to command; order; direct.
to bid them depart.
to express (a greeting, farewell, benediction, or wish).
to bid good night.
Commerce. to offer (a certain sum) as the price one will pay or charge.
They bid $25,000 and got the contract.
Cards. to enter a bid of (a given quantity or suit).
to bid two no-trump.
to summon by invitation; invite.
to command; order; direct.
I will do as you bid.
to make a bid.
She bid at the auction for the old chair.
an act or instance of bidding.
Cards.
an offer to make a specified number of points or to take a specified number of tricks.
the amount of such an offer.
the turn of a person to bid.
an invitation.
a bid to join the club.
an attempt to attain some goal or purpose.
a bid for election.
Also called bid price. Stock Exchange. the highest price a prospective buyer is willing to pay for a security at a given moment.
bid up to increase the market price of by increasing bids.
bid in to overbid all offers for (property) at an auction in order to retain ownership.
to offer (an amount) in attempting to buy something, esp in competition with others as at an auction
commerce to respond to an offer by a seller by stating (the more favourable terms) on which one is willing to make a purchase
(tr) to say (a greeting, blessing, etc)
to bid farewell
to order; command
do as you are bid!
to attempt to attain power, etc
(tr) to invite; ask kindly
she bade him sit down
bridge to declare in the auction before play how many tricks one expects to make
to resist boldly
to seem probable
an offer of a specified amount, as at an auction
the price offered
commerce
a statement by a buyer, in response to an offer by a seller, of the more favourable terms that would be acceptable
the price or other terms so stated
an attempt, esp an attempt to attain power
bridge
the number of tricks a player undertakes to make
a player's turn to make a bid
short for bid price
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
From Latin bis in diē
If you make the winning bid on an item, you offer the highest price and get to take it home. Congratulations, and enjoy your new paper weight! Bid comes from an Old English word meaning “to offer,” which is right in line with its meaning today. To bid is the act of offering a bid, or more generally to try to get something. With several companies bidding for your services, you have a lot to consider. Tip: go where the weather's warmest.
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
According to the Financial Times, the U.K. telecommunications group is considering a bid for TalkTalk’s consumer operations.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026
He had an operation at the age of 23 in a bid to save his career, but eventually realised he would have to retire.
From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026
“A lot of these types of businesses will catch a bid as people rotate out of tech and try to find something else that can deliver high-single digit or low-double digit returns,” he tells Barron’s.
From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026
Hydee Feldstein Soto, a longtime critic of Venice Dell who lost her bid for reelection last week, did not return an email asking if the city would appeal.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
“I know what I did was wrong, Mom,” I said in a bid to preempt whatever she had in mind.
From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
