bid

verb

ˈbid 

bade ˈbad  ˈbād  or bid; bidden ˈbi-dᵊn  or bid also bade; bidding

transitive verb

1

a past tense and past participle bid

(1)

: to offer (a price) whether for payment or acceptance

The contractor bid $10,000 less than his nearest competitor.

(2)

card games : to make a bid (see bid entry 2 sense 4) of or in (a suit at cards)

bid one spade

b

: offer

—usually used in the phrase to bid defiance

The poorest man may in his cottage bid defiance to all the forces of the Crown.

—William Pitt

2

a

: to issue an order to : tell

did as I was bid

b

: to request to come : invite

were bidden to the wedding

c

obsolete : beseech, entreat

3

: to give expression to

bade a tearful farewell

intransitive verb

: to make a bid (see bid entry 2)

Several other companies bid on the job.

bidder noun

see also:

bid fair

Synonyms of bid

• order
• instruct
• tell
• ask

Choose the Right Synonym for bid

command, order, bid, enjoin, direct, instruct, charge mean to issue orders.

command and order imply authority and usually some degree of formality and impersonality.

command stresses official exercise of authority.

a general commanding troops

order may suggest peremptory or arbitrary exercise.

ordered his employees about

bid suggests giving orders peremptorily (as to children or servants).

she bade him be seated

enjoin implies giving an order or direction authoritatively and urgently and often with admonition or solicitude.

a sign enjoining patrons to be quiet

direct and instruct both connote expectation of obedience and usually concern specific points of procedure or method, instruct sometimes implying greater explicitness or formality.

directed her assistant to hold all calls

the judge instructed the jury to ignore the remark

charge adds to enjoin an implication of imposing as a duty or responsibility.

charged by the President with a secret mission

Examples of bid in a Sentence

I'll bid $100 for the lamp but no higher.

He plans to stop bidding if the bids go over $500.

She bid for a desk and a chair.

Several local companies are bidding for the same job.

His company bid on the snow removal contract.

He bid and I passed.

We did as we were bid.

Recent Examples on the Web

The city has also bid to host the 2028 DNC. —Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2026

Deschamps, who was bidding to become the second manager to win the World Cup twice — after Italian Vittorio Pozzo in 1934 and 1938 — acted decisively by making a first-half double substitution in which Randal Kolo Muani and Marcus Thuram replaced Ousmane Dembele and Olivier Giroud. —Will Jeanes, New York Times, 5 June 2026

Although the group of Hollywood directors was quick to bid on the Village (the Bruin was not included in the deal), the theater has remained closed since then, with the exception of the recent Billie Eilish premiere. —Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2026

Even so, Thomson told the committees that work will continue as the state bids out the project in four separate components. —Bryan P. Sears, Baltimore Sun, 3 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

partly from Middle English bidden, from Old English biddan; akin to Old High German bitten to entreat, and perhaps to Sanskrit bādhate he presses; partly from Middle English beden to offer, command, from Old English bēodan; akin to Old High German biotan to offer, Greek pynthanesthai to examine, Sanskrit bodhi enlightenment

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2c

Phrases Containing bid

• bid fair
• bid up
• counter-bid
• takeover bid

Rhymes for bid

• did
• grid
• hid
• id
• lid
• mid
• quid
• rid
• skid
• slid
• squid
• amid

Kids Definition

bid

1 of 2 verb

ˈbid 

bade ˈbad  ˈbād  or bid; bidden ˈbid-ᵊn  or bid; bidding

1

a

: order entry 1 sense 2a, command

did as we were bidden

b

: invite entry 1 sense 2a

2

: to express to

bade me farewell

3

past and past participle bid : to make an offer for something (as at an auction)

bid $10 for a chair

bidder noun

bid

2 of 2 noun

1

: an offer to pay a certain sum for something or to perform certain work at a stated fee

2

: a turn or opportunity to bid

3

: invitation sense 2

received a bid to the state tournament

4

a

: an announcement of what a card player will try to win

b

: the amount of such a bid

5

: an attempt to win, achieve, or attract

made a strong bid for the job

Medical Definition

bid

abbreviation

twice a day

—used in writing prescriptions

Etymology

Latin bis in die

Legal Definition

bid

1 of 2 verb

ˈbid 

bid; bidding

transitive verb

: to offer (a price) for payment or acceptance

intransitive verb

: to make a bid : state what one will pay or take in payment

bidder noun

bid

2 of 2 noun

1

: the act of one who bids

2

a

: a statement of what one will pay for something

b

: a statement of what one (as a contractor) will charge for something (as supplies or labor)

3

: an opportunity to bid