abide

abide
abide
is now limited to two main meanings, and has lost many others over seven centuries of use along with several redundant inflections, including abode. The principal meaning ‘to bear, tolerate’ is now only used in negative contexts, usually with a modal auxiliary verb

• (Those ordinary Aryan Australian girls whose coarse complexions and lumpy features he could not abide —H. Jacobsen, 1986).

Its other main meaning in current use is with by, meaning ‘to stand firm by’ (We must abide by our decision). In its other meanings, it tends to be used mostly in the present tense, most famously as an imperative in a hymn

• (Abide with me; fast falls the eventide —H. F. Lyte, 19c)

or as a participial adjective

• (I accept this award with an abiding faith in America —Martin Luther King, 1964, accepting the Nobel Peace Prize).


Modern English usage. 2014.

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Synonyms:

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Abide — A*bide , v. t. 1. To wait for; to be prepared for; to await; to watch for; as, I abide my time. I will abide the coming of my lord. Tennyson. [1913 Webster] Note: [[Obs.], with a personal object. [1913 Webster] Bonds and afflictions abide me.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Abide — A*bide , v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Abode}, formerly {Abid}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Abiding}.] [AS. [=a]b[=i]dan; pref. [=a] (cf. Goth. us , G. er , orig. meaning out) + b[=i]dan to bide. See {Bide}.] 1. To wait; to pause; to delay. [Obs.] Chaucer. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • abide — vt abode or abid·ed, abid·ing: to accept without objection abide by: to act or behave in accordance with or in obedience to Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996 …   Law dictionary

  • abide — [v1] submit to, put up with accept, acknowledge, bear, bear with*, be big about*, concede, consent, defer, endure, hang in*, hang in there*, hang tough*, live with*, put up with*, receive, sit tight*, stand, stand for, stomach, suffer, swallow,… …   New thesaurus

  • abide — ► VERB 1) (abide by) accept or observe (a rule or decision). 2) informal tolerate: he could not abide conflict. 3) (of a feeling or memory) endure. 4) archaic live; dwell. ORIGIN Old English, wait ; related to BIDE(Cf. ↑ …   English terms dictionary

  • abide — (v.) O.E. abidan, gebidan remain, wait, delay, remain behind, from ge completive prefix (denoting onward motion; see A (Cf. a ) (1)) + bidan bide, remain, wait, dwell (see BIDE (Cf. bide)). Originally intransitive (with genitive of the object: we …   Etymology dictionary

  • abide by — (something) to accept or obey an arrangement, decision, or rule. It is a good thing that most drivers abide by the rules of the road …   New idioms dictionary

  • abide — [ə bīd′] vi. abode [ə bōd′] or abided, abiding [ME abiden < OE ābīdan < ā , intens. + bīdan, BIDE] 1. to stand fast; remain; go on being 2. Archaic to stay; reside ( in or at) vt. 1. to await …   English World dictionary

  • abide by — index accede (concede), adhere (maintain loyalty), comply, concede, conform, defer (yield in judgment), fulfill …   Law dictionary

  • abide — 1 *stay, wait, remain, tarry, linger Analogous words: dwell, *reside, live, sojourn, lodge: *stick, cleave, cling, adhere Antonyms: depart Contrasted words: *go, leave, quit: *move, remove, shift …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

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