May 29, 2011 - Word of the Day: bit

The way that I'm going to explain the word "bit" today will require a lot examples because when used as a noun, it can be a little confusing. The other use for "bit" is as the past tense of "bite," but we're not going to look at that today.

"Bit" refers to an amount:

• I'll see you in a little bit. (a short time)
• She needs a bit of time to consider her decision. (some time, maybe a long time)
• "This will hurt a little bit," said the nurse as she vaccinated her patient.
• He knows quite a bit about computers. (quite a bit: a lot; very much)
• They need a bit of time to find new jobs.
• She's a bit angry at her boss. (a little angry)
• I'll have just a little bit of that cake--not too much.

Notice that "bit" is usually used with the article "a."