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to bide

to bide

1 7.4
To stay in a place for a time while waiting for something
  • verb
  • /baɪd/
translation icon : quedarse
  • During the rainy season, farmers often bide their time indoors, waiting for the fields to dry out.
  • bide time

Examples

  • Rather than bide beneath the surface, I emerged at once and revealed myself to the maiden.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • - Why don't you bide your time some place else?

  • I'd rather bide here with you.

  • The summer's gone, and all the leaves are falling, 'T is you, 't is you must go and I must bide.

  • She would not let me bide the night.

  • The spirit bides there inside you... but you cannot feel it.

  • Lysander's love, that would not let him bide.

  • - You bide here.

  • She bided in Burgos to avoid the procuradores and the nobles.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • He seems to have bided his time, built up relations with his subjects and allies, and also reasserted Tikal's Teotihuacan heritage.

Synonyms

to stick around
vsto bide
  • Informal
332 2.9

Stay in a place to wait for something

is a more formal term for remaining and often waiting
to linger
vsto bide
207 3.7

To stay in a place longer than expected because you do not want to leave

is about staying often while waiting, not necessarily staying longer than expected
to wait around
vsto bide
  • Informal
71 2.5

To spend time doing nothing while waiting for someone or something

is to remain in place and often wait without focusing on doing nothing
to wait out
vsto bide
42 4.3

Stay where you are until bad weather or danger passes

is a general staying that often waits for any event, not just unpleasant endings
to loiter
vsto bide
26 5.4

To stand or wait in a place without a clear reason

is to remain in place often while waiting, not standing about with no purpose
to hang about
vsto bide
  • UK
3 4.4

To stay in a place without a clear reason

is to remain in a place often because one waits, not for no clear purpose
to idle
vsto bide
1 3.2

To spend time doing nothing

is to stay in a place often waiting, not merely existing without activity

Antonyms

1.0

To go away from a place, person, or group

Idioms

7.5

Wait for a good chance before acting

How Long

to reside
91 3.0
to linger
207 3.7
to bide
1 7.4
to stay
1.0
to stop by
  • Informal
494 2.5
to pause
346 1.0

Surface Forms

bide infinitive
biding present participle
bides third person singular
bode past
bode past participle

Etymology

Bide originally meant 'to stay' and shares its root with abide, which also means 'remain'. So, to bide somewhere is to remain there for a while, often while waiting for something to happen.