[f. BIT sb.1]

1

  1.  trans. To furnish with a bit, to put the bit into the mouth of (a horse); to accustom to the bit.

2

1583.  Golding, Calvin on Deut. clvi. 962. Wee be as coltes that were neuer sadled nor bitted.

3

1602.  Warner, Alb. Eng., XII. lxxii. (1612), 298. Till when the Horse was neuer back’t nor bitted.

4

1814.  Scott, Wav., xxxix. The horses were not trained to the regular pace … nor did they seem bitted (as it is technically expressed) for the use of the sword.

5

  2.  fig. To curb, restrain.

6

1824.  Coleridge, Aids Refl. (1848), I. 82. It is not women and Frenchmen only that would rather have their tongues bitten than bitted.

7

1858.  Bright, For. Pol., Sp. (1876), 468. At the Revolution the monarchy of England was bridled and bitted.

8