bid

¹ American  

[bid] / bɪd /

verb (used with object)

bade bad, bid bidden, bid, bid bidding

1. to command; order; direct.

   to bid them depart.

   Synonyms:

   enjoin , require , charge

2. to express (a greeting, farewell, benediction, or wish).

   to bid good night.

3. Commerce.  to offer (a certain sum) as the price one will pay or charge.

   They bid $25,000 and got the contract.

   Synonyms:

   proffer , tender , offer

4. Cards.  to enter a bid of (a given quantity or suit).

   to bid two no-trump.

5. to summon by invitation; invite.

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verb (used without object)

bade bad, bid bidden, bid, bid bidding

1. to command; order; direct.

   I will do as you bid.

2. to make a bid.

   She bid at the auction for the old chair.

noun

1. an act or instance of bidding.

   Synonyms:

   proffer , proposal , offer

2. Cards.

   1. an offer to make a specified number of points or to take a specified number of tricks.

   2. the amount of such an offer.

   3. the turn of a person to bid.

3. an invitation.

   a bid to join the club.

4. an attempt to attain some goal or purpose.

   a bid for election.

5. Also called bid price.  Stock Exchange.  the highest price a prospective buyer is willing to pay for a security at a given moment.

verb phrase

1. bid up  to increase the market price of by increasing bids.

2. bid in  to overbid all offers for (property) at an auction in order to retain ownership.

idioms

1. bid fair.  fair.

bid ² American  

[bid] / bɪd /

verb

Archaic.

1. past participle of bide.

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b.i.d. ³ American  

abbreviation

1. (in prescriptions) twice a day.

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B.I.D. ⁴ American  

abbreviation

1. Bachelor of Industrial Design.

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bid ¹ British  

/ bɪd /

verb

1. to offer (an amount) in attempting to buy something, esp in competition with others as at an auction

2. commerce to respond to an offer by a seller by stating (the more favourable terms) on which one is willing to make a purchase

3. (tr) to say (a greeting, blessing, etc)

   to bid farewell

4. to order; command

   do as you are bid!

5. to attempt to attain power, etc

6. (tr) to invite; ask kindly

   she bade him sit down

7. bridge to declare in the auction before play how many tricks one expects to make

8. to resist boldly

9. to seem probable

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noun

1. 1. an offer of a specified amount, as at an auction

   2. the price offered

2. commerce

   1. a statement by a buyer, in response to an offer by a seller, of the more favourable terms that would be acceptable

   2. the price or other terms so stated

3. an attempt, esp an attempt to attain power

4. bridge

   1. the number of tricks a player undertakes to make

   2. a player's turn to make a bid

5. short for bid price

b.i.d. ² British  

abbreviation

1. bis in die

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Other Word Forms

• bidder noun

Etymology

Origin of bid¹

before 900; Middle English bidden, Old English biddan to beg, ask; cognate with Old Frisian bidda, Old Saxon biddian, Old High German bittan ( German bitten ), Old Norse bithja, Gothic bidjan; all < Germanic *bid-ja- (< Indo-European *bhidh- ) command, akin to Greek peíthein to persuade, inspire with trust, English bide

Origin of b.i.d.³

From Latin bis in diē

Example Sentences

The bidding process once involved Caesars Entertainment, which sought to establish a casino in Times Square, and MGM Resorts, which hoped to convert its slot and electronic-game casino in Yonkers into a full-fledged casino.

From The Wall Street Journal

It has been a woeful year for first-year Raiders coach Pete Carroll, who last week bid farewell to offensive coordinator Chip Kelly.

From Los Angeles Times

Demonstrators against the Georgian government's suspension of its European Union accession bid have complained of other symptoms too - shortness of breath, coughing, and vomiting that lasted for weeks.

From BBC

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer will on Monday announce a fresh bid to reform the country's social security system after rebel MPs in his own party blocked reforms proposed last summer.

From Barron's

One TV contract means a bidding war—part of the schedule might go to streamers Apple, Amazon, Paramount—and the numbers go up.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• advance
• offer
• price
• proposal
• request
• suggestion