a bit
Idioms-
A small amount of anything; also, a short period of time. For example, Here's a bit of wrapping paper , or It'll be ready in a bit , or Just wait a bit . [c. 1600]
-
Somewhat or rather, as in It stings a bit , or Will you have a bit more to eat? [Second half of 1600s] Also see bit by bit ; not a bit .
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"A bit of both," Williams told BBC Sport.
From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026
A bit of history from Jim Reid, strategist at Deutsche Bank, provides another reason why the crisis-induced selloff may be coming to an end.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 20, 2026
A bit of an unfair question, as jury member Ewa Puszczyńska noted, but an unsurprisingly unfair one given the culture we live in.
From Salon • Mar. 6, 2026
A bit further along, Perreau unveils a light green piece, created by Italian costume designer Ezio Toffolutti for one of the fairies in William Shakespeare’s "A Midsummer Night's Dream".
From Barron's • Feb. 12, 2026
A bit overly dramatic and, like my parents, a little too paranoid for my taste.
From "The Red Umbrella" by Christina Gonzalez
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
