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Antonyms for biting

Grammar : Adj
Spell : bahy-ting
Phonetic Transcription : ˈbaɪ tɪŋ

Definition of biting

Origin :
  • Old English bitan (class I strong verb; past tense bat, past participle biten), from Proto-Germanic *bitan (cf. Old Saxon bitan, Old Norse and Old Frisian bita, Middle Dutch biten, Dutch bijten, German beissen, Gothic beitan "to bite"), from PIE root *bheid- "to split, crack" (see fissure).
  • To bite the bullet is said to be 1700s military slang, from old medical custom of having the patient bite a lead bullet during an operation to divert attention from pain and reduce screaming. Figurative use from 1891; the custom itself attested from 1840s. To bite (one's) tongue "refrain from speaking" is 1590s. To bite the dust "die" is 1750 (Latin had the same image; cf. Virgil: procubuit moriens et humum semel ore momordit). To bite off more than one can chew (c.1880) is U.S. slang, from plug tobacco.
  • adj piercing, sharp
  • adj sarcastic
Example sentences :
  • "You shall hear from me, sir," said the officer, biting his lips.
  • Extract from : « Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. 327 » by Various
  • "Crooked as a dog's hind legs," snarled Lewis, biting viciously at his cigar.
  • Extract from : « Thoroughbreds » by W. A. Fraser
  • The biting finger of agony had drawn lines upon his haggard brow.
  • Extract from : « In the Midst of Alarms » by Robert Barr
  • She stood there in the biting wind, while he uncovered the horse and drove away.
  • Extract from : « Tiverton Tales » by Alice Brown
  • He hesitated, biting his lip and plucking absently the tangles from the forelock of his horse.
  • Extract from : « Good Indian » by B. M. Bower
  • "God Himself can't do anything for me," she said, biting the edge of her veil.
  • Extract from : « The Incomplete Amorist » by E. Nesbit
  • Robin Hood looked up and he looked down, biting his nether lip.
  • Extract from : « The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood » by Howard Pyle
  • If he had only been able to withdraw the more rabid of his biting remarks about the Fathers.
  • Extract from : « The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete » by Emile Zola
  • They're so mad because they can't get at us that they're biting the mast.
  • Extract from : « The Forest » by Stewart Edward White
  • Nearly every dash of foam brought with it biting bits of seaweed now.
  • Extract from : « The Cruise of the Dry Dock » by T. S. Stribling

Synonyms for biting

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019