- Bid
- Bid Bid (b[i^]d), v. t. [imp. {Bade} (b[a^]d), {Bid}, (Obs.)
{Bad}; p. p. {Bidden}, {Bid}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Bidding}.]
[OE. bidden, prop to ask, beg, AS. biddan; akin to OS.
biddian, Icel. bi[eth]ja, OHG. bittan, G. bitten, to pray,
ask, request, and E. bead, also perh. to Gr. teiqein to
persuade, L. fidere to trust, E. faith, and bide. But this
word was early confused with OE. beden, beoden, AS.
be['o]dan, to offer, command; akin to Icel. bj[=o][eth]a,
Goth. biudan (in comp.), OHG. biotan to command, bid, G.
bieten, D. bieden, to offer, also to Gr. pynqa`nesqai to
learn by inquiry, Skr. budh to be awake, to heed, present
OSlav. bud[=e]ti to be awake, E. bode, v. The word now has
the form of OE. bidden to ask, but the meaning of OE. beden
to command, except in ``to bid beads.'' [root]30.]
[1913 Webster]
1. To make an offer of; to propose. Specifically : To offer
to pay ( a certain price, as for a thing put up at
auction), or to take (a certain price, as for work to be
done under a contract).
[1913 Webster]
2. To offer in words; to declare, as a wish, a greeting, a threat, or defiance, etc.; as, to bid one welcome; to bid good morning, farewell, etc. [1913 Webster]
Neither bid him God speed. --2. John 10. [1913 Webster]
He bids defiance to the gaping crowd. --Granrille. [1913 Webster]
3. To proclaim; to declare publicly; to make known. [Mostly obs.] ``Our banns thrice bid !'' --Gay. [1913 Webster]
4. To order; to direct; to enjoin; to command. [1913 Webster]
That Power who bids the ocean ebb and flow. --Pope [1913 Webster]
Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee. --Matt. xiv. 28 [1913 Webster]
I was bid to pick up shells. --D. Jerrold. [1913 Webster]
5. To invite; to call in; to request to come. [1913 Webster]
As many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. --Matt. xxii. 9 [1913 Webster]
{To bid beads}, to pray with beads, as the Roman Catholics; to distinguish each bead by a prayer. [Obs.]
{To bid defiance to}, to defy openly; to brave.
{To bid fair}, to offer a good prospect; to make fair promise; to seem likely. [1913 Webster]
Syn: To offer; proffer; tender; propose; order; command; direct; charge; enjoin. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.