betide
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
verb
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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betidesimple
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betidessimple
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have betidedperfect
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has betidedperfect
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am betidingprogressive
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are betidingprogressive
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is betidingprogressive
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have been betidingperfect progressive
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has been betidingperfect progressive
Past
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betidedsimple
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had betidedperfect
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was betidingprogressive
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were betidingprogressive
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had been betidingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of betide
First recorded in 1125–75, betide is from the Middle English word betiden. See be-, tide 2
Explanation
When something betides you, it happens to you. Betide is a literary way of saying “happen,” like in this quote from Jane Austin’s Persuasion, “Woe betide him, and her too, when it comes to things of consequence….” This is an old-fashioned word for things happening, especially uncertain or negative things. This word often appears with woe as in "Woe betide all who date my sister!" Which means, basically, something bad will happen to you if you date her. If you say, "What will the new day betide?" it means, "What will happen tomorrow?" Betide means about the same thing as bechance and befall. We all want good things to betide us.
Vocabulary lists containing betide
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
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The Jungle Book
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"The Tempest," Vocabulary from Acts 1 and 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
A certain life was expected for you, and woe betide you if you went outside of that.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 23, 2024
Woe betide the grounds passholder who shows up at the “wrong” entrance; you may be made to walk several blocks, though several on Monday attempted to argue with U.N. police.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 19, 2022
"Woe betide you if you were a preacher and you misquoted," Lord Sentamu says.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2022
“Woe betide those who clapped him as a saint.”
From Washington Post ● Aug. 20, 2019
Etymologically, “invective” is a cavalry charge, and when Cicero hit a gallop, woe betide whoever was in the way.
From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith
But I have to wonder if, whatever betides, I can stay upbeat in spirit.
From The New Yorker ● Dec. 16, 2019
It fails to mention Ogden Nash's "One rule which woe betides the banker who fails to heed it,/ Which is you must never lend any money to anybody unless they don't need it."
From Time Magazine Archive
When this odd gesture betides them, they are scratching themselves with one foot, and thus lose the center of gravity.
From School Reading by Grades Sixth Year by Baldwin, James
“Ill luck never betides us,” replied Herfrida, with an expression of bland assurance on her handsome face.
From Erling the Bold by Ballantyne, R. M. (Robert Michael)
Traffic with it, and you miss the real lift of life, that which makes life good, whatever betides.
From The Black Colonel by Milne, James
Hard by the bridge there was a stone cross upon a knoll, and here the group had collected—half a dozen women and one tall fellow in a russet smock—discussing what the bell betided.
From The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition Vol. 8 (of 25) by Stevenson, Robert Louis
Thereupon the Judge explained saying, "Pardon, O King of the Age, I merit even more than what hath betided me."
From The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 14 by Burton, Richard Francis, Sir
These were anchored a hundred yards from shore, and Brian saw the danger that betided as the stream of fugitives swept down toward the boats.
From Nuala O'Malley by Bedford-Jones, H.
They bade Rose remain in the garden for the next few hours, and they would hide in a clump of bushes at the corner and watch what betided.
From Tom Tufton's Travels by Everett-Green, Evelyn
Now it betided, Heaven's gate being partly open, that there glided A fair dream forth, and hovered o'er his sleep.
From Poems by Hugo, Victor
With no thought of ill betiding, "Thus," we said, "life's years shall be For us twain a river gliding To a calm, eternal sea."
From The Argosy Vol. 51, No. 4, April, 1891 by Wood, Charles W.
The death of my son betiding while my soul was under this anxiety, I thought of nothing but resigning my dominions, and retiring for ever from the sight of mankind.
From Shorter Novels, Eighteenth Century The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia; The Castle of Otranto, a Gothic Story; Vathek, an Arabian Tale by Beckford, William
Betide, betided or betid, betiding, betided or betid.
From The Grammar of English Grammars by Brown, Goold
I will come anon and learn what is betiding.
From The Sign of the Red Cross by Everett-Green, Evelyn
And hence their quiet looks confiding, Hence grateful instincts seated deep, By whose strong bond, were ill betiding, They'd risk their own his life to keep.
From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 06, No. 38, December, 1860 by Various
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.
