A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

Note: 
The expression does not correlate in meaning with the
phrase have a big day—used of a day on which important things
happen: We are going to have a big day tomorrow; we are
going to hike up to base camp at almost 
1
4000 feet.
make the big time —(also: reach the big time) gain recogni-
tion; win success: Caryl had finally made the big time as a
criminal…. Local newspapers carried the story on their front
pages.
have a bite • have bite
have a bite —
1
. (coll.) have a snack; eat some food: We
planned to stop somewhere on the road and have a bite of
supper. 2. (of cold air or wind) have keen cutting effect: The
cold night air had a bite in it. 3. (of food or drink) taste pleas-
antly pungent or spicy; be laced with alcohol: John took a
cautious sip. The drink had a bite. 4. (coll.) posses special
attractiveness: In spite of her dark hair and her Mediterranean
beauty she has a bite about her that can only be British.
have bite —
1
. = have a bite 2: The day was bright, the sky a
high and crystal blue. The chill in the air had bite. 2. = have
a bite 3: The pasta has bite and spins onto the fork without
complication. 3. said of the seizure of the bait in fishing: From
the first cast, I had bite. But, it didn’t seem to be bass. 4. =
have a bite 4: The program to give the whole European market
a non-inflationary money still has bite.
have a bottle • have a lot of bottle
have a bottle —have a drink; take part in social drinking:
There’s a definite feeling of anticipation here as the boss slips
his credit card behind the bar or your mate says “Go on, let’s
have a bottle.”
have a lot of bottle —(coll.) have the courage to do smth.
difficult: Not many people could lose six world finals and
come back for more — Jimmy has a lot of bottle. Cf.: lose one’s
bottle —(coll., also: bottle it) lose one’s courage: That conservative
fool lost his bottle when he tried to face down the coal mining
unions.