Dictionary.com
definitions
  • synonyms

bidden

[bid-n]
See more synonyms for bidden on Thesaurus.com
verb
  1. a past participle of bid1.
Show More
adjective
  1. invited.
Show More

bid1

[bid]
verb (used with object), bade or (Archaic) bad for 1, 2, 5 or bid for 3, 4; bid·den or bid for 1, 2, 5 or bid for 3, 4; bid·ding.
  1. to command; order; direct: to bid them depart.
  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.
  4. Cards. to enter a bid of (a given quantity or suit): to bid two no-trump.
  5. to summon by invitation; invite.
Show More
verb (used without object), bade or (Archaic) bad for 6 or bid for 7; bid·den or bid for 6 or bid for 7; bid·ding.
  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.
Show More
noun
  1. an act or instance of bidding.
  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.
Show More
Verb Phrases past and past participle bid, present participle bid·ding.
  1. bid in, Commerce. to overbid all offers for (property) at an auction in order to retain ownership.
  2. bid up, Commerce. to increase the market price of by increasing bids.
Show More
Idioms past bade or (Archaic) bad, past participle bid·den or bid, present participle bid·ding.
  1. bid fair. fair1(def 29).
Show More

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
Related formsbid·der, noun
Can be confusedbidder bitter

Synonyms

See more synonyms for bid on Thesaurus.com
1. charge; require, enjoin. 3. offer, tender, proffer. 8. offer, proposal; proffer.

bid2

[bid]
verb Archaic.
  1. past participle of bide.
Show More
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for bidden

Historical Examples

  • Robert drew a jackknife from his pocket, and did as he was bidden.

    Brave and Bold

    Horatio Alger

  • Johnny stared, opened his mouth to speak, then wisely closed it and did as he was bidden.

  • May this flower keep a sweet smell, long after I have bidden you good by.

  • Having stabled the horses as I was bidden, I came back here to await them.

    Fair Margaret

    H. Rider Haggard

  • The malgamite makers were bidden to come as soon as they liked.

    Roden's Corner

    Henry Seton Merriman

British Dictionary definitions for bidden

bidden

verb
  1. a past participle of bid
Show More

bid

verb bids, bidding, bad, bade, esp for senses 1, 2, 5, 7 bid, bidden or esp for senses 1, 2, 5, 7 bid
  1. (often foll by for or against) 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; commanddo as you are bid!
  5. (intr usually foll by for) to attempt to attain power, etc
  6. (tr) to invite; ask kindlyshe bade him sit down
  7. bridge to declare in the auction before play how many tricks one expects to make
  8. bid defiance to resist boldly
  9. bid fair to seem probable
Show More
noun
    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
Show More
See also bid in, bid up
Derived Formsbidder, noun

Word Origin

Old English biddan; related to German bitten
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for bidden

past participle of bid and bide.

Show More

bid

v.

probably a merger of two old words: The sense in bid farewell is from Old English biddan "to ask, entreat, pray, beseech; order; beg" (class V strong verb, past tense bæd, past participle beden), from Proto-Germanic *bidjan "to pray, entreat" (cf. German bitten "to ask," attested from 8c.), which, according to Kluge and Watkins is from a PIE root *gwhedh- "to ask, pray" (see bead (n.)).

To bid at an auction, meanwhile, is from Old English beodan "offer, proclaim" (class II strong verb; past tense bead, p.p. boden), from Proto-Germanic *biudanan "to stretch out, reach out, offer, present," (cf. German bieten "to offer"), from PIE root *bh(e)udh- "to be aware, make aware" (cf. Sanskrit bodhati "is awake, is watchful, observes," buddhah "awakened, enlightened;" Old Church Slavonic bljudo "to observe;" Lithuanian budeti "to be awake;" Old Irish buide "contentment, thanks"). As a noun, 1788, from the verb.

Show More
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper