abide
verbUK /əˈbaɪd/ · US /əˈbaɪd/
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ud-s-? Proto-Indo-European *h₂u-s-? Proto-Germanic *uz- Proto-Indo-European *bʰeydʰ- Proto-Indo-European *bʰéydʰeti Proto-Germanic *bīdaną Proto-Germanic *uzbīdaną Proto-West Germanic *uʀbīdan Old English ābīdan Middle English abyden English abide From Middle English abyden, from Old English ābīdan (“to abide, wait, remain, delay, remain behind; survive; wait for, await; expect”), from Proto-West Germanic *uʀbīdan, from Proto-Germanic *uzbīdaną (“to expect, tolerate”), equivalent to a- + bide. Cognate with Scots abide (“to abide, remain”), Middle High German erbīten (“to await, expect”), Gothic 𐌿𐍃𐌱𐌴𐌹𐌳𐌰𐌽 (usbeidan, “to expect, await, have patience”). The sense of pay for is due to influence from aby.
12 senses
- 1To endure without yielding; to withstand.
- 2To bear patiently.
- 3To pay for; to stand the consequences of.
- 4Used in a phrasal verb: abide by (“to accept and act in…
- 5To wait in expectation.
- 6To pause; to delay.
- 7To stay; to continue in a place; to remain stable or…
- 8To have one's abode.
- 9To endure; to remain; to last.
- 10To stand ready for; to await for someone; watch for.
- 11To endure or undergo a hard trial or a task; to stand up under.
- 12To await submissively; accept without question; submit to.
1
To endure without yielding; to withstand.
- The old oak tree abides the wind endlessly.
2
To bear patiently.
- "I never could abide shoemakers," said an old servant,—and it ended in her marrying one.
- VVe will be Kings and Lords within our ſelues, And not abide the pride of tyrranie.1593, anonymous author, The Life and Death of Iacke Straw […], →OCLC, Act III:
3 more examples
- Neuer neuer: ſhe would alwayes ſay ſhee could not abide M[aster] Shallow.c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]. Epilogue.”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii], page 87, column 2:
- We are vegetarian leaning, dislike smoking and alcohol, cannot abide drugs.1978 December 2, “!HELP!! (personal advertisement)”, in Gay Community News, volume 6, number 19, page 14:
- By God sir. I will not abide another toe.1998, Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, The Big Lebowski (motion picture), spoken by The Big Lebowski (David Huddleston):
3
To pay for; to stand the consequences of.
- Diſparage not the faith thou doſt not know, / Leſt to thy perill thou abide it deare.[c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “A Midsommer Nights Dreame”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii], page 154, column 2:
- If it be found ſo, ſome will deere abide it.1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii], page 122, column 1:
1 more example
- Ay me, they little know / How dearly I abide that boaſt ſo vaine, / Under what torments inwardly I groane[…]1667, John Milton, “Book IV”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
4
Used in a phrasal verb: abide by (“to accept and act in accordance with”).
- The new teacher was strict and the students did not want to abide by his rules.
5
Obsolete To wait in expectation.
- And Abraham ſaid vnto his yong men, Abide you here with the aſſe, and I and the lad will goe yonder and worſhip, and come againe to you.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 22:5:
6
Obsolete To pause; to delay.
7
Scotland, Archaic To stay; to continue in a place; to remain stable or fixed in some state or condition; to be left.
- One generation passeth away, and another generation commeth: but the earth abideth for euer.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Ecclesiastes 1:4:
- Let euery man abide in the ſame calling wherein he was called.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Corinthians 7:20:
1 more example
- But they constrained him, saying, Abide with vs, for it is towards euening, and the day is farre spent: And he went in, to tarrie with them.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Luke 24:29:
8
Archaic To have one's abode.
- "As how, my lambkin," blushing, she replide, / "Because I in this dancing schoole abide? / If that it be, that breede's this discontent, / We will remoue the camp incontinent: / For shelter onelie, sweete heart, came I hither, / And to auoide the troblous stormie weather; / But now the coaste is cleare, we will be gonne, / Since, but thy self, true louer I haue none."1593, Thomas Nashe, The Choice of Valentines:
- And her brother and her mother ſaid, Let the damſell abide with vs a few dayes, at the leaſt ten ; after that, ſhe ſhall goe.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 24:55:
1 more example
- In empty hush, in airless gloom, Mr. Knott abode, in the large room set aside for his exclusive enjoyment, and that of his attendant.1953, Samuel Beckett, Watt, [Paris]: Olympia Press, →OCLC:
9
Archaic To endure; to remain; to last.
- The Dude abides.1998, Joel and Ethan Coen, The Big Lebowski (motion picture), spoken by Narrator (Sam Elliot):
10
Archaic To stand ready for; to await for someone; watch for.
- Saue that the holy Ghoſt witneſſeth in euery city, ſaying that bonds and afflictions abide me.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Acts 20:23:
- I will abide the coming of my lord.1859, Alfred Tennyson, “Enid”, in Idylls of the King, London: Edward Moxon & Co., […], →OCLC, page 52:
11
Obsolete To endure or undergo a hard trial or a task; to stand up under.
- […]And shalt abide her judgment on it.1859, Alfred Tennyson, “Enid”, in Idylls of the King, London: Edward Moxon & Co., […], →OCLC, page 31:
12
Archaic To await submissively; accept without question; submit to.
- The grand Conſpirator, Abbot of Weſtminſter, / With clog of Conſcience, and ſowre Melancholly, / Hath yeelded vp his body to the graue : / But here is Carlile, liuing to abide / Thy Kingly doome, and ſentence of his pride.1595 December 9 (first known performance), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Richard the Second”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene vi], page 45:
- Derived terms
- abidance
- Related terms
- abidable, abideable, abide by, abider, abiding-place, law-abiding