Tooth and bite idioms

Even if you are not a football fan, you have probably heard that Uruguay’s Luis Suarez is in big trouble for biting a player during a World Cup game.

The present tense verb is bite:
Do you want a bite of my apple?

The simple past tense is bit:
The dog bit my foot.

The past participle is bitten:
Have you ever been bitten by Luis Suarez?

While reporting the incident newspaper editors have had some fun with 'biting' headlines. Let’s take a look at three idioms that have been wildly used this week.

'Suarez to fight tooth and nail'

To fight tooth and nail means to try very hard to get something you want.

"We fought tooth and nail to win the contract."

'Fifa bites back'

To bite back means to return someone's anger. So if someone shows anger towards you, you show anger towards them.

"She will bite back if you threaten her."

'Fifa sink their teeth into Suarez with long ban'

When you sink your teeth into something you get completely involved with it.

"She's really sinking her teeth into her new job."

Now complete these sentences with the correct word:

• 1) I can't wait to sink my ___ into my new book.
  
  teeth
  tooth
  bite
  
  
• 2) Don't make him angry, he ___ back.
  
  bites
  bitten
  bite
  
  
• 3) We fought ___ and nail to build up our business.
  
  bite
  teeth
  tooth
  
  
• 4) She was ___ by a snake on safari.
  
  bite
  bites
  bitten
  
  
• 5) The boy was sent home for ___ another student.
  
  biting
  bites
  bit
  
  
• 6) I don't want it all, just a ___.
  
  bites
  bite
  biting
  
  
• 7) I think a mosquito just ___ my arm.
  
  bite
  bit
  bitten