bide
Americanverb (used with object)
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Archaic. to endure; bear.
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Obsolete. to encounter.
verb (used without object)
idioms
verb
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archaic (intr) to continue in a certain place or state; stay
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archaic (intr) to live; dwell
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archaic (tr) to tolerate; endure
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to stay a little
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to abide by
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to wait patiently for an opportunity
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of bide
before 900; Middle English biden, Old English bīdan; cognate with Old Frisian bīdia, Old Saxon bīdan, Old High German bītan, Old Norse bītha, Gothic beidan, Latin fīdere, Greek peíthesthai to trust, rely < Indo-European *bheidh-; the meaning apparently developed: have trust > endure > wait > abide > remain
Explanation
When you bide, you remain somewhere. You'd be wise to bide a while inside and wait for the rain to stop before you leave! The verb bide is extremely old-fashioned, but you may be familiar with it from expressions like "bide your time" and businesses named "Bide-a-Wee." It comes from the Old English bidan, "to stay, continue, or remain." When you bide your time, you wait until a good opportunity comes up: "I'll bide my time until I find the perfect rescue dog." As for "bide-a-wee," that's a Scottish phrase meaning "stay a while."
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.
There's a limit on how long Iran can bide its time, however.
From Barron's • Apr. 23, 2026
“More than anything, these people know how to bide their time and resist,” said Zair Mundaray, a former Venezuelan prosecutor who fled the country in 2017.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 2026
The message to her is that if there isn’t anything good out there to buy, investors should just sit tight and be patient— such as bide time in T-bills.
From MarketWatch • Nov. 19, 2025
Happy to bide his time and assess his options, Venkatesham, it is understood, didn't feel an overpowering to urge to return to football.
From BBC • Sep. 6, 2025
"Yet if what you say is true, they will only bide their time and make another attempt."
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
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.
