Google
English-Test.net
Find penpals and make new friends today!
 
to name; to call; to designate
arrest
rate
banquet
term
TOEIC exam test: Word games online: Free Verb Game Answer
Dictionaries   TOEIC   TOEFL   GMAT   SAT   GRE   MCAT   PCAT   ASVAB   Interviews
Tests   Grammar   Articles   Stories   Shop   Services   English for winners   Speaking
Home   Top 100   Start your FREE email English course now!   Audio Lessons   Jobs
 
Username
Password
 Remember me? 
Search   FAQ   Memberlist   Profile   Private messages   Register   Log in 

Idiom: "to bite one's hand off"



 
ESL/EFL Worksheets and Handouts for Students Printable, photocopiable, clearly structured
Designed for teachers and individual learners
For use in a classroom, at home, on your PC
ESL Forum | English Teacher Explanations (ESL Tests)
Meaning of soccer | Difference between Neither and Either
Listening exercises
Message
 Author
Idiom: "to bite one's hand off" #1 (permalink) Sat Aug 26, 2006 11:30 am   Idiom: "to bite one's hand off"		  
English Language Tests, Intermediate level

ESL/EFL Test #209 "What Comes Next? (3)", question 1

I wouldn't hesitate to accept that offer. If it were me ..........

(a) I'd bite his head off
(b) I'd bite his hand off
(c) I'd bite his nose off
(d) I'd bite his finger off

English Language Tests, Intermediate level

ESL/EFL Test #209 "What Comes Next? (3)", answer 1

I wouldn't hesitate to accept that offer. If it were me I'd bite his hand off.

Correct answer: (b) I'd bite his hand off
_________________________

Can I have more explanation, please.

teodora
Teodora65
I'm new here and I like it ;-)


Joined: 06 Jan 2006
Posts: 15
Explain #2 (permalink) Sat Aug 26, 2006 12:01 pm   Explain		  
Hi,

I'd bite his hand off means I would accept his offer without hesitation.

Alan
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Only Three Letters
Alan
Co-founder
Alan Townend

Joined: 27 Sep 2003
Posts: 8416
Location: UK
English grammar exercises — improve your English knowledge and vocabulary skillsHow do you use the English Prepositions correctly?Are you a native speaker of English? Then you should read this!This newsletter tells you all about English! Subscribe to free email English course
Bite off #3 (permalink) Sat Aug 26, 2006 12:11 pm   Bite off		  
Alan wrote:
I'd bite his hand off means I would accept his offer without hesitation.

Using bit off with different part of the body Smile is quite interesting...

I know also:
bite off (smb.'s) head
bite (…) nose off
and
bite off (…) tongue

And they have quite different meanings! Smile

P.S. Excuse my note, but the name of the topic is a bit misleading.
_________________
It’s impossible to learn swimming without entering the water…
Tamara
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 25 May 2006
Posts: 1577
Location: UK
Bite someone's hand off #4 (permalink) Sat Aug 26, 2006 12:25 pm   Bite someone's hand off		  
Hi

Bite someone's hand off is an idiom that's completely new to me. I don't think I've ever heard it before.

So, if you travel to the US, I'd recommend not using it there. If Americans understand anything of the phrase at all, they'd probably be most likely to think you've simply screwed up the idiom "bite the hand that feeds you."

Tamara, what do you understand "bite someone's nose off" to mean?

Amy
Yankee
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 16 Apr 2006
Posts: 8265
Location: USA
Bite someone's hand off #5 (permalink) Sat Aug 26, 2006 12:39 pm   Bite someone's hand off		  
Hi Amy,

= 'show teeth' Smile Very Happy

...use harsh words in response, answer back
or just interrupt roughly, with a 'dog's snap'

Is it 'not right' use? Smile

Quote:
Bite someone's hand off
Bite the hand that feeds you.

By the way, in Russian we use both.
The first has a positive meaning (= something you are offered is so attractive to you that you are ready to 'eat' it immediately and right together with the 'hand' of the person who made the offer Smile
The second one obviously has a negative meaning – ingratitude.
_________________
It’s impossible to learn swimming without entering the water…
Tamara
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 25 May 2006
Posts: 1577
Location: UK
Idiom: "to be one's hand off" #6 (permalink) Sat Aug 26, 2006 13:56 pm   Idiom: "to be one's hand off"		  
Hi,

First item in Lord Google! Warms the cockles of your heart,doesn't it?

