bide

[ bahyd ]
See synonyms for: bidebidbode on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),bid·ed or bode; bid·ed or (Archaic) bid; bid·ing.
  1. Archaic. to endure; bear.

  2. Obsolete. to encounter.

verb (used without object),bid·ed or bode; bid·ed or (Archaic) bid; bid·ing.
  1. to dwell; abide; wait; remain.

Idioms about bide

  1. bide one's time, to wait for a favorable opportunity: He wanted to ask for a raise, but bided his time.

Origin of bide

1
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

Other words for bide

Other words from bide

  • bider, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use bide in a sentence

  • There was none to take their place here, while the old king bided in Exeter or in Cornwall, and never came to Norton at all now.

    A Prince of Cornwall | Charles W. Whistler
  • And here we have bided ever since, and are happy in home and friends and work, for all seems to have gone well with us.

    A Prince of Cornwall | Charles W. Whistler
  • The answer he received was far from satisfactory, but he bided his time to make his dissatisfaction felt.

    Ocean to Ocean on Horseback | Willard Glazier
  • I didna ken the auld man was fair ill or he micht hae bided at the fairm an' tak'n 'is ain time to dee at 'is ease.

    Greyfriars Bobby | Eleanor Atkinson

British Dictionary definitions for bide

bide

/ (baɪd) /


verbbides, biding, bided, bode or bided
  1. (intr) archaic, or dialect to continue in a certain place or state; stay

  2. (intr) archaic, or dialect to live; dwell

  1. (tr) archaic, or dialect to tolerate; endure

  2. bide a wee Scot to stay a little

  3. bide by Scot to abide by

  4. bide one's time to wait patiently for an opportunity

Origin of bide

1
Old English bīdan; related to Old Norse bītha to wait, Gothic beidan, Old High German bītan
  • Often shortened to: (Scot) byde

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