Dictionary

bite off more than one can chew en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Meanings

1. (idiomatic) To try to do too much; to take on or attempt more than one is capable of doing.
   • I think I bit off more than I could chew when I agreed to paint this house by myself.

Forms

Relateds

dog that caught the car · eat an elephant one bite at a time · too many balls in the air · too much on one's plate · grasp all, lose all · have eyes bigger than one's stomach

Synonyms

cut off more than one can chew

Translations (25)

pt dar um passo maior do que a perna (to try to do too much) · es abarcar más de lo que se puede (to try to do too much) · no ta seg vann over hodet (to try to do too much) · ru переоцени́ть свои́ си́лы (to try to do too much) · it fare il passo più lungo della gamba (to try to do too much) · pl porywać się z motyką na słońce (to try to do too much) · is reisa sér hurðarás um öxl (to try to do too much) · hu túl nagy fába vágja a fejszéjét (to try to do too much) · yue 眼闊肚窄 /眼阔肚窄 (to try to do too much) · fa لقمه گندهتر از دهن (to try to do too much) · sv ta sig vatten över huvudet (to try to do too much) · no gape over for mye (to try to do too much) · fi haukata liian iso pala (to try to do too much) · pt ter mais olhos que barriga (to try to do too much) · cs ukousnout si příliš velké sousto (to try to do too much) · nl te veel hooi op de vork nemen (to try to do too much) · cmn 貪多嚼不爛 /贪多嚼不烂 (to try to do too much) · ar قَضَمَ أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا يَسْتَطِيعُ مَضَغَهُ (to try to do too much) · ga is mó de bhéal ná do bholg (to try to do too much) · cmn 好高騖遠 /好高骛远 (to try to do too much) · de sich übernehmen (to try to do too much) · fr avoir les yeux plus gros que le ventre (to try to do too much) · vi liệu cơm gắp mắm (to try to do too much) · es pasarse de listo (to try to do too much) · fr charger la barque (to try to do too much)