abide

verb

Save Word

\ ə-ˈbīd

abided also abode\ ə-ˈbōd

\; abiding

Definition of abide

transitive verb

1a : to bear patiently : tolerate cannot abide such bigots

b : to endure without yielding : withstand abide the onrush of the enemy

2 : to wait for : await I will abide the coming of my lord.— Alfred Tennyson

3 : to accept without objection will abide your decision

intransitive verb

1 : to remain stable or fixed in a state a love that abided with him all his days

2 : to continue in a place : sojourn will abide in the house of the Lord

abide by

1 : to conform to abide by the rules

2 : to accept without objection : to acquiesce in will abide by your decision

Other Words from abide Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym The Use of Abide in Literature and Popular Culture Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about abide

Keep scrolling for more

Choose the Right Synonym for abide

bear, suffer, endure, abide, tolerate, stand mean to put up with something trying or painful. bear usually implies the power to sustain without flinching or breaking. forced to bear a tragic loss suffer often suggests acceptance or passivity rather than courage or patience in bearing. suffering many insults endure implies continuing firm or resolute through trials and difficulties. endured years of rejection abide suggests acceptance without resistance or protest. cannot abide their rudeness tolerate suggests overcoming or successfully controlling an impulse to resist, avoid, or resent something injurious or distasteful. refused to tolerate such treatment stand emphasizes even more strongly the ability to bear without discomposure or flinching. unable to stand teasing

continue, last, endure, abide, persist mean to exist over a period of time or indefinitely. continue applies to a process going on without ending. the search for peace will continue last, especially when unqualified, may stress existing beyond what is normal or expected. buy shoes that will last endure adds an implication of resisting destructive forces or agencies. in spite of everything, her faith endured abide implies stable and constant existing especially as opposed to mutability. a love that abides through 40 years of marriage persist suggests outlasting the normal or appointed time and often connotes obstinacy or doggedness. the sense of guilt persisted

The Use of Abide in Literature and Popular Culture

The comments by users of this dictionary suggest that many people who are interested in the meaning of the word abide are motivated by one of two rather distinct things: the Bible, in which, for instance, Jesus calls upon his followers to "abide in me"; and the movie The Big Lebowski, in which Jeffrey Lebowski (aka "The Dude") proclaims that "The Dude abides." Both the movie and the book have done much to keep the word in general current usage. Though the sources are wildly different, in each of these particular examples, abide is used as it is defined at the first intransitive sense: "to remain stable or fixed in a state." In the phrase "abide in me," Jesus is asking his followers to stay constant in their relationship to him. The exact meaning of "The Dude abides" is a topic of some debate, but clearly there is some notion of the constancy of Lebowski himself—metaphysically perhaps—being asserted.

Although the phrase can’t abide has for some the feeling of a modern colloquialism, it has been pointed out that such use dates back at least as far as Shakespeare: in Henry IV, Part II, Falstaff says “she would always say she could not abide Master Shallow.”

Did You Know?

Abide may sound rather old-fashioned these days. The word has been around since before the 12th century, but it is a bit rare now, except in certain specialized uses. Even more archaic to our modern ear is "abidden," the original past participle of "abide." Today, both the past and the past participle of "abide" are served by either "abode" or "abided," with "abided" being the more frequent choice. "Abide" turns up often in the phrase "can't (or couldn't) abide." The expression "abide by," which means "to conform to" or "to acquiesce in," is also common. Related terms include the participial adjective "abiding" (which means "enduring" or "continuing," as in "an abiding interest in nature"), the noun "abidance" ("continuance" or "compliance"), and the noun "abode" ("residence").

Examples of abide in a Sentence

Now his anger had poisoned all relationships, no one could be put in the two empty beds in the room, and not even his long-suffering sister could abide him in her house. — Peter Pouncey, Rules for Old Men Waiting, 2005 A former party functionary, Yeltsin replaced Communist ideology with a supremely simplified vision of democracy, which boiled down to two tenets: He could not abide Communists, and he supported freedom of the press. — Masha Gessen, New Republic, 5 June 2000 abide in the house of the Lord a love that abided till the end of their lives

Recent Examples on the Web The tweet included a video of New Yorkers standing shoulder-to-shoulder, many without masks, and just about everyone failing to abide by social distancing rules. — Bradford Betz, Fox News, "NYC health commissioner cheers Biden celebrations, day later brings down hammer on New York," 9 Nov. 2020 Skyward had promised to abide by city noise ordinances and consult with experts on how to avoid disturbing wildlife. — oregonlive, "Verizon abandons plans for drone testing facility in North Portland," 5 Nov. 2020 The Hollywood Hills party stood in stark contrast to another music event held a few miles away in Echo Park that employed workarounds to abide by health codes, producing an event with roughly the same risk as dining outdoors. — Amina Khan Staff Writer, Los Angeles Times, "Coronavirus Today: Of minks and men," 4 Nov. 2020 As for election watch parties, McNeill said people need to abide by Health Department directives and guidance for large gatherings. — Jeannie Roberts, Arkansas Online, "Virus tally in hospitals hits record," 3 Nov. 2020 But that will only happen if people actually abide by the mask recommendations. — Robert Gehrke, The Salt Lake Tribune, "Robert Gehrke: You think you’re tired of the coronavirus? Talk to these Utahns.," 26 Oct. 2020 But what is the point of multilateral agreements such as the JCPOA if those who enter into them beside are utterly useless when other parties don’t abide by them? — Isaac Schorr, National Review, "Our Allies and Iran," 21 Oct. 2020 And, if the participants can’t abide by the rules, cut off their microphones, dang it. — Star Tribune, "Readers Write: Presidential debate, Amy Coney Barrett's nomination," 30 Sep. 2020 Ryan said if students don’t abide by the new number, additional measures may be taken, including imposing a curfew. — From Usa Today Network And Wire Reports, USA TODAY, "Balloon spectacle, dancing ban, ballpark delivery: News from around our 50 states," 25 Sep. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'abide.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for abide

Middle English abiden, going back to Old English abīdan, from a-, perfective prefix + bīdan "to bide, wait"; a- (also ā-, ǣ- under stress in nominal derivatives) akin to Old Frisian a-, perfective prefix, Old Saxon ā-, ō- (unstressed a-) and probably to Old English or- "outward, extreme, lacking (in nominal compounds)," Old Frisian & Old Saxon ur-, or-, Old High German ar-, ir-, er- unstressed inchoative verb prefix, ur "out of, away from," Old Norse ūr-, ör-, "out of, from," ør-, privative prefix, Gothic us- "out of," us-, privative and perfective prefix; if from pre-Germanic *ud-s- akin to Old English ūt "out" — more at out entry 1, bide