bit
bit Lexical Profile
bit Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A small piece, part, or quantity of something.
"She ate a small bit of chocolate after dinner."
A short period of time or brief distance.
"Please wait a bit while I finish writing this email."
The most basic unit of information in computing and digital communications, representing a binary value of either 0 or 1.
"Modern processors can handle sixty-four bits of data at a time."
A removable metal cutting or boring attachment that is fitted into a drill or similar tool to make holes.
"The carpenter switched to a smaller bit to drill pilot holes in the oak cabinet."
A metal mouthpiece attached to a bridle, placed in a horse's mouth to help the rider control and guide the animal.
"The young horse champed eagerly at the bit before the race began."
• verb
To cut, wound, or grip with the teeth (serving as the past tense of the verb 'bite').
"He accidentally bit his tongue while eating lunch."
To put a bridle mouthpiece into the mouth of a horse, or to train a horse to become accustomed to wearing one.
"The trainer carefully bitted the young colt before leading him into the paddock."
Word Nuance & Usage
The phrase 'a bit' functions idiomatically as an adverbial phrase of degree (e.g., 'a bit tired'), whereas 'bit' alone is a noun rather than a standalone adverb.
• Rhymes for bit
Word Origin & Etymology
The general noun senses derive from Old English 'bita' (a piece bitten off) and 'bite' (the act of biting), from the Proto-Germanic root of 'bite'. The computing sense was coined in 1948 by mathematician John W. Tukey as a blend of 'binary digit'.