bode

¹

[bohd]

verb (used with object)

boded, boding 

1. to be an omen of; portend.

   The news bodes evil days for him.

2. Archaic.,  to announce beforehand; predict.

verb (used without object)

boded, boding 

1. to portend.

   The news bodes well for him.

bode

²

[bohd]

verb

1. a simple past tense of bide.

bode

¹

/ bəʊd /

verb

1. to be an omen of (good or ill, esp of ill); portend; presage

2. archaic,  (tr) to predict; foretell

bode

²

/ bəʊd /

verb

1. the past tense of bide

Other Word Forms

• boding noun
• bodement noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of bode¹

before 1000; Middle English boden, Old English bodian to announce, foretell (cognate with Old Norse botha ), derivative of boda messenger, cognate with German Bote, Old Norse bothi

Word History and Origins

Origin of bode¹

Old English bodian ; related to Old Norse botha to proclaim, Old Frisian bodia to invite

Example Sentences

“In periods where investors chase returns in the gold proxies, when those metals weaken, it often bodes ill for gold prices as well.”

Read more on Barron's

That bodes well for Berkshire and other P&C insurers’ results, which could give their stocks a much-needed boost.

Read more on Barron's

This history bodes ill for the meme ETF in its new incarnation.

Read more on MarketWatch

That not only bodes well for the Yankees and Dodgers, the MLB leaders in homers, but also for the red-hot Seattle Mariners, who ranked third.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

That bodes well for the U.S. eight months shy of a World Cup it will host.

Read more on Los Angeles Times