bid

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to ask for or request earnestly

   The prophet bid all people to become good persons.

2. 2
   verb

   to make a serious effort to attain something

   The candidate's protracted bid for the attention of the poor population was central to their success.

3. 3
   verb

   to propose a payment

   I bid on the car.

4. 4
   verb

   to make a demand, as for a card or a suit or a show of hands

   I bid, show me the cards.

5. 5
   adv

   twice a day, two times per day

   It has been repeatedly documented that moving patients from a TID dosing regimen to BID or OD vastly improves compliance, and thus the medicine's effectiveness.

6. 6
   verb

   To issue a command; to tell.

   He bade me come in.

7. 7
   verb

   To invite; to summon.

   She was bidden to the wedding.

8. 8
   verb

   To utter a greeting or salutation.

   Portia: If I could bid the fifth welcome with so good heart as I / can bid the other four farewell, I should be glad of his / approach; […]

Etymology

From Middle English bidden, from Old English biddan (“to ask, demand”), from Proto-West Germanic *biddjan, from Proto-Germanic *bidjaną (“to ask”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷʰedʰ-. Conflated with Old English bēodan (“to offer, announce”) (see Etymology 2 below). Compare West Frisian bidde, Low German bidden, Dutch bidden ("to pray"), German bitten, Danish bede, Norwegian Bokmål be.