verb
- a simple past tense of bid1.
verb (used with object), bade or (Archaic) bad for 1, 2, 5 or bid for 3, 4; bid·den or bid for 1, 2, 5 or bid for 3, 4; bid·ding.
- to command; order; direct: to bid them depart.
- to express (a greeting, farewell, benediction, or wish): to bid good night.
- Commerce. to offer (a certain sum) as the price one will pay or charge: They bid $25,000 and got the contract.
- Cards. to enter a bid of (a given quantity or suit): to bid two no-trump.
- to summon by invitation; invite.
verb (used without object), bade or (Archaic) bad for 6 or bid for 7; bid·den or bid for 6 or bid for 7; bid·ding.
- to command; order; direct: I will do as you bid.
- to make a bid: She bid at the auction for the old chair.
noun
- an act or instance of bidding.
- Cards.
- an offer to make a specified number of points or to take a specified number of tricks.
- the amount of such an offer.
- the turn of a person to bid.
- an invitation: a bid to join the club.
- an attempt to attain some goal or purpose: a bid for election.
- Also called bid price. Stock Exchange. the highest price a prospective buyer is willing to pay for a security at a given moment.
Verb Phrases past and past participle bid, present participle bid·ding.
- bid in, Commerce. to overbid all offers for (property) at an auction in order to retain ownership.
- bid up, Commerce. to increase the market price of by increasing bids.
- bid fair. fair1(def 29).
verb Archaic.
- past participle of bide.
verb
- past tense of bid
verb bids, bidding, bad, bade, esp for senses 1, 2, 5, 7 bid, bidden or esp for senses 1, 2, 5, 7 bid
- (often foll by for or against) to offer (an amount) in attempting to buy something, esp in competition with others as at an auction
- commerce to respond to an offer by a seller by stating (the more favourable terms) on which one is willing to make a purchase
- (tr) to say (a greeting, blessing, etc)to bid farewell
- to order; commanddo as you are bid!
- (intr usually foll by for) to attempt to attain power, etc
- (tr) to invite; ask kindlyshe bade him sit down
- bridge to declare in the auction before play how many tricks one expects to make
- bid defiance to resist boldly
- bid fair to seem probable
noun
-
- an offer of a specified amount, as at an auction
- the price offered
- commerce
- a statement by a buyer, in response to an offer by a seller, of the more favourable terms that would be acceptable
- the price or other terms so stated
- an attempt, esp an attempt to attain power
- bridge
- the number of tricks a player undertakes to make
- a player’s turn to make a bid
- short for bid price
Old English bæd, past tense of bid (v.).
probably a merger of two old words: The sense in bid farewell is from Old English biddan “to ask, entreat, pray, beseech; order; beg” (class V strong verb, past tense bæd, past participle beden), from Proto-Germanic *bidjan “to pray, entreat” (cf. German bitten “to ask,” attested from 8c.), which, according to Kluge and Watkins is from a PIE root *gwhedh- “to ask, pray” (see bead (n.)).
To bid at an auction, meanwhile, is from Old English beodan “offer, proclaim” (class II strong verb; past tense bead, p.p. boden), from Proto-Germanic *biudanan “to stretch out, reach out, offer, present,” (cf. German bieten “to offer”), from PIE root *bh(e)udh- “to be aware, make aware” (cf. Sanskrit bodhati “is awake, is watchful, observes,” buddhah “awakened, enlightened;” Old Church Slavonic bljudo “to observe;” Lithuanian budeti “to be awake;” Old Irish buide “contentment, thanks”). As a noun, 1788, from the verb.