bide

[ bahyd ]
/ baɪd /

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

Archaic. to endure; bear.
Obsolete. to encounter.

verb (used without object), bid·ed or bode; bid·ed or (Archaic) bid; bid·ing.

to dwell; abide; wait; remain.

Idioms for bide

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

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

OTHER WORDS FROM bide

bid·er, noun

British Dictionary definitions for bide one's time

bide
/ (baɪd) /

verb bides, biding, bided, bode or bided

(intr) archaic, or dialect to continue in a certain place or state; stay
(intr) archaic, or dialect to live; dwell
(tr) archaic, or dialect to tolerate; endure
bide a wee Scot to stay a little
bide by Scot to abide by
bide one's time to wait patiently for an opportunity
Often shortened to: (Scot) byde

Word Origin for bide

Old English bīdan; related to Old Norse bītha to wait, Gothic beidan, Old High German bītan

Idioms and Phrases with bide one's time

bide one's time

Wait for the opportune moment, as in The cat sat in front of the mousehole, biding its time. This phrase employs the verb to bide in the sense of “to wait for,” a usage dating from about a.d. 950 and surviving mainly in this locution.