• BIT
adj. 1. 1820 Eng. dial. – small
adj. 2. 1834 Amer. dial. – cheated
adj. 3. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – short
adj. 4. 1970s US sl. – disappointed, resentful
n. 1. 1607 thieves’ sl. – money of any kind or quantity
n. 2. 1653 colloq. – a short while, a short space of time
n. 3. 17C euphemism – the female genitals; the vagina
n. 4. 17C sl. – sexual intercourse
n. 5. 1785 Sc. – conclusion, crisis
n. 6. 1866 criminals’ sl. – a prison sentence
n. 7. 1868 US sl. – an admirable person
n. 8. 1873 US sl. – a unit of value equal to an eighth of a dollar; used only in even multiples, esp. two bits
n. 9. 1923 Brit. sl., mainly derogatory – a woman; a young woman
n. 10. 1923 sl. – a woman considered as a sex object
• BIT AND BAID
n. 1768 Sc. – food and clothing
• BIT AND BUFFET
n. 1811 Sc. & Eng. dial. – food and blows
• BIT AND DROP
n. 1874 Sc. – a little to eat and drink
• BIT AND SUP
n. 1863 Eng. dial. – a little to eat and drink
• BIT BAIRN
n. 1825 Sc. – a little child
• BIT-BAT
n. 1868 Eng. dial. – a bat (animal)
• BIT BOY
n. Bk1878 Eng. dial. – a little boy
• BIT-BUCKET
n. Bk2006 US computing sl. – the imaginary place where lost computer data goes
• A BIT CACK
phr. 20C Aust. sl. – said of anything a bit unpleasant or unsightly
• BITCH
n. 1. a1400 – a term of abuse for a woman; strictly, a lewd or sensual woman; later, a malicious, treacherous, unpleasant, or otherwise despicable woman
n. 2. 1682 sl. – a prostitute
n. 3. 1713 sl. – an extraordinary or surprising person
n. 4. 1726 homosexual & prison sl. – an effeminate male, supposedly the ‘passive’ partner in a homosexual couple; a male prostitute
n. 5. 1749 Sc. & Eng. dial. – a weak or subservient man; a term of contempt applied to a man
n. 6. 1792 UK university sl. – one who plays host at a tea-party
n. 7. 1814 sl. – something unpleasant or undesirable
n. 8. 1814 sl. – tea
n. 9. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – a term applied, with no disrespectful meaning, to a woman or a female animal
n. 10. 1904 Amer. dial. – an improvised lamp consisting of a twisted rag wick in a container of grease
n. 11. Bk1904 Amer. college sl. – a queen, at cards
n. 12. 1933 US homosexual sl. – an ill-tempered, malicious homosexual man
n. 13. 1945 sl., orig. US – a complaint; an instance of complaining
n. 14. Bk1945 criminals’ sl. – an untidy or negligent woman
n. 15. 1946 sl., orig. US – an exceptionally skilled person
n. 16. 1950 sl. – a male or female who complains or makes unfairly negative comments
n. 17. 1959 prison sl. – a homosexual
n. 18. 1960s US prison sl. – a conviction under any crime that carries a mandatory life sentence, or a sentence so long that it is an equivalent
n. 19. 1960s US prison sl. – a fellow homosexual, usually a friend
n. 20. 1964 Amer. dial. – something regarded as outstanding of its kind, esp. in unpleasantness; something difficult or formidable
n. 21. 1965 Amer. dial. – a very heavy rain
n. 22. 1967 Amer. dial. – an argument or fight; a disagreement or quarrel
n. 23. 1971 African-American sl. – a girlfriend
n. 24. 1971 African-American sl. – a submissive lesbian
n. 25. Bk1989 US college sl. – a girl a guy dates often; often used in the plural
n. 26. 1991 US sl. – a subservient person; a servant
n. 27. Bk1992 criminals’ sl. – a habitual criminal
n. 28. 2002 US drug culture sl. – one who knowingly dispenses unpleasantly adulterated varieties of marijuana
vb. 1. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – to spoil a piece of work
vb. 2. Bk1903 sl. – to possess carnally
vb. 3. 1918 sl., orig. US – to complain
• BITCH-ASS
n. 1996 African-American teen sl. – a term of black-on-black abuse; a Black person who complains
• BITCH-ASS NIGGA
n. 1995 African-American teen sl. – a weak, effeminate, or soft male who can be easily victimized
• BITCH-BAG
n. 2000 sl. – an unpleasant female
• BITCH BATH
n. 1953 Amer. dial. – a so-called bath without water, using talcum powder, deodorant, and perfume
• BITCH BOOBY
n. 1796 UK military sl. – a rough, unsophisticated country woman
• BITCH BOX
n. Bk2006 US military sl. – a public-address system loudspeaker; because it is always nagging
• BITCH-BOY
n. a2000 US college sl. – a term of affectionate address between friends
• BITCH-CLOUT
n. Bk1891 sl. – a worthless woman
• BITCH-DAUGHTER
n. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – a nightmare
• BITCH-FOX
n. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – a vixen
• BITCHEN-TWITCHEN
adj. 20C teen & high school sl. – excellent; great; classy
• BITCHER
n. 1. 1825 Sc. – a botcher, bungler, muddler
n. 2. 1937 Amer. dial. – an irritable person who is always complaining or finding fault
• BITCHES’ BASTARD
n. 1954 UK prison sl. – a severe, possibly violent warder
• BITCHES’ WINE
n. c1850 sl. – champagne
• BITCH HOPPER
n. Bk1914 Amer. dial. – a most provoking woman
• BITCHIN’
adj. Bk2007 US sl. – excellent; first-class
int. Bk2006 US sl. – terrific!
