I . *bid
/ bɪd; NAmE / verb , noun
—see also bid (II)
■ verb ( bid·ding , bid , bid )
1.
to offer to pay a particular price for sth, especially at an auction :
[ vn ]
I bid £2 000 for the painting.
[ v ]
We wanted to buy the chairs but another couple were bidding against us.
2.
bid (for sth) | ( NAmE ) bid (on sth) to offer to do work or provide a service for a particular price, in competition with other companies, etc.
SYN tender :
[ v ]
A French firm will be bidding for the contract.
[also v to inf ]
3.
[ v to inf ] (used especially in newspapers) to try to do, get or achieve sth
SYN attempt :
The team is bidding to retain its place in the league.
4.
(in some card games) to say how many points you expect to win :
[ vn ]
She bid four hearts.
[also v ]
•
IDIOMS
- what am I bid?
■ noun
1.
bid (for sth) an offer by a person or a business company to pay a particular amount of money for sth :
Granada mounted a hostile takeover bid for Forte.
At the auction (= a public sale where things are sold to the person who offers most) , the highest bid for the picture was £200.
Any more bids?
2.
bid (for sth) | ( NAmE also) bid (on sth) an offer to do work or provide a service for a particular price, in competition with other companies, etc.
SYN tender :
The company submitted a bid for the contract to clean the hospital.
3.
bid (for sth) | bid (to do sth) (used especially in newspapers) an effort to do sth or to obtain sth :
a bid for power
a desperate bid to escape from his attackers
4.
( in some card games ) a statement of the number of points a player thinks he or she will win
II . bid
/ bɪd; NAmE / verb
—see also bid (I) ( bid·ding , bade / beɪd; NAmE ; bæd/ bidden / ˈbɪdn; NAmE /) or ( bid·ding , bid , bid )
1.
bid (sb) good morning, farewell, etc. ( formal ) to say 'good morning', etc. to sb :
[ vn , vnn ]
I bade farewell to all the friends I had made in Paris.
I bade all my friends farewell.
2.
( old use or literary ) to tell sb to do sth :
[ vn inf ]
He bade me come closer.
[also vn to inf , vn ]