verb
bide
byd
verb
1
To wait patiently for the right moment.
"He decided to bide his time until the market improved."
2
An older usage meaning to stay, dwell, or remain in a place.
"The travelers bided in the village for the winter."
How to Use Bide
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo wait, especially patiently, until the right time.
Common mistake
Almost always used today in the fixed phrase "bide your time" — it sounds archaic on its own.
Common pairings
bide your time
Word Forms
bode past tense, bided past tense, bidden past tense, bides singular
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Etymology
From Old English bidan, "to wait, remain, or endure," from a Proto-Germanic root shared with words for "wait" across many Germanic languages, and distantly related to "faith" and "fidelity" through a common Indo-European root.