Bite

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /baɪt/

Definitions

1. To cut into or grip something with teeth, or a wound or piece created by this action
2. To use the teeth to grip or sever a material, resulting in an injury or a mark left from such an action
3. An action that involves sinking teeth into a surface, often leading to a laceration or a distinct impression afterward

Etymology: The most striking thing about "bite" is its ancient kinship with words meaning "split." Its Proto-Indo-European ancestor, reconstructed as "bʰeyd-", meant to split or break, and the same root gave Latin "findō," "to split," which is the source of English "find" in its older sense, though that connection is a separate line. Biting, in other words, was once understood as splitting something apart with the teeth. The verb descends straight from Old English "bītan," which was inherited from Proto-Germanic "bītaną," so it is a native English word rather than a borrowing. Its relatives are widespread across the Germanic languages: Dutch "bijten," German "beißen," Swedish "bita," and Gothic "beitan" all mean the same thing. Because the word was passed down from the earliest Germanic speakers, it has been part of the language for as long as English has been recognisably English.

Synonyms: chew, gnaw, nibble, sink, pierce

Antonyms: release, unclench