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
Words nearby bit
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)
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