PhrasesHub

bitten off more than she could chew

    Definitions

      • overestimated one's abilities or capacity
        To have taken on more responsibility or commitment than one can handle, leading to difficulty or failure in completing the task or fulfilling the obligation

      • discourage someone
        Advise against engaging in a particular activity or task, cautioning that it will not result in any positive outcome or benefit

    Examples of bitten off more than she could chew

    • Sarah decided to take on three new clients at the same time. She thought it would be a great way to increase her business, but she quickly realized she had bitten off more than she could chew. With long work hours and tight deadlines, Sarah felt overwhelmed and stressed out.

      The phrase "bitten off more than she could chew" is a figurative expression that means taking on more responsibilities than one is able to handle. In Sarah's case, she took on more work than she could efficiently manage, leading to stress and overload of work.

    • Sarah agreed to organize a charity event in just two weeks, not realizing the amount of work involved. She quickly found herself "bitten off more than she could chew" and struggled to keep up with all the tasks at hand.

      This idiom refers to taking on more than one can handle, whether it's a task, commitment, or challenge. In Sarah's case, she overestimated her abilities and resources, and now she's facing the consequences of taking on more than she could realistically manage.

    • Sarah decided to take on three new clients at once, thinking it would be a great way to increase her business. Little did she know, she had bitten off more than she could chew. Each client demanded a lot of time and attention, leaving Sarah overwhelmed and struggling to meet their expectations.

      The idiom "bitten off more than one can chew" means to take on more than one is able to handle. In this example, Sarah took on more work than she could manage, leading to stress and difficulty meeting her obligations.

    • The new marketing campaign that the boss assigned to the marketing team was much more complex than they had anticipated. They had bitten off more than they could chew, and they were now scrambling to come up with a solution before the deadline.

      Here, the marketing team had underestimated the scope and complexity of the project, leading them to take on more than they could handle. As a result, they found themselves in a difficult position, trying to come up with a solution before time ran out.

    • The student eagerly signed up for three advanced courses in the same semester, thinking it would be a good chance to get ahead. However, she soon realized that she had bitten off more than she could chew. The workload was overwhelming, and she found herself struggling to keep up.

      This example illustrates how students can take on too much coursework, leading to academic challenges and difficulties. By overcommitting themselves, they may find themselves overwhelmed and unable to handle the demands of their coursework.

    • The contestant on the baking show tried to create an elaborate cake with lots of intricate designs. However, she had bitten off more than she could chew, and the cake ended up collapsing under the weight of all the decorations.

      In this instance, the contestant took on a project that was too ambitious, leading to a disastrous result. By attempting to create a cake that was too complex, she found herself unable to execute the design, leading to the collapse of the cake.


    Conclusion

    The idiom "bitten off more than she could chew" is often used to describe a situation where someone has taken on more than they can handle, either in terms of responsibilities or tasks. It can be used to caution someone against taking on too much at once, or to acknowledge that they have overestimated their abilities.

    This idiom serves as a warning to be mindful of one's limitations and to carefully consider the amount of responsibility or commitment one takes on. It can also be used to acknowledge when someone has made a mistake in overestimating their capacity.

    Overall, "bitten off more than she could chew" is a useful idiom for advising caution and acknowledging when someone has taken on too much.

    Origin of "bitten off more than she could chew"

    The origin of the idiom "bitten off more than she could chew" is believed to come from the literal act of biting off more food than one can chew, leading to discomfort or difficulty in swallowing. This physical action serves as a metaphor for taking on more than one can handle in a broader sense.

    The idiom likely originated from the observation of individuals attempting to consume more food than they could comfortably chew, leading to the idea that they had also taken on more than they could handle in other aspects of their lives. Over time, the phrase evolved to encompass a broader range of situations where someone has overestimated their abilities or capacity.

    Overall, the origin of "bitten off more than she could chew" highlights the connection between literal actions and metaphorical meanings in language.