plural of towing bitt

(usually in the plural bitters) A liquid or powder, made from bitter herbs, used in mixed drinks or as a tonic. / A type of beer heavily flavored with hops.

Having an acrid taste (usually from a basic substance). / Harsh, piercing or stinging. / Hateful or hostile. / Cynical and resentful.

past participle of bite

To make bitter.

(computing, informal, in combination) A hardware system whose architecture is based around units of the specified number of bits (binary digits).

(nautical) That part of an anchor cable which is abaft the bitts and thus remains inboard when a ship is riding at anchor.

(figuratively) Something unpleasant that must be accepted or endured. / Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see bitter pill, swallow.

(figuratively) Ellipsis of bitter pill to swallow. / Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see bitter, pill.

Having a bit in ones mouth, as a horse.