In the U.S, the bit is equal to 1/8 of a dollar or 12.5 cents. In the U.S., the "bit" as a designation for money dates from the colonial period, when the most common unit of currency used was the Spanish dollar, also known as "piece of eight", which was worth 8 Spanish silver reales. One eighth of a dollar or one silver real was one "bit".
With the adoption of the decimal U.S. currency in 1794, there was no longer a coin worth of a dollar but "two bits" remained in the bit and 15¢ a long bit.
Robert Louis Stevenson describes his experience with bits in Across the Plains, p. 144:1
In the Pacific States they have made a bolder push for complexity, and settle their affairs by a coin that no longer exists – the BIT, or old Mexican real. The supposed value of the bit is twelve and a half cents, eight to the dollar. When it comes to two bits, the quarter-dollar stands for the required amount. But how about an odd bit? The nearest coin to it is a dime, which is, short by a fifth. That, then, is called a SHORT bit. If you have one, you lay it triumphantly down, and save two and a half cents. But if you have not, and lay down a quarter, the bar-keeper or shopman calmly tenders you a dime by way of change; and thus you have paid what is called a LONG BIT, and lost two and a half cents, or even, by comparison with a short bit, five cents.
With the adoption of the decimal U.S. currency in 1794, there was no longer a coin worth of a dollar but "two bits" remained in the bit and 15¢ a long bit.
Robert Louis Stevenson describes his experience with bits in Across the Plains, p. 144:1
In the Pacific States they have made a bolder push for complexity, and settle their affairs by a coin that no longer exists – the BIT, or old Mexican real. The supposed value of the bit is twelve and a half cents, eight to the dollar. When it comes to two bits, the quarter-dollar stands for the required amount. But how about an odd bit? The nearest coin to it is a dime, which is, short by a fifth. That, then, is called a SHORT bit. If you have one, you lay it triumphantly down, and save two and a half cents. But if you have not, and lay down a quarter, the bar-keeper or shopman calmly tenders you a dime by way of change; and thus you have paid what is called a LONG BIT, and lost two and a half cents, or even, by comparison with a short bit, five cents.
by Cobruh October 23, 2014
"Look at the threepenny bits on that chick - they're popping out, man"
"I shot my wad all over her threepennys..."
"I shot my wad all over her threepennys..."
by Real cool trader April 04, 2008
Refers to the size of the internal registers of the CPUs used in the early days of personal computers and gaming consoles. It does not refer solely to NES or any single computer. Other examples of 8-bit CPUs included:
TI-99/4 and TI-99/4A
Commodore PET
VIC 20
Commodore 64
Apple
TI-99/4 and TI-99/4A
Commodore PET
VIC 20
Commodore 64
Apple
by ogreesh April 27, 2005
1. A douche bag in training. A young student of douchery.
2. A child who learns and displays the douchey characteristics of his father or other douche bag mentor.
2. A child who learns and displays the douchey characteristics of his father or other douche bag mentor.
That 5 year old is a total D bit. Have you met his douche bag father? No wonder he's such a bastard ass little douche.
by CheapTrickett August 06, 2010
by Haruka Hoshino December 03, 2009
by Vik_Vik January 09, 2011