Upsilon and Bit

noun

• The 20th letter of the Greek alphabet. .

(n.) The 20th letter (/, /) of the Greek alphabet, a vowel having originally the sound of / as in room, becoming before the 4th century b. c. that French u or Ger. u. Its equivalent in English is u or y.

noun

• A small piece or quantity of something.
  • usage: "a spot of tea"; "a bit of paper"; "a bit of lint"; "I gave him a bit of my mind"
  • synonyms: spot
• A small fragment of something broken off from the whole.
  • usage: "a bit of rock caught him in the eye"
  • synonyms: chip, flake, fleck, scrap
• An indefinitely short time.
  • usage: "wait just a moment"; "in a mo"; "it only takes a minute"; "in just a bit"
  • synonyms: moment, mo, minute, second
• An instance of some kind.
  • usage: "it was a nice piece of work"; "he had a bit of good luck"
  • synonyms: piece
• Piece of metal held in horse's mouth by reins and used to control the horse while riding.
  • usage: "the horse was not accustomed to a bit"
• A unit of measurement of information (from binary + digit); the amount of information in a system having two equiprobable states.
  • usage: "there are 8 bits in a byte"
• A small amount of solid food; a mouthful.
  • usage: "all they had left was a bit of bread"
  • synonyms: morsel, bite
• A small fragment.
  • usage: "overheard snatches of their conversation"
  • synonyms: snatch
• A short theatrical performance that is part of a longer program.
  • usage: "he did his act three times every evening"; "she had a catchy little routine"; "it was one of the best numbers he ever did"
  • synonyms: act, routine, number, turn
• The part of a key that enters a lock and lifts the tumblers.
• The cutting part of a drill; usually pointed and threaded and is replaceable in a brace or bitstock or drill press.
  • usage: "he looked around for the right size bit"

verb

• To grip, cut off, or tear with or as if with the teeth or jaws.
  • usage: "Gunny invariably tried to bite her"
  • synonyms: bite, seize with teeth
• Cause a sharp or stinging pain or discomfort.
  • usage: "The sun burned his face"
  • synonyms: bite, sting, burn
• Penetrate or cut, as with a knife.
  • usage: "The fork bit into the surface"
  • synonyms: bite
• Deliver a sting to.
  • usage: "A bee stung my arm yesterday"
  • synonyms: sting, bite, prick

• (v.) A part of anything, such as may be bitten off or taken into the mouth; a morsel; a bite. Hence: A small piece of anything; a little; a mite.
• of Bite.
• (imp.) of Bite.
• (v.) The part of a key which enters the lock and acts upon the bolt and tumblers.
• (v.) In the Southern and Southwestern States, a small silver coin (as the real) formerly current; commonly, one worth about 12 1/2 cents; also, the sum of 12 1/2 cents.
• (v.) The part of a bridle, usually of iron, which is inserted in the mouth of a horse, and having appendages to which the reins are fastened.
• (v.) Fig.: Anything which curbs or restrains.
• imp. & p. p. of Bite.
• (v.) The cutting iron of a plane.
• 3d sing. pr. of Bid, for biddeth.
• (v.t.) To put a bridle upon; to put the bit in the mouth of.
• (v.) A tool for boring, of various forms and sizes, usually turned by means of a brace or bitstock. See Bitstock.
• (v.) Somewhat; something, but not very great.
• (n.) In the British West Indies, a fourpenny piece or groat.

(Military) BIT stands for built-in test