# BITE ME!!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bite-me/33422>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 16, 2000, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bite-me/33422 "2000-09-16T19:28:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![omni-not](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8dc957/32.png) [@omni-not](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omni-not)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2000, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bite-me/33422/1 "2000-09-16T19:28:56Z")

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Does anybody know where this civil expression came from?🙂

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**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2000, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bite-me/33422/2 "2000-09-16T21:10:10Z")

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I could tell ya, but then I’d have to…well, you know.😃

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2000, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bite-me/33422/3 "2000-09-16T23:20:22Z")

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I’ve wondered this myself. I have no evidence to support my theory, but here it is:

An invitation to “bite me” is actually an invitation for the person to _try_ to (literally) bite you. When he attempts to do so, you will proceed to turn him into a bloody pulp, and there’s nothing he can do about it.

Related are “kiss my ass” and “blow me”. Those could be similar invitations to a beating, but I think it makes more sense to think of them as saying, “You will perform a sexual or unpleasant favour upon me because I have the power to make you do so. I have the strength and/or power to make you to this, and if you do not comply you will be beaten into a bloody pulp. And there is nothing you can do about it.”

Anyway, that’s my WAG. Am I putting too much thought into this?

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**Author:** ![omni-not](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8dc957/32.png) [@omni-not](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omni-not)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2000, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bite-me/33422/4 "2000-09-17T15:06:23Z")

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So aside from the humorous pk, and Johnny – who seems to have put a lot a thought into this:D – no takers? Search engines and Ask Jeeves haven’t been too useful. Still hopeful that the end of the week-end will bring in a few experts…😃

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2000, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bite-me/33422/5 "2000-09-17T15:11:12Z")

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I think it’s easier to say “bit me” than it is to say, “Knock this chip off my shoulder” or “Step over this line.”