifts the tumblers
- (noun, artifact) the cutting part of a drill; usually pointed and threaded and is replaceable in a brace or bitstock or drill press
- (noun, quantity) a small piece or quantity of something
via WordNet, Princeton University
Synonyms of Bit
act, bite, chip, flake, fleck, minute, mo, moment, morsel, number, piece, routine, scrap, second, snatch, spot, turn
Alternate forms of Bit
Derivations: bitty
Hyponyms: bar bit, blink of an eye, bridoon, bur, burr, center bit, centre bit, chamfer bit, chaw, check bit, chew, counterbore, countersink, countersink bit, crumb, cud, curb, curb bit, drill bit, drilling bit, exfoliation, expansion bit, expansive bit, flash, heartbeat, instant, jiffy, matchwood, new york minute, parity, parity bit, pelham, pilot bit, plug, quid, scale, scurf, show-stopper, showstopper, sliver, snaffle, snaffle bit, sop, sops, spade bit, splinter, split second, stopper, trice, twinkling, twist bit, twist drill, wad, wink
Hypernyms: case, cutting implement, example, fragment, instance, mouthful, part, performance, portion, public presentation, saddlery, small indefinite amount, small indefinite quantity, stable gear, tack, taste, time, unit, unit of measurement
Origin of the word Bit
- related O.E. words bite "act of biting," and bita "piece bitten off," are probably the source of the modern words meaning "boring-piece of a drill" (1590s), "mouthpiece of a horse's bridle" (mid-14c.), and "a piece bitten off, morsel" (c.1000). All from P.Gmc. *biton (cf. O.S. biti, O.N. bit, O.Fris. bite, M.Du. bete, O.H.G. b… more
- computerese word, 1948 abbreviation (coined by J.W. Tukey) of binary digit, probably chosen for its identity with bit (1). more
- past tense of bite. more
via Online Etymology Dictionary, ©2001 Douglas Harper
Words that sound like Bit
b.t.u., b.th.u., babbitt, baby bed, baby tooth, babyhood, bad, bad hat, baddie, bade, baeda, baht, bait, bat, bata, bate, bated, bath, bathe, batoidei, battue, batty, baud, bawd, bawdy, bayat, bd, be due, be with it, bead, beaded, beady, beady-eyed, beat
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