bite off

arracher avec les dents

Détacher un morceau de quelque chose avec les dents.

En anglais simple : To use your teeth to separate a piece from something.

• He bit off a small piece.
• The dog bit off the end of the toy.
• Try not to bite off too much bread at once.

Comment l'utiliser : bite a piece off something (She bit a piece off the biscuit.)

Expressions courantes : bite off something, bite something off

se charger de, entreprendre

Accepter de faire un travail ou de prendre une responsabilité, surtout si c’est difficile.

En anglais simple : To agree to do a job or take responsibility for something, especially something difficult.

• I may have bitten off too much.
• She bit off a difficult task by offering to organize everything.
• Have we bitten off more than we can chew?

Comment l'utiliser : bite off more than you can chew (I bit off more than I could chew with this project.)

Synonymes : take on, undertake

Expressions courantes : bite off too much, bite off a task

s'emparer de

Obtenir rapidement ou par la force quelque chose, notamment une part d’un ensemble plus grand.

En anglais simple : To get something quickly or forcefully, especially part of something larger.

• The company bit off a share of the market.
• New rivals are biting off pieces of our business.
• He hoped to bite off some territory before peace talks began.

Comment l'utiliser : bite off a piece of something (The firm bit off a piece of the export market.)

Synonymes : seize, grab

Expressions courantes : bite off a share, bite off a piece