bite back en · VERB
Meanings
- (intransitive) To retaliate; to give a sharp retort.
-
(transitive) To repress (an emotion or a response).
He bit back his anger and managed a courteous reply.
No one bites back as hard on their anger / None of my pain and woe / Can show through
1971, The Who, “Behind Blue Eyes”, in Who's Next:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| bit back | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| bites back | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| bitten back | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| biting back | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic |