bit

2
[ bit ]
/ bɪt /

noun

Idioms for bit

Origin of bit

2
before 1000; Middle English bite, Old English bita bit, morsel; cognate with German Bissen, Old Norse biti. See bite

British Dictionary definitions for bit by bit (1 of 4)

bit 1
/ (bɪt) /

noun

Word Origin for bit

Old English bite action of biting; see bite

British Dictionary definitions for bit by bit (2 of 4)

bit 2
/ (bɪt) /

noun

verb bits, bitting or bitted (tr)

to put a bit in the mouth of (a horse)
to restrain; curb

Word Origin for bit

Old English bita; related to Old English bītan to bite

British Dictionary definitions for bit by bit (3 of 4)

bit 3
/ (bɪt) /

verb

the past tense and (archaic) past participle of bite

British Dictionary definitions for bit by bit (4 of 4)

bit 4
/ (bɪt) /

noun maths computing

a single digit of binary notation, represented either by 0 or by 1
the smallest unit of information, indicating the presence or absence of a single feature
a unit of capacity of a computer, consisting of an element of its physical structure capable of being in either of two states, such as a switch with on and off positions, or a microscopic magnet capable of alignment in two directions

Word Origin for bit

C20: from abbreviation of binary digit

Scientific definitions for bit by bit

bit
[ bĭt ]

The smallest unit of computer memory. A bit holds one of two possible values, either of the binary digits 0 or 1. The term comes from the phrase binary digit. See Note at byte.

Cultural definitions for bit by bit

bit

The smallest unit of information. One bit corresponds to a “yes” or “no.” Some examples of a bit of information: whether a light is on or off, whether a switch (like a transistor) is on or off, whether a grain of magnetized iron points up or down.

notes for bit

The information in a digital computer is stored in the form of bits.

Idioms and Phrases with bit by bit (1 of 2)

bit by bit

Also, little by little. Gradually, by small degrees, slowly. For example, The squirrels dug up the lawn bit by bit, till we had almost no grass, or Little by little he began to understand what John was getting at. The first term was first recorded in 1849, although bit in the sense of “small amount” is much older; the variant dates from the 1400s.

Idioms and Phrases with bit by bit (2 of 2)

bit