• BITCH KITTY
n. 1. c1930 Amer. sl. – an obstinate, disagreeable, or bad-tempered girl or woman; a difficult, irritable, complaining woman
n. 2. c1930 US sl. – a difficult or disagreeable task
• BITCH LAMP
n. 1956 US sl. – a makeshift lamp, usually a container of grease or oil with a rag for a wick; an oil lantern
• BITCH MAGNET
n. 1999 US sl. – a man who is irresistibly alluring to a woman
• BITCH ON WHEELS
n. 1939 US sl. – an extraordinary or surprising person; a superior person
• BITCH OUT
vb. Bk2006 US sl. – to complain
• BITCH QUEEN
n. Bk1972 homosexual sl. – one who finds fault with everything; one who constantly complains; a spiteful shrew
• BITCH’S BASTARD
n. 1. 1922 sl. – a term of abuse; a contemptible or objectionable person
n. 2. 1954 UK prison sl. – a severe, possibly violent warder
• BITCH’S BLIND
n. Bk1972 US homosexual sl. – a homosexual or bisexual man’s heterosexual wife
• BITCH SESSION
n. Bk2006 US sl. – a session of complaining; an informal gripe session
• BITCH SLAMMER
n. Bk2006 US sl. – a women’s prison
• BITCH SOMEONE OFF
vb. Bk2006 US sl. – to make someone very angry
• BITCH SOMETHING UP
vb. 1928 US sl. – to ruin or spoil something
• BITCH SQUEAK
n. 1950 US sl. – a telltale, a garrulous female
• BITCH UP SOMETHING
vb. 1928 US sl. – to ruin or spoil something
• BITCH-WELP
adv. 1809 Eng. dial. – headlong
• BITCH WOOL
n. 1967 Amer. dial. – soft rolls of dust that collect on the floor under beds or other furniture
• BITCHY
adj. Bk2006 US sl. – irritable; complaining
n. 1935 US criminals’ sl. – a conceited sexual pervert
• BIT COVE
n. a1790 UK criminals’ sl. – a coiner, a counterfeiter
• BIT CULL
n. a1790 UK criminals’ sl. – a coiner, a counterfeiter
• BITE
n. 1. 1532 thieves’ sl. obs. – cash, money
n. 2. Bk1698 obs. – a sharper, a swindler, a cheat, a trickster, an impostor
n. 3. 1711 sl. obs. – an imposition, a deception; what is now called a ‘sell’; passing from the notion of playful imposition or hoax, to that of swindle or fraud
n. 4. 1805 Eng. dial. – a nickname for a Yorkshireman
n. 5. Bk1891 sl. – a thief
n. 6. Bk1891 sl. – one who drives a hard bargain
n. 7. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – a miserly person
n. 8. 1899 sl. – a small meal or snack
n. 9. 1955 – strong flavour, esp. spiciness or pungency
n. 10. Bk1988 Aust. sl. – a person from whom one anticipates borrowing money; a person from whom one expects any easy loan
vb. 1. 1629 Eng. dial. – to vex, to annoy
vb. 2. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – to smart, to tingle, to sting
vb. 3. 1709 colloq. – to cheat, to swindle, to deceive, to take in
vb. 4. 1911 US sl. – to excite, to worry
vb. 5. 1919 Aust. sl. – to borrow money, etc.
vb. 6. 1949 US sl. – to be gullible; to believe a deception; to allow oneself to be tricked
vb. 7. 1975 US sl. – of a situation, object, etc.: to be contemptible, awful, or unpleasant
vb. 8. Bk2006 US sl. – to steal something; to copy something without permission
• BITE AND SUP
n. 1819 Sc. & Eng. dial. – food and drink; a slight repast
vb. 1868 Eng. dial. – to take food and drink
• BITE BY THE EAR
vb. 1597 obs. – i.e. as a sign of fondness, to caress fondly
• BITE BY THE NOSE
vb. 1602 obs. – to treat with contempt
• BITE-FAKER
n. Bk1891 UK criminals’ sl. – a counterfeiter
• BITE-FIG
n. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – a miserly person
• BITE FOR SCART
phr. 1854 Sc. – tit for tat
• BITE-MA-LUG
n. 1923 Sc. – a flatterer
• BITE ME!
