Webster's English Dictionary

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bid

Cross references:
  1. command               
 
1. bid \'bid\ \'bad, 'ba-d\ \'bid-*n\ vb or bade or bid;  or bid.den;  or 
   bid;  also bade also bid.ding [partly fr. ME bidden, fr. OE biddan; akin to 
   OHG bitten to e]ntreat, Skt ba-dhate he harasses; partly fr. ME beden to 
   offer, command, fr. OE be-odan; akin to OHG biotan to offer, Gk 
   pynthanesthai to learn by inquiry archaic  1a: BESEECH, ENTREAT  1b: to 
   issue an order to : TELL  1c: to request to come : INVITE  2: to give 
   expression to {bade me a tearful farewell}  3a: OFFER - usu. used in the 
   phrase to bid defiance  past bid  3b1: to offer (a price) whether for 
   payment or acceptance  3b2: to make a bid of or in (a suit at cards)  : to 
   make a bid  : to seem likely  - bid.der n
2. bid n 1a: the act of one who bids  1b: a statement of what one will give 
   or take for something; esp :  an offer of a price 1c: something offered as 
   a bid  2: an opportunity to bid  3: INVITATION  4a: an announcement of what 
   a card player proposes to undertake  4b: the amount of such a bid  4c: a 
   biddable bridge hand  5: an attempt or effort to win, achieve, or attract