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, nounWords nearby bide
bidding,
bidding prayer,
biddle,
biddy,
biddy-biddy,
bide,
bide one's time,
bidentate,
bidenticulate,
bidet,
bidi
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.