bit

1. A piece of metal placed in a horse's mouth and connected to the reins to direct the animal.

   A horse hates having a bit put in its mouth.

2. A rotary cutting tool fitted to a drill, used to bore holes.
3. A coin of a specified value.

   a threepenny bit

4. A ten-cent piece, dime.
5. A unit of currency or coin in the Americas worth a fraction of a Spanish dollar; now specifically, an eighth of a US dollar.

   A quarter is two bits.

6. In the southern and southwestern states, a small silver coin (such as the real) formerly current; commonly, one worth about 12½ cents; also, the sum of 12½ cents.
7. A small amount of something.

   There were bits of paper all over the floor.   Does your leg still hurt? / Just a bit now.   I've done my bit; I expect you to do yours.

8. Specifically, a small amount of time.

   I'll be there in a bit; I need to take care of something first.   He was here just a bit ago, but it looks like he's stepped out.

9. (plural) Fractions of a second.

   The 400 metres race was won in 47 seconds and bits.

10. A portion of something.

    I'd like a big bit of cake, please.

11. Somewhat; something, but not very great; also used like jot and whit to express the smallest degree. See also a bit.

    Am I bored? Not a bit of it!

12. A prison sentence, especially a short one.
13. An excerpt of material making up part of a show, comedy routine, etc.

    His bit about video games was not nearly as entertaining as the other segments of his show.

14. A small part or role, sometimes with spoken lines, in a theatrical performance.

    She acted her bit in the opening scene.

15. The part of a key which enters the lock and acts upon the bolt and tumblers.
16. The cutting iron of a plane.
17. The bevelled front edge of an axehead along which the cutting edge runs.

verb

To put a bridle upon; to put the bit in the mouth of (a horse).

1. Bitten.

   Even though he's bit, of course the zombies would still chase him.

2. (only in combination) Having been bitten.

1. To cut into something by clamping the teeth.

   As soon as you bite that sandwich, you'll know how good it is.

2. To hold something by clamping one's teeth.
3. To attack with the teeth.

   That dog is about to bite!

4. To behave aggressively; to reject advances.

   If you see me, come and say hello. I don't bite.

5. To take hold; to establish firm contact with.

   I needed snow chains to make the tires bite.

6. To have significant effect, often negative.

   For homeowners with adjustable rate mortgages, rising interest will really bite.

7. (of a fish) To bite a baited hook or other lure and thus be caught.

   Are the fish biting today?

8. To accept something offered, often secretly or deceptively, to cause some action by the acceptor.

   I've planted the story. Do you think they'll bite?

9. (of an insect) To sting.

   These mosquitoes are really biting today!

10. To cause a smarting sensation; to have a property which causes such a sensation; to be pungent.

    It bites like pepper or mustard.

11. (sometimes figurative) To cause sharp pain or damage to; to hurt or injure.

    Pepper bites the mouth.

12. To cause sharp pain; to produce anguish; to hurt or injure; to have the property of so doing.
13. To take or keep a firm hold.

    The anchor bites.

14. To take hold of; to hold fast; to adhere to.

    The anchor bites the ground.

15. To lack quality; to be worthy of derision; to suck.

    This music really bites.

16. To perform oral sex on. Used in invective.

    You don't like that I sat on your car? Bite me.

17. To plagiarize, to imitate.

    He always be biting my moves.

18. To deceive or defraud; to take in.

1. A binary digit, generally represented as a 1 or 0.
2. The smallest unit of storage in a digital computer, consisting of a binary digit.
3. Any datum that may take on one of exactly two values.

   permission bits in a file system

4. A unit of measure for information entropy.
5. A microbitcoin, or a millionth of a bitcoin (0.000001 BTC).