Bite, bite at, nip at...

Question

What is the difference: bite, bite at , and nip at?

Can I use bite/ bite at/ or nip at in the following sentence?

Once my dog even bit a little at my gradmother.

Once my dog even bit my gradmother a little.

Once my dog even nipped a little at my grandmother.

Ivanhr · Accepted Answer

I'd say that the use of "at" indicates repetitive bites whereas the version without it suggests only one bite. "A little" means that the bite(s) was/were not severe.

Sun 94 · Answer

Do you mean I can use all of the tree examples even though the meaning is slight different?

CalifJim · Answer

I don't think "a little" works at all in any of these.

My dog bit my grandmother. (His teeth pierced the skin directly.)
My dog nipped my grandmother. (His teeth pierced the skin in a glancing way so that the injury was slight.)

My dog bit at my grandmother. (He aimed at her in an attempt to bite.)
My dog nipped at my grandmother. (He aimed at her in an attempt to nip.)

To bite, nip, strike, kick, stab, punch, or swat is (usually) to make contact.
To bite at, nip at, strike at, kick at, stab at, punch at, or swat at is (usually) to miss!

I swatted the fly dead. But: I swatted at the fly at least five times before I killed it.
_________

Extra information.

However, the forms with at can also indicate repeated action, making contact:

The killer kept on stabbing (at) the victim long after he was dead.

Note that auditory signals are not regarded as making contact, so we have only the forms with at.

The dog [yapped at / yipped at / barked at] my grandmother.
My grandmother [yelled at / screamed at / hollered at / laughed at] the dog.

CJ

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