bite the dust Definition

bite
verb bit, bitten, biting

tr & intr
1. To grasp, seize or tear with the teeth.

Thesaurus: snap, gnaw, nip, lacerate, chew, masticate, tear, rend, champ, munch, chaw, ruminate.
Form: bite something away (sometimes)
Form: bite something off
Form: bite something out
tr & intr
2. Said of snakes and insects: to puncture a victim's skin (with the fangs, mouthparts, etc) and suck blood.
tr & intr
3. To smart or sting, or to make something do so.
4. colloq
To annoy or worry
Example: What's biting him?
5. Said of acid, etc: to eat into something chemically; to have a corrosive effect.
intr
6. To start to have an effect, usually an adverse one.

Example: The spending cuts are beginning to bite
intr
7. angling.
Said of fish: to be caught on the hook on a fishing line, by taking the bait into the mouth.
intr
8. Said of a wheel or screw, etc: to grip firmly.

noun

1. An act or an instance of biting.
2. A wound or sting caused by biting.
3. A piece of something removed or taken, etc by biting; a mouthful.

Example: took a bite out of my apple
4. colloq
A small amount of food.
Example: a bite to eat
5. Strength, sharpness or bitterness of taste.
6. Sharpness or incisiveness of words.
7. angling.
Said of a fish: an act or an instance of biting or nibbling at the bait.

Derivative: biter
noun

Derivative: biting
noun

Idiom: bite off more than one can chew

To agree or attempt to do more than one can manage; to over-estimate what one is capable of.

Idiom: bite one's tongue

To restrain oneself from saying something one wants very much to say.

Idiom: bite someone's head off

colloq
To reply to them with unexpected or unnecessary fierceness or anger.

Idiom: bite the bullet

To accept or face up to something unpleasant but unavoidable as bravely as possible.

Idiom: bite the dust

Said of a plan or project, etc: to fail or come to nothing; to be unsuccessful.

Said of a person: to fall down dead; to be killed.

Idiom: bite the hand that feeds you

To harm or show ingratitude towards a person who is being kind or helpful to you.

Idiom: put the bite on someone

slang
To extort or borrow money from them.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon bitan.

Phrasal Verb: bite something back

To restrain oneself from saying it, as if by biting one's lips.

Phrasal Verb: bite something in

In etching, etc: to eat out the lines of (a design, etc) with acid.

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dust
noun

1. Earth, sand or household dirt in the form of a fine powder.

Thesaurus: particles, dirt, grime, grit.
2. A cloud of this.
3. Any substance in powder form.
4. colloq
An angry complaint; a commotion.
Example: kick up a dust
5. poetic
Human remains; a dead body.

verb dusted, dusting

1. To remove dust from (furniture, etc).

Thesaurus: clean, polish, wipe, burnish.
2. To sprinkle something with a substance in powder form.

Thesaurus: sprinkle, powder, scatter, sift, spread, spray.

Idiom: bite the dust

See under bite.

Idiom: let the dust settle

colloq
To wait until calm is restored before acting.

Idiom: not see someone for dust

Not to see them again because they have gone away rapidly and suddenly.

Idiom: throw dust in someone's eyes

colloq
To deceive them.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon.