-bit suff chiefly Sth, S Midl See Map
In combs dog-bit, snake-bit, etc: Bitten by a dog, snake, etc. Note: For snake-bit in the fig sense “unlucky,” see snake-bit adj 2.
1825 Providence Patriot & Columbian Phenix (RI) 22 Oct 1/5 IN, There was an opinion entertained by many, that dogs . . that had been snake bit, would have little snakes on their livers. 1834 Nott Novellettes 1.37 SC, He was approaching me when he suddenly sprang up and shouted, or rather yelled out, “Snake bit, snake bit!” 1851 Burke Polly Peablossom 69 MS, I’m snake-bit, an’ taint none er your bizziness whar? 1867 Daily State Reg. (Des Moines IA) 30 May 1/2, Amongst a hundred humorous jottings to other names are the following: . . “dog-bit there,” . . “fiste-bit twice.” 1904 DN 2.418 nwAR, He said the lady told him she never knew the dogs to bite anyone; he said if that was true, he would hate to be dogbit. 1906 DN 3.136 nwAR, I sure got fleabit bad. Ibid 141 nwAR, Horsebit. 1940 Sat. Eve. Post 23 Nov 104/4 sGA, I bet I been cottonmouth bit a dozen times. 1944 Wellman Bowl 189 KS, He was snake-bit. The rattler had found him on the right ankle. 1953 Atwood Survey of Verb Forms 6, An interesting geographical phenomenon is the compound dogbit (“he was dogbit,” or “he got dogbit”), which covers the South Midland and adjoining parts of the South. . . In W. Va. south of the Kanawha and in s.w. Va. it is practically universal; it reaches north to s.w. Pa. and southeast to the Atlantic in the Peedee and Cape Fear valleys. It is fairly common in the inland portions of S.C. and e. Ga. 1954 Harder Coll. cwTN, -Bit. . . Bitten. In combinations: squirrelbit, snakebit, mulebit, hogbit, bugbit, chiggerbit, mosquito-bit, dogbit. c1960 Wilson Coll. csKY, Dog-bit. 1965–70 DARE (Qu. OO12a, . . “Last week the mailman was _____.”) 47 Infs, chiefly Sth, S Midl, Dog-bit; NM11, SC1, 23, Snake-bit; (Qu. J2) Inf IL78, Flea-bit; (Qu. K38) Inf TN14, Flea-bit; (Qu. P9) Inf FL4, Been snake-bit; (Qu. CC12b) Infs GA82, LA46, PA185, 209, TX37, 73, Snake-bit. 1968 DARE Tape VA25, I got snake-bit on my finger once. 1987 Pharos–Tribune (Logansport IN) 28 Dec 4/3, Sleeping on the ground, getting cold, wet and bug-bit, makes you appreciate supermarkets and other urban comforts. 2001 St. Petersburg Times (FL) 22 Feb (Internet), She was snake-bit by a rattler.
