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Idiom: "to bite one's hand off"



 
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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
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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
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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.
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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?

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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.
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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

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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
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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.
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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
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