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#2 (permalink) Sat Aug 26, 2006 12:01 pm Explain |
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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 Present Simple |
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Alan Co-founder

Joined: 27 Sep 2003 Posts: 17284 Location: UK
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#3 (permalink) Sat Aug 26, 2006 12:11 pm Bite off |
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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 :) is quite interesting...
I know also: bite off (smb.'s) head bite (…) nose off and bite off (…) tongue And they have quite different meanings! :)
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… |
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Tamara I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 25 May 2006 Posts: 1577 Location: UK
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#4 (permalink) Sat Aug 26, 2006 12:25 pm Bite someone's hand off |
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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 _________________ "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 8325 Location: USA
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#5 (permalink) Sat Aug 26, 2006 12:39 pm Bite someone's hand off |
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Hi Amy,
= 'show teeth' :) :D
...use harsh words in response, answer back or just interrupt roughly, with a 'dog's snap'
Is it 'not right' use? :)
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 :) The second one obviously has a negative meaning – ingratitude. _________________ It’s impossible to learn swimming without entering the water… |
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Tamara I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 25 May 2006 Posts: 1577 Location: UK
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#6 (permalink) Sat Aug 26, 2006 13:56 pm Idiom: "to be one's hand off" |
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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
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Alan _________________ English as a Foreign Language You can read my EFL story Progressive Forms |
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Alan Co-founder

Joined: 27 Sep 2003 Posts: 17284 Location: UK
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#7 (permalink) Sat Aug 26, 2006 15:06 pm Idiom: "to be one's hand off" |
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Oops… I’ve read other choices of the test just now.
Tamara wrote: | I know also: | :lol: :lol:
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… |
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Tamara I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 25 May 2006 Posts: 1577 Location: UK
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#8 (permalink) Sun Aug 27, 2006 13:25 pm Idiom: "to be one's hand off" |
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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
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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. _________________ "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 8325 Location: USA
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#9 (permalink) Sun Aug 27, 2006 13:48 pm Bite his hand off |
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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 Passive Voice |
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Alan Co-founder

Joined: 27 Sep 2003 Posts: 17284 Location: UK
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Meaning of soccer | Meaning of 'to be there for' |