int. Bk2007 US sl. – an exclamation of contempt or defiance
• BITE MERCHANT
n. 1991 Aust. sl. – a persistent cadger
• BITE MY ASS!
int. 1954 Amer. sl. – used as a derisive retort; also an exclamation of astonishment
• BITE OFF MORE THAN ONE CAN CHEW
vb. 1878 orig. US – to undertake too much, to be too ambitious
• BITE ONE’S BAIT
vb. 1970 Amer. dial. – to hold off on a decision to see what develops, not to push a point too fast
• BITE ONE’S NOSE OFF
vb. 1599 rare – to reply in a curt, sharp, or angry manner
• BITER
n. 1. 1669 UK sl. – a confidence trickster
n. 2. 1674 UK sl. – a card-sharp
n. 3. 1680 obs. – a deceiver; one who amuses himself at another’s expense
n. 4. 1709 sl. – an unpleasant, contemptible, or despicable person
n. 5. 1785 UK sl. – a lascivious woman
n. 6. 1851 sl. – a cadger
n. 7. Bk1891 sl. – an amorous woman
n. 8. 1952 Amer. dial. – the claw of a crab
n. 9. 1965 Amer. jocular usage – a tooth
n. 10. 1987 US sl. – a plagiarist, esp. in rap/hip-hop, etc.
n. 11. Bk1995 Amer. sl. – a thief
• BITER OF PETERS
n. c1698 UK criminals’ sl. – one who specializes in stealing trunks and boxes from the back of stagecoaches or carts
• BITERS
n. Bk2006 Amer. teen & high school sl. – people who copy from others
• BITES
n. 1970 Amer. dial. – pliers
• BITE-SHEEP
n. 1570 obs. – a once-favourite pun upon ‘bishop’, as if = one who bites the sheep which he ought to feed
• BITE SOMEONE’S EAR
vb. 1879 sl. – to borrow money, etc.
• BITE SOMEONE’S HEAD OFF
vb. 1984 UK sl. – to attack verbally, esp. as a disproportionate response
• BITE THE BAG
int. 1952 Amer. sl. – used to express contempt or disapproval, and rejection; Go away! To hell with you!
vb. 1983 Amer. sl. – to be very unsatisfactory
• BITE THE BIG ONE
vb. 1. 1974 US sl. – of a situation, object, etc.: to be contemptible, awful, or unpleasant
vb. 2. 1979 US sl. – to die, to stop functioning or existing
• BITE THE BULLET
vb. 1891 – to behave courageously; to avoid showing fear or distress
• BITE THE DUST
vb. 1. 1749 – to fall in death, to die; also to fall to the ground, to fall wounded
vb. 2. Bk2006 US sl. – to break; to fail; to give out
• BITE THE GROUND
vb. 1697 – to fall in death, to die; also to fall to the ground, to fall wounded
• BITE THE ICE!
int. Bk2006 US sl. – go to hell!
• BITE THE SAND
vb. 1716 – to fall in death, to die; also to fall to the ground, to fall wounded
• BITE UPON THE BRIDLE
vb. c1530 obs. – to champ the bit like a restless horse, to wait impatiently
• BITE YOUR BUM!
int. Bk1999 Aust. sl. – shut up! get lost!
• BIT-FAKER
n. 1812 criminals’ sl. – a coiner, a counterfeit money-maker
• BITHEAD
n. Bk2006 Amer. sl. – a highly competent computer professional
• A BIT HIGH
adj. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – drunk
• BITIE
n. 1995 African-American sl. – a young woman
• BITIES
n. Bk1999 Aust. sl. – a collective term for spiders, snakes, scorpions, etc.
• BITING
n. Bk2007 sl. – selling a graffiti artist’s pen name to another young person
• BITING DADDY
n. Bk1972 homosexual sl. – a homosexual who takes sadistic pleasure in biting nipples, shoulders, and buttocks
• BITING FROST
n. 1912 Amer. dial. – a severe frost; one that kills young plants
• BITING-ON
n. 1868 Eng. dial. – light refreshment taken between meals, lunch
• BITING THE BRUTE
adj. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – drunk
• BITLACKS
n. Bk1898 Sc. obs. – the teeth
• BITLEHEAD
n. Bk1855 Eng. dial. – a blockhead
• BIT-MAKER
n. 1832 UK criminals’ sl. – a coiner, a counterfeiter
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