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The first time some semblance of this saying appears in print is 1877 in the book "Western Wilds". But remember that once it appears in print it has been in common usage for quite some time. To bite off more than you can chew is a clever use of analogy to describe being overworked or over committed to a project or enterprise.

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Q: What is the origin of biting off more than you can chew?
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