bid

[ bid ]

/ bɪd /

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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.

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.

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.

to command; order; direct: I will do as you bid.

to make a bid: She bid at the auction for the old chair.

noun

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.

Verb Phrases past and past participle bid,present participle bid·ding.

bid in, Commerce. to overbid all offers for (property) at an auction in order to retain ownership.

bid up, Commerce. to increase the market price of by increasing bids.

OTHER WORDS FOR bid

1 charge; require, enjoin.

3 offer, tender, proffer.

8 offer, proposal; proffer.

See synonyms for bid on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

QUIZ YOURSELF ON "WAS" VS. "WERE"!

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Question 1 of 7

“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.

true

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Idioms about bid

past bade or (Archaic) bad,past participle bid·den or bid,present participle bid·ding.

bid fair. fair¹ (def. 29).

Origin of bid

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

OTHER WORDS FROM bid

bidder, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH bid

bidder , bitter

Other definitions for bid (2 of 4)

bid²

[ bid ]

/ bɪd /

verb Archaic.

past participle of bide.

Other definitions for bid (3 of 4)

b.i.d.

abbreviation

(in prescriptions) twice a day.

Origin of b.i.d.

From Latin bis in diē

Other definitions for bid (4 of 4)

B.I.D.

abbreviation

Bachelor of Industrial Design.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use bid in a sentence

Same with the Pac-12, although if USC or Oregon win out, they’ll get the fourth bid.
Cincinnati and BYU are making a case for the College Football Playoff. Is anyone listening?|John Feinstein|November 20, 2020|Washington Post
Microsoft’s Search Network can help you reach consumers planning to purchase, so be sure to target those audiences by applying audience targeting bid modifiers to your holiday ads and shopping campaigns.
Don’t miss out on the most unpredictable holiday season yet|Sponsored Content: Microsoft Advertising|November 18, 2020|Search Engine Land
High-profile women of color won their election bids, including the four representatives—Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, and Rashida Tlaib—known as “The Squad.”
The U.S. is too far behind the rest of the world when it comes to women in government|jakemeth|November 16, 2020|Fortune
There, she became the youngest person — and first woman — to present an arbitration case, ultimately winning Chicago its bid over pitcher Alex Fernandez’s salary.
Kim Ng’s Hiring Could Be The Start Of Something Special In Miami|Neil Paine (neil.paine@fivethirtyeight.com)|November 16, 2020|FiveThirtyEight

Last week, she lost a congressional bid in a landslide – 19 points, as of the latest ballot count – to Sara Jacobs, who has never held elective office and lost a race in a different congressional district in 2018.
The Rise and Fall (for Now) of Georgette Gómez|Andrew Keatts|November 16, 2020|Voice of San Diego
A cabal can do it, selling their influence to the highest bidder.
Valerie Jarrett, Obama Consigliere—and Democracy Killer|James Poulos|November 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Rod Blagojevich auctioning off the seat to the highest bidder.
Even Hawaii Hates Obama Now|David Freedlander|August 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Politicians who argued for selling land to the highest bidder and using the funds for the federal budget were drowned out.
A Founding Father Profit Sharing Fix for Inequality|Joseph Blasi|July 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Much worse, it turned out the ads cost $4.7 million—$2 million more than the next lowest bidder.
Who Isn’t Investigating Chris Christie?|Olivia Nuzzi|June 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Yet, she is still very much a pawn in the system—her body is actively sold to the highest bidder.
The Abused Wives of Westeros: A Song of Feminism in ‘Game of Thrones’|Amy Zimmerman|April 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
With such an assembly at hand the time was ripe for selling Daisy-Jewel to the highest bidder.
Dorothy at Skyrie|Evelyn Raymond
"Thirty," said the first bidder in a tone which seemed to defy further competition.
Camille (La Dame aux Camilias)|Alexandre Dumas, fils
One can only presume that the highest bidder—the owner of the largest fortune—was to be the happy man.
With Edged Tools|Henry Seton Merriman
Do you imagine, fellow, that an Army officer's honor is of so little importance to him that he'll sell it to a higher bidder.
Uncle Sam's Boys as Lieutenants|H. Irving Hancock
The highest offer has me, your ladyship; he's but a poor auctioneer that knocks down his ware when only one bidder is present.
Rookwood|William Harrison Ainsworth

British Dictionary definitions for bid (1 of 2)

bid

/ (bɪd) /

verb bids, bidding, bad, bade, esp for senses 1, 2, 5, 7 bid, bidden or esp for senses 1, 2, 5, 7 bid

(often foll by for or against) 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; commanddo as you are bid!

(intr usually foll by for) to attempt to attain power, etc

(tr) to invite; ask kindlyshe bade him sit down

bridge to declare in the auction before play how many tricks one expects to make

bid defiance to resist boldly

bid fair to seem probable

noun

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

Derived forms of bid

bidder, noun

Word Origin for bid

Old English biddan; related to German bitten

British Dictionary definitions for bid (2 of 2)

b.i.d.

abbreviation for (in prescriptions)

bis in die

Word Origin for b.i.d.

Latin: twice a day

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

Medical definitions for bid

b.i.d.

abbr.

bis in die (twice a day)

bid

OTHER WORDS FOR bid

Idioms about bid

Origin of bid

OTHER WORDS FROM bid

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH bid

Other definitions for bid (2 of 4)

Other definitions for bid (3 of 4)

Origin of b.i.d.

Other definitions for bid (4 of 4)

Words related to bid

How to use bid in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for bid (1 of 2)

Derived forms of bid

Word Origin for bid

British Dictionary definitions for bid (2 of 2)

Word Origin for b.i.d.

Medical definitions for bid