bid
UK[bɪd]US[bɪd]
v
to offer a particular amount of money for something, especially at an auction
v
to say how many points you think you will win in a card game
v
to try to do, get, or achieve something
n
an offer to pay a particular amount of money for something
n
an attempt to achieve or obtain something
Etymology
The word 'bid' has a complex lineage, stemming from the convergence of two distinct but semantically related Old English verbs. The primary modern sense of offering a price derives from 'bēodan', which meant to offer or proclaim. Its cousin 'biddan', meaning to ask or request, influenced the development of related meanings, such as making an attempt or issuing an invitation. Both verbs share a common Proto-Germanic ancestry and are linked to the broader Proto-Indo-European root bʰewdʰ-, meaning 'to be aware, perceive'. This shared heritage of making one's intention known—whether by offering, asking, or commanding—logically coalesced into the modern, compact verb 'bid', encapsulating acts of offering, attempting, and inviting.
Analysis
This is a simplex word of Old English origin. The modern form 'bid' is a contraction and fusion of two related Old English verbs: 'biddan' (to ask, entreat, pray) and 'bēodan' (to offer, command, announce). The functional role is that of a verb (and its derived noun) indicating an offer or attempt.
Examples
She bid £500 for the antique vase.
The company is bidding for the construction contract.
He made a bid for freedom.