bidding

American  

[bid-ing] / ˈbɪd ɪŋ /

noun

1. command; summons; invitation.

   I went there at his bidding.

2. bids collectively, or a period during which bids are made or received.

   The bidding began furiously.

3. a bid.

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idioms

1. do someone's bidding, to submit to someone's orders; perform services for someone.

   After he was promoted to vice president at the bank, he expected everyone around him to do his bidding.

bidding British  

/ ˈbɪdɪŋ /

noun

1. an order; command (often in the phrases do or follow the bidding of , at someone's bidding )

2. an invitation; summons

3. the act of making bids, as at an auction or in bridge

4. bridge a group of bids considered collectively, esp those made on a particular deal

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Etymology

Origin of bidding

Middle English word dating back to 1125–75; see origin at bid ¹, -ing ¹

Explanation

A person's bidding is what he or she tells you to do for them. You do your brother's bidding when he asks you to bring him his shoes and you comply. Doing your boss's bidding is usually part of a job description, although doing your cousin's or boyfriend's bidding usually isn't required — at least, it shouldn't be. When you are invited to eat at a friend's house, you might have to watch a slide show from his trip to Hawaii after dinner at his bidding. Bidding stems from the verb bid, with its Old English root of biddan, "ask, entreat, beseech, or order."

Example Sentences

Wednesday's auction saw three clients from different parts of the world bidding on the gem.

From Barron's • May 13, 2026

After a pre-premiere bidding war results in a $75-million sale, “Medellin” debuts to a round of boos, leading shady businessman Yair Marx to renege on the deal.

From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2026

Both auctions could attract solid bidding interest from investors amid falling crude oil prices and easing inflation concerns.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

And people were bidding on those items, too, before Cohen was banned.

From MarketWatch • May 7, 2026

I shadowed her like a familiar, doing her bidding and anticipating her wants.

From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein

Related Words

• auction
• tender