- bit
- noun (esp. BrE)1 a bit small amountADJECTIVE▪ little, teensy (informal), wee (esp. BrE)▪
He helped me a little bit in the afternoon.
PHRASES▪ just a bit▪I'm still just a bit confused.
▪ not the least bit▪I'm not the least bit interested in football.
2 a bit large amountADJECTIVE▪ fair, good▪It rained a fair bit during the night.
▪We made a good bit of progress.
VERB + A BIT▪ take▪The new system will take quite a bit of getting used to (= it will take a long time to get used to).
PHRASES▪ quite a bit▪It rained quite a bit during the night.
▪ just a bit (ironic)▪‘Has it been difficult for you at work?’ ‘Just a bit (= it has been very difficult).’
3 part/piece of sthADJECTIVE▪ little, small, tiny▪ big, large▪A big bit of stone had fallen off the wall.
▪ good, nice▪The best bit of the trip was seeing the Grand Canyon.
▪I've bought a nice bit of fish for dinner.
▪ boring, interesting▪I read it, but I skipped the boring bits.
▪ odd▪He managed to get odd bits of work, but no regular job.
VERB + BIT▪ pick out, pick up▪Listen to the interview again and pick out the bits you want to use in the article.
▪I picked up a bit of information that might interest you.
BIT + VERB▪ fall off▪I'm worried because bits keep falling off my car.
PREPOSITION▪ bit ofPHRASES▪ bits and bobs, bits and pieces (= small items of various kinds) (both BrE, informal)▪My mother has some bits and pieces to give you.
▪ blow sth to bits, pull sth to bits, smash sth to bits▪All the crockery had been smashed to bits.
▪ do your bit (= do your share of a task) (informal)▪We can finish this job on time if everyone does their bit.
▪ fall to bits (BrE)▪My briefcase eventually fell to bits.
Collocations dictionary. 2013.
