bid

Meanings

Verb

• To issue a command; to tell.
• To invite; to summon.
• To utter a greeting or salutation.
• To make an offer to pay or accept a certain price.
• To offer as a price.
• To make an attempt.
• To announce (one's goal), before starting play.
• To proclaim (a bede, prayer); to pray.

Noun

• An offer at an auction, or to carry out a piece of work.
• A (failed) attempt to receive or intercept a pass.
• An attempt, effort, or pursuit (of a goal).

Origin

• From Middle English bidden, from Old English biddan, from Proto-Germanic *bidjaną ("to ask"), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷʰedʰ-. Conflated with Old English bēodan (see Etymology 2 below). Compare West Frisian bidde, Low German bidden, Dutch bidden ("to pray"), German bitten, Danish bede, Norwegian Bokmål be.
• From Middle English beden, from Old English bēodan, from Proto-Germanic *beudaną ("to offer"), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰewdʰ- ("be awake, aware"). Conflated with Old English biddan (see Etymology 1 above). Compare Low German beden, Dutch bieden, German bieten, Danish byde, Norwegian Bokmål by. More at bede.