betided; betiding; betides
: to happen especially as if by fate
: to happen to : befall
—used chiefly in the phrase woe betide
woe betide our enemies
Examples of betide in a Sentence
we will be happy in our new home, whatever may betide
Recent Examples on the Web
Yet woe betide any of the sport’s experts who dare to suggest the dice may be even slightly loaded in India’s favour.
—
Paul Newman, New York Times, 18 June 2025
And woe betide the poor educator who, without first warning their students’ parents, makes a spontaneous remark that might offend someone’s religious beliefs.
—Ian Millhiser, Vox, 15 Apr. 2025
Woe betide anyone who bumps into Pansy on the street, but to watch her onscreen produces a kind of bruised exhilaration; her viciousness has an awesome life force.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 3 Jan. 2025
Disney recommends paying between 18% and 20% for service and woe betide anyone who tries to avoid that charge.
—Caroline Reid, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024
Woe betide the ally who runs afoul of American progressive opinion.
—The Editorial Board, WSJ, 29 Mar. 2023
Critics have been sent the season’s first four episodes, but woe betide anybody who spoils much of anything about this run of backstabbing adventures in the realm of excess.
—Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Mar. 2023
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Paul Newman, New York Times, 18 June 2025
And woe betide the poor educator who, without first warning their students’ parents, makes a spontaneous remark that might offend someone’s religious beliefs.
—Ian Millhiser, Vox, 15 Apr. 2025
Woe betide anyone who bumps into Pansy on the street, but to watch her onscreen produces a kind of bruised exhilaration; her viciousness has an awesome life force.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 3 Jan. 2025
Disney recommends paying between 18% and 20% for service and woe betide anyone who tries to avoid that charge.
—Caroline Reid, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024
Woe betide the ally who runs afoul of American progressive opinion.
—The Editorial Board, WSJ, 29 Mar. 2023
Critics have been sent the season’s first four episodes, but woe betide anybody who spoils much of anything about this run of backstabbing adventures in the realm of excess.
—Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Mar. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Betide.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/betide. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
betide
verb
be·tide
bi-ˈtīd 
betided; betiding
: to happen or happen to
woe betide you if they ever find out what you've done
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