BITE OFF MORE THAN YOU CAN CHEW

I’ve been reading a rather gruesome article in the Independent: “Great white shark chokes to death on sea turtle” (recommended only if you have a strong stomach).

 You might say that the shark bit off more than it could chew (literally, in this case).

 We use this phrase as an idiom to describe someone who commits to something that they cannot achieve.

 Examples of use:

 “As DIY designers, we tend to bite off more than we can chew and end up spending more money than if we had hired a professional from the beginning.”

 “Hundreds of crocodiles have been left stranded in a remote part of Israel after a businessman bit off more than he could chew with plans for a farm in the West Bank.”

 “This little jackal realised it had bit off far more than he could ever chew when it squared off against an ostrich.”


 Photo credit: David Merrett (Creative Commons)