bid1
/bɪd
/verb (bids, bidding; past and past participle bid)
1 [with object] Offer (a certain price) for something, especially at an auction: a consortium of dealers bid a world record price for a snuff box [no object]: guests will bid for pieces of fine jewellery...
- This will give you the chance to look into potential members before they can bid on your item.
- The plaintiff said she was ‘devastated’ at the low price being bid by the purchaser.
- When he saw the six-month-old filly fresh off the range at a government auction, he bid a record $19,000 for her.
Synonyms
offer, make an offer of, put in a bid of, put up, tender, proffer, propose, submit, put forward, advance
1.1 [no object] (bid for) (Of a contractor) offer to do (work) for a stated price; tender for: nineteen companies have indicated their intention to bid for the contract...
- The distribution company successfully bid for the contract after tenders were invited.
- Contractors bidding for work must certify that no work will be performed out of the country.
- Companies with impeccable environmental credentials can be barred from even bidding for contracts, it reveals.
1.2 Bridge Make a statement during the auction undertaking to make (a certain number of tricks with a stated suit as trumps) if the bid is successful and one becomes the declarer: North bids four hearts...
- Now each player bids a number of tricks, and you play and score according to the same rules as for three or four players.
- Players can bid any number of tricks - the bids may or may not add up to the total tricks available.
- In subsequent deals, if no one bids the trump suit remains unchanged form the previous deal.
2 [no object] Make an effort or attempt to achieve: [with infinitive]: she’s now bidding to become a top female model the two forwards are bidding for places in the England side...
- Julia will be bidding for a record ninth women's singles title, while her team mates will be bidding to retain their titles.
- He will have conditions in his favour as he bids to go one better than his recent second-placed effort at Beverley and notch his first win of the campaign.
- The popular showman bids to break his duck at the ninth attempt on Saturday on the top rated juvenile of last season.
Synonyms
try to obtain, try to get, make a pitch for, make a bid for
noun
1An offer of a price, especially at an auction: at the fur tables, several buyers make bids for the pelts...
- It was close to the end of its auction and had no bids on a low starting price.
- If the property remains unsold after the auction i.e. your bid was below the reserve price, speak to the auctioneer to register your interest before leaving the saleroom.
- One punter, however, is trying to sell a city centre room on an Internet auction site with bids starting at £60.
Synonyms
offer, tender, proposal, submission;
price, sum, amount;
advance, ante
1.1An offer to buy the shares of a company in order to gain control of it: a takeover bid...
- Reports that a mystery bidder was looking to mount a takeover bid has pushed the shares to over 160p - their highest in a year.
- If yesterday's purchase of shares is the precursor to a takeover bid, those qualities will make them formidable opponents for the Manchester United board.
- The world's biggest airports operator rejected the transport company's 810p a share bid on Friday, saying it undervalued the firm.
1.2An offer to do work or supply goods at a stated price; a tender: a number of businessmen were keen to make a bid for the £75 million contract...
- It is understood, however, that interest was solid and that several bids had been tendered by the time the offer period closed yesterday.
- Buyers will not be able to just do anything they want with their new refuge - the city must approve development plans before bids can even be tendered.
- A total of 161 developers failed in the tenders because their bids exceeded the upper limits.
1.3 Bridge An undertaking by a player in the auction to make a stated number of tricks with a stated suit as trumps: a bid of three spades...
- There is great variety in the special bids or actions a player may be allowed to make during his turn to bid.
- The declarer and his partner do not score any points if they do not take at least the number of tricks that the declarer bid.
- A bid of no tricks is a pass, and if all players pass, the hand is redealt by the same dealer.
2An attempt or effort to achieve something: he made a bid for power in 1984 [with infinitive]: an investigation would be carried out in a bid to establish what had happened...
- In a bid to achieve this sort of growth, a new UK graphic design division is being created to allow the company to tap into other lucrative markets.
- As they enter their final year, it is a year of anxiety and hard work, all in a bid to achieve the objective.
- After losing another planning appeal, residents have fortified the site in a bid to prevent attempts to forcibly remove them.
Synonyms
attempt, effort, endeavour, try
informal go, crack, stab
Origin
Old English bēodan 'to offer, command', of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bieden and German bieten.
bead from [Old English]:
The original meaning of bead was ‘prayer’. Current meanings of bead come from the use of a rosary, each bead representing a prayer. Bid (Old English) first found in the sense ‘ask, beg’ is related.
Rhymes
bid2
/bɪd/verb (bids, bidding; past bid or bade; past participle bid) [with object]
1Utter (a greeting or farewell) to: James bade a tearful farewell to his parents...
- Visitors had a chance to attend mass on Sunday morning, celebrating the association, before they bid tearful farewells at the parting lunch.
- The Radio 1 DJ bade a tearful farewell on her last day as host of the breakfast show.
- Hundreds of mourners bid a tearful farewell to the tragic teenager and friends donned specially-made replica England shirts bearing his name.
Synonyms
wish
2 archaic or literary Command or order (someone) to do something: I did as he bade me...
- The wizard bade his apprentice sit upon another directly opposite, and Anest obeyed, wondering.
- I was then but a simple handmaid who did as I was bid.
- After they left, he wrote the stories she bade him to.
Synonyms
order, command, tell, instruct, direct, require, enjoin, charge, demand, call upon
2.1Invite (someone) to do something: he bade his companions enter...
- The same maid-servant entered, but a little confused as to why Chloe stated that the door was open instead of bidding her to enter.
- If he is indeed wise he does not bid you enter the house of his wisdom, but rather leads you to the threshold of your own mind.
- A short, soft knock came on the wooden door, and presently the call of an elderly woman's voice bid her visitor enter.
Synonyms
invite to, ask to, request to, tell to
Phrases
bid fair to
Origin
Old English biddan 'ask', of Germanic origin; related to German bitten.