bide one's time
To wait, especially for a suitable opportunity.
Ravenswood, who had assumed the disguise of a sewer upon the occasion, answered, in a stern voice, “I bide my time”; and at the same moment a bull’s head, the ancient symbol of dea
bide
/baɪd/
verb 5name 1
Collocations
3VERB + BIDE
decided, need
BIDE + NOUN
brunt, danger, heaven
PREP.
in
Definitions
verb
1
To bear; to endure; to tolerate.
And doubting naught right courteous all, in your accustomed wont: And gentle ears, our author he is prest to bide the brunt
2
To face with resistance; to encounter; to withstand.
Tech[elles]. I heare them come, ſhall wee encounter them? / Tam[burlaine]. Keep all your ſtandings, and not ſtir a foot, / Myſelfe will bide the danger of the brunt.
3
To dwell or reside in a location; to abide.
All knees to thee shall bow of them that bide / In heaven or earth, or under earth, in hell.
John Dodds, the herd who bode in the place, was standing at the door, and he looked to see who was on the road so late.
4
To wait; to be in expectation; to stay; to remain.
And thither wending there that night they bode.
"Bide here," he says, "and birl the wine till I return. This is a ploy of my own on which no man follows me."
5
To wait for; to await.
name
1
A surname.
Thesaurus
Idioms & Phrases
Example Bank
601
And doubting naught right courteous all, in your accustomed wont: And gentle ears, our author he is prest to bide the brunt
Wiktionary02
Tech[elles]. I heare them come, ſhall wee encounter them? / Tam[burlaine]. Keep all your ſtandings, and not ſtir a foot, / Myſelfe will bide the danger of the brunt.
Wiktionary03
All knees to thee shall bow of them that bide / In heaven or earth, or under earth, in hell.
Wiktionary04
I decided to bide my time and wait for the argument to finish.
Tatoeba · #25223005
We just need to bide our time.
Tatoeba · #331271006
We need to bide our time.
Tatoeba · #3312719Usage Notes
i Register
In some senses, bide is marked as archaic. Watch for register when choosing this word.
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