To attempt to do more than one is capable of handling; to overestimate one's abilities or resources.
This phrase dates back to the 1800s American frontier, where it originally referred to the literal act of taking too large a bite of food, particularly tough foods like jerky or hardtack that required significant chewing. The metaphor naturally extended to any situation where someone's ambition exceeded their capacity.
The eating metaphor is brilliantly visceral because everyone has experienced the uncomfortable moment of realizing they've taken too large a bite - it's immediately relatable and slightly embarrassing. The phrase also suggests that the problem isn't just ambition, but poor judgment about one's own limitations, making it both a warning and a gentle rebuke.
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