bid-up

[bid-uhp]

noun

1. the act or an instance of increasing the price of something by forcing the bidding upward.

2. the amount of such increase.

   a bid-up of 100 percent in the last year.

bid up

verb

1. (adverb) to increase the market price of (a commodity) by making artificial bids

Word History and Origins

Origin of bid up¹

First recorded in 1860–65; noun use of verb phrase bid up

Idioms and Phrases

Raise a price by raising one's offer, as in We were hoping to get an Oriental rug cheaply, but the dealer kept bidding us up. This phrase is used in business and commerce, particularly at auctions. [Mid-1800s]

Example Sentences

Corporate farms can afford to bid up land prices and operate on razor-thin margins that family operations can’t match.

From Salon

Southern California home prices barely rose last month, as would-be buyers weren’t able — or willing — to bid up housing costs much further.

From Los Angeles Times

High home values and high mortgage rates made it difficult for potential buyers to bid up housing further, and the market also tends to slow in the fall and winter.

From Los Angeles Times

The departure of many foreign workers could shrink the labor supply and cause employers to bid up wages.

From Los Angeles Times

Reflecting the increased optimism, investors have bid up stock prices this week.

From Los Angeles Times