Quote:
Bite his hand off? / English Teacher Explanations (ESL Tests)English Teacher Explanations (ESL Tests) / Bite his hand off? -- Learn English Online at www.english-test.net / ESL Forum.

Bite his hand off?
www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic650.html

Alan
_________________
English as a Foreign Language
You can read my EFL story Don't bank on it
Alan
Co-founder
Alan Townend

Joined: 27 Sep 2003
Posts: 8416
Location: UK
Idiom: "to be one's hand off" #7 (permalink) Sat Aug 26, 2006 15:06 pm   Idiom: "to be one's hand off"		  
Oops…
I’ve read other choices of the test just now.

Tamara wrote:
I know also:
Laughing Laughing

Alan, what I want to add is that the idiom I know - to be more precise - is "…with his hand"

To bite off or to seize (smth.) with his hands
_________________
It’s impossible to learn swimming without entering the water…
Tamara
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 25 May 2006
Posts: 1577
Location: UK
Idiom: "to be one's hand off" #8 (permalink) Sun Aug 27, 2006 13:25 pm   Idiom: "to be one's hand off"		  
Alan wrote:
Hi,

First item in Lord Google! Warms the cockles of your heart,doesn't it?

Quote:
Bite his hand off? / English Teacher Explanations (ESL Tests)English Teacher Explanations (ESL Tests) / Bite his hand off? -- Learn English Online at www.english-test.net / ESL Forum.

Bite his hand off?
www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic650.html

Alan
Did you also happen to notice that "Lord Google" confirms the fact that this idiom falls into the category of "chiefly British"?
.
I really don't understand your allergic reaction to mentioning things like this. I'm sure there are also a number of expressions used in the US that are unknown and/or not used in the UK. There's nothing wrong with that. It's just the way it is.
.

EDIT:
In order to propagate this expression as accurately as possible, I think the title of the thread ought to be corrected.
Yankee
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 16 Apr 2006
Posts: 8265
Location: USA
Bite his hand off #9 (permalink) Sun Aug 27, 2006 13:48 pm   Bite his hand off		  
Hi Amy,

Quote:
Did you also happen to notice that "Lord Google" confirms the fact that this idiom falls into the category of "chiefly British"?
.
I really don't understand your allergic reaction to mentioning things like this. I'm sure there are also a number of expressions used in the US that are unknown and/or not used in the UK. There's nothing wrong with that. It's just the way it is.
.

Allergic? I don't have any allergy in that respect at all. I'm afraid you've lost me. My sole purpose in quoting from Google was for a laugh. Clearly my little ruse failed.

Alan
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story A day in the life of a stately home owner
Alan
Co-founder
Alan Townend

Joined: 27 Sep 2003
Posts: 8416
Location: UK
Display posts from previous:   
Meaning of soccer | Difference between Neither and Either
ESL Forum | English Teacher Explanations (ESL Tests) Idiom: "to bite one's hand off" All times are GMT + 1 Hour
Page 1 of 1
Latest topics on English Forums

Start FREE email English course now!
Join more than 70000 learners!
'surprised at how many' instead of 'surprised how many' • Expression: "Time-and-a-half" definition • Phrasal verb "take in" (understand) • "I left my keys" vs. "I forgot my keys" • I just can't get across to her vs. get through to her • Jobs vs. occupation • Meaning of 'to be there for' • Phrasal verb: "sell off" vs. "sell up" • Would you like VERSUS Do you like • Meaning of 'May I ride with you to work?' • Can you please VERSUS Should you please • Meaning of void • 'be into sth' is less formal than 'be interested in sth' • Idiom: "can you run that past me again" • Idiom: 'grasp it at the first time' • Meaning of Grasp • He's just making a fuss • Idiom: It's all Greek to me • Idiom: "to bite one's hand off"

Discover English-test.net
Somebody pls help me • Could you please review my message and amend it? • Explanation of "come by one's ignorance" • Help Hungry People-- and practice your vocabulary! • meaning of "token woman" • GRE Prep Test Online: Vocabulary Activity: List of Verbs Nouns • GRE prep test: Word quizzes: Free Online Verb Noun Game • Meaning of comport, relapse, scotch, betroth, abate, foil • Definition of operate, former, pilot, iron, city, end, material, clash, love, less • Verb noun pronoun: Letter of Complaint (4) • Speaking English language: Business buzzwords: Greenhouse gas emissions • Victory, Volume 5 audiobook download

 
 You can post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Provided by phpBB ©2001-2009 phpBB Group
Subscribe to FREE email English course
First name E-mail