bit

I UK [bɪt] / US noun
Word forms "bit":
singular bit plural bits
**

1) a piece or part of something

a) [countable] a small piece of something

I'm having some cake. Do you want a bit?

bit of:

He had bits of food stuck in between his teeth.

bits and pieces:

The wreckage was spread over a wide area in tiny bits and pieces.

b) British informal a part of something

The best bit in the film is the scene in the restaurant.

bit of:

Some bits of the jigsaw are missing.

c) a particular aspect of something

In general, I like my job, but I don't enjoy the management bit.

2) [countable] computing the most basic unit of information that can be stored in a computer

See:

byte

3) [countable] a piece of metal put in a horse's mouth so that a rider can control it

4) [countable] a tool or part of a tool used for cutting or making holes in things

5) bits

[plural] British humorous a man's sex organs

6) [countable, usually plural] American old-fashioned an amount of money an amount of money worth 12½ cents

two bits

•

bits and pieces/bobs — informal someone's possessions or furniture; informal small individual things

We have a few bits and pieces of furniture, but that's all.

Then there are all the other bits and pieces involved in a wedding: invitations, photos, and car hire.

get/take the bit between your teeth — British to start doing something with a determined attitude and a lot of energy

Once he's got the bit between his teeth, there's no stopping him.

- bit by bit

- do your bit

- to bits

See:

bit part, blow I, champ I

II UK [bɪt] / US adverb, pronoun ***

Summary:

A bit can be used in the following ways: - as an adverb: We waited a bit, and then decided to go. (before an adjective or adverb): It's a bit cold in here, isn't it? - as a pronoun: She'd only eaten a bit before she started choking. (followed by "of"): I could use a bit of help.
Bit can also be used in many expressions referring to amounts or degrees, especially small ones.
Get it right: bit:
The expressions a bit and a little bit, when used before an adjective or adverb, are used mainly in informal English. To express the same meaning in written text, you can use any of the following: ▪  a little ▪  slightly ▪  rather ▪  somewhat
Wrong: Public service television seems to be a bit more serious, more based on facts.
Right: Public service television seems to be a little more serious, more based on facts.
Right: Public service television seems to be slightly/rather/somewhat more serious, more based on facts.
Wrong: That would improve the situation a little bit.
Right: That would improve the situation somewhat/a little.
Wrong: Words can diverge a bit from their literary meaning according to the context.
Right: Words can diverge somewhat/slightly from their literary meaning according to the context.

a bit of skirt/fluff — British

offensive an insulting word for a sexually attractive woman

every bit as... — just as

The newly developed medication is every bit as effective as the old one.

a good/fair bit — a fairly large amount of something

We've still got a fair bit to do.

a good/fair bit of:

He's lost a good bit of weight, hasn't he?

not one (little) bit — not at all

I don't like what you're doing one little bit.

- a bit

- a bit at a time

- a bit of a something

- a bit much

- a bit of all right

- a bit of rough

- a bit on the side

- just a bit

- not a bit

- not a bit of it

- take a bit of doing

See:

quite

III UK [bɪt] / US

the past tense of bite I