English · Work & Business
bite off more than you can chew
/baɪt ɒf mɔː ðən ju kən tʃuː/
[/baɪt ɒf mɔː ðən ju kən tʃuː/]
take on too much
Advancedphrase
Definition
To try to do more than you are able to manage.
Example
By agreeing to three projects at once, he bit off more than he could chew and missed every deadline.
By agreeing to three projects at once, he bit off more than he could chew and missed every deadline.
Etymology
A late 19th-century American phrase from the literal act of taking too large a mouthful.
How & Where It’s Used
Common for warning against overcommitting.