[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/bit/) [dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [B](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/b/) / bit # bit noun (a bit, bits); verb form (past tense of bite: bite, bites, bit, bitten, biting) «bit» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition and Meaning — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova. ## Everyday 1. A bit is a small piece or small amount of something: a bit of cake. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bit/#m1) 2. «A bit» means a little, slightly: I'm a bit tired. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bit/#m2) 3. «A bit» can mean a short time: wait a bit. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bit/#m3) 4. Bit is the past form of «bite»: the dog bit him. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bit/#m4) 5. A bit is the metal bar in a horse's mouth, or the drilling end of a drill. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bit/#m5) 6. In computers a bit is the smallest unit of information, a 0 or a 1. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bit/#m6) ### In the lessons In everyday talk «a bit» softens words: «a bit cold», «a bit late». In maths «a bit more» is a small, not exact, amount. In stories «bit» often appears as the past of bite («the snake bit him»). In computing, data is made of bits; eight bits make a byte. Phrases: a bit of, bit by bit, a little bit, not a bit, quite a bit, bits and pieces. ### Examples - Can I have a bit of your apple? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bit/#x1) - I'm a bit hungry. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bit/#x2) - Wait a bit; I'm nearly ready. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bit/#x3) - The dog bit the postman's trousers. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bit/#x4) - Bit by bit, the snowman got bigger. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bit/#x5) - The vase broke into bits. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bit/#x6) - Computers store information in bits, ones and zeros. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bit/#x7) - I'm not a bit scared! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bit/#x8) - Harlequin and Pulcinella hesitated a bit. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bit/#x9) ### Note «A bit» + adjective (a bit cold); «a bit of» + noun (a bit of bread). «Quite a bit» can mean quite a lot. «Not a bit» means not at all. As a verb form: bite → bit (past) → bitten («has bitten»). In maths answers, «a bit» is not a number; use the exact amount. ## In Jewish tradition Past of "bite"; the snakes bit the people as a punishment. A bit is also the metal bar in a horse's mouth, used with a bridle to hold it in, and Amos uses the snake bite in a picture of escaping one danger only to meet another. **Interpretation.** The Israelites were healed by looking at the copper serpent that Moses made, which the rabbis said worked only when they turned their hearts to God. The psalm is read as a lesson to follow God willingly, with understanding, not to be forced. ### Examples - And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. (Torah NUM.21.6, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/bit/#x1) - Thus, the Sefer Yetzirah may have believed two di- bits, 0 and j , a tilting symbolization of the creation, out of chaos or nothing, of the universe, by the power of the Deity. (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914)) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/bit/#x2) - Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding; whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, that they come not near unto thee. (Writings PSA.32.9, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/bit/#x3) - As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; and went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. (Prophets AMO.5.19, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/bit/#x4) ### Note «A bit» + adjective (a bit cold); «a bit of» + noun (a bit of bread). «Quite a bit» can mean quite a lot. «Not a bit» means not at all. As a verb form: bite → bit (past) → bitten («has bitten»). In maths answers, «a bit» is not a number; use the exact amount. ## Meaning ## On Mova - [Trees and pragmatics of «bit» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bit/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames. - [«bit» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/bit.html) on Mova free. - [Trees and pragmatics of «bit» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/bit/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames. - [«bit» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/bit.html) on Mova free.