bit 1  (b?t)n.1. A small portion, degree, or amount: a bit of lint; a bit of luck.2. A brief amount of time; a moment: Wait a bit.3. a. A short scene or episode in a theatrical performance.b. A bit part.4. An entertainment routine given regularly by a performer; an act.5. Informal a. A particular kind of action, situation, or behavior: got tired of the macho bit.b. A matter being considered: What’s this bit about inflation?6. Informal An amount equal to one eighth of a dollar: two bits.7. Chiefly British A small coin: a threepenny bit.Idioms: a bit To a small degree; somewhat: a bit warm. bit by bit Little by little; gradually. do (one’s) bit To do one’s part or contribute one’s share.[Middle English bite, morsel, from Old English bita; see bheid- in Indo-European roots.]bit 2  (b?t)n.1. The sharp part of a tool, such as the cutting edge of a knife or axe.2. A pointed and threaded tool for drilling and boring that is secured in a brace, bitstock, or drill press.3. The part of a key that enters the lock and engages the bolt and tumblers.4. The tip of the mouthpiece on a pipe or a cigarette or cigar holder.5. The metal mouthpiece of a bridle, serving to control, curb, and direct an animal.6. Something that controls, guides, or curbs.tr.v. bit·ted, bit·ting, bits 1. To place a bit in the mouth of (a horse, for example).2. To check or control with or as if with a bit.3. To make or grind a bit on (a key).Idiom: have/take the bit in one’s teeth To be uncontrollable; cast off restraint.[Middle English bite, from Old English, act of biting; see bheid- in Indo-European roots.]bit 3  (b?t)n. Computers A binary digit, having either the value 0 or 1, used to store or represent data.[From b(inary dig)it.]bit 4  (b?t)v.Past tense and a past participle of bite.American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.bit (b?t) n1. a small piece, portion, or quantity2. a short time or distance3. informal US and Canadian the value of an eighth of a dollar: spoken of only in units of two: two bits. 4. any small coin5. (Theatre) short for bit part6. informal way of behaving, esp one intended to create a particular impression: she’s doing the prima donna bit. 7. a bit rather; somewhat: a bit dreary. 8. a bit of a. rather: a bit of a dope. b. a considerable amount: that must take quite a bit of courage. 9. a bit of all right a bit of crumpet a bit of stuff a bit of tail slang Brit a sexually attractive woman10. bit by bit gradually11. bit on the side informal an extramarital affair12. do one’s bit to make one’s expected contribution13. every bit (foll by as) to the same degree: she was every bit as clever as her brother. 14. not a bit not a bit of it not in the slightest; not at all15. to bits completely apart: to fall to bits. [Old English bite action of biting; see bite]bit (b?t) n1. (Horse Training, Riding & Manège) a metal mouthpiece, for controlling a horse on a bridle2. anything that restrains or curbs3. take the bit in one’s teeth take the bit between one’s teeth have the bit in one’s teeth have the bit between one’s teeth a. to undertake a task with determinationb. to rebel against control4. (Mechanical Engineering) a cutting or drilling tool, part, or head in a brace, drill, etc5. (Mechanical Engineering) the blade of a woodworking plane6. (Tools) the part of a pair of pincers designed to grasp an object7. (General Engineering) the copper end of a soldering iron8. (Tools) the part of a key that engages the levers of a lockvb (tr) , bits, bitting or bitted9. (Horse Training, Riding & Manège) to put a bit in the mouth of (a horse)10. to restrain; curb[Old English bita; related to Old English b?tan to bite]bit (b?t) vb the past tense and (archaic) past participle of bitebit (b?t) n1. (Mathematics) a single digit of binary notation, represented either by 0 or by 12. (Mathematics) the smallest unit of information, indicating the presence or absence of a single feature3. (Mathematics) a unit of capacity of a computer, consisting of an element of its physical structure capable of being in either of two states, such as a switch with on and off positions, or a microscopic magnet capable of alignment in two directions[C20: from abbreviation of binary digit]Collins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014bit1 (b?t) n., v. bit?ted, bit?ting. n. 1. the mouthpiece of a bridle, having fittings at each end to which the reins are fastened. 2. anything that curbs or restrains. 3. a removable drilling or boring tool for use in a brace, drill press, or the like. 4. the cutting part of an ax or hatchet. 5. the wide portion at the end of an ordinary key that moves the bolt. v.t. 6. to put a bit in the mouth of (a horse). 7. to curb with or as if with a bit. 8. to grind a bit on (a key). Idioms: 1. chafe or champ at the bit, to become impatient and restless because of delay. 2. take the bit in or between one’s teeth, to reject control; go one’s own way. [before 900; Middle English bite, Old English: action of biting; c. Old High German biz. See bite] bit2 (b?t) n. 1. a small piece or quantity of something. 2. a short time: Wait a bit. 3. a stereotypic set of behaviors, attitudes, or actions associated with a particular role, situation, etc.: the whole Wall Street bit. 4. Also called bit part. a very small role containing few or no lines. Compare walk-on (def. 1). 5. Informal. an amount equivalent to 12½ cents (used only in even multiples): two bits. Idioms: 1. a bit, somewhat; a little: a bit sleepy. 2. a bit much, somewhat overdone or beyond tolerability. 3. bit by bit, by degrees; gradually. 4. do one’s bit, to contribute one’s share to an effort. 5. every bit, quite; just: every bit as good. 6. quite a bit, a fairly large amount. [before 1000; Middle English bite, Old English bita bit, morsel; c. Old High German bizzo, Old Norse biti. See bite] bit3 (b?t) n. a single, basic unit of computer information, valued at either 0 or 1 to signal binary alternatives. [1945?50; bi (nary) + (digi) t] bit4 (b?t) v. pt. and a pp. of bite. Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.bit (b?t) The smallest unit of computer memory. A bit holds one of two possible values, either of the binary digits 0 or 1. See Note at byte.The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.bit1. ‘bit’A bit is a small amount or a small part of something.A bit means ‘to a small degree’.Be Careful!Don’t use ‘a bit’ with an adjective in front of a noun. Don’t say, for example, ‘He was a bit deaf man’.In conversation and in less formal writing, you can use a bit of in front of a and a noun. You do this to make a statement seem less extreme.You can add a bit or one bit at the end of a negative statement to make it stronger.You can use not a bit in front of an adjective to emphasize that someone or something does not have a particular quality. For example, if you say you are not a bit hungry, you mean you are not hungry at all.For a bit means ‘for a short period of time’.