bite off more than one can chew

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bite off more than one can chew (third-person singular simple present bites off more than one can chew, present participle biting off more than one can chew, simple past bit off more than one could chew, past participle bitten off more than one could chew)

1. (idiomatic) To try to do too much; to take on or attempt more than one is capable of doing.

   Synonym: cut off more than one can chew

   I think I bit off more than I could chew when I agreed to paint this house by myself.

• Often used as a caution: "don't bite off more than you can chew".

• dog that caught the car
• have eyes bigger than one's stomach
• grasp all, lose all
• eat an elephant one bite at a time