bite back
English edit
Verb edit
bite back (third-person singular simple present bites back, present participle biting back, simple past bit back, past participle bitten back)
- (intransitive) To retaliate.
- (transitive) To repress (an emotion or a response).
- He bit back his anger and managed a courteous reply.
- 1971, The Who (lyrics and music), “Behind Blue Eyes”, in Who's Next:
- No one bites back as hard on their anger / None of my pain and woe / Can show through