Bid

Part of speech: verb, noun

Pronunciation: /bɪd/

Definitions

1. A stated price offered to buy something ; an effort made to gain or accomplish something ; a formal solicitation for consideration or approval
2. An attempt to obtain or achieve a goal by proposing terms or conditions ; the act of offering a price for goods or services ; a formal proposal submitted to secure a contract or agreement
3. The process of competing for something by presenting a price or plan ; an effort to win or secure an objective ; a formal request to be considered for a job or project

Etymology: The verb "bid" in the sense of offering a price actually belongs to a word that once meant something quite different. Two Old English verbs, "biddan" meaning "to ask, demand, pray" and "bēodan" meaning "to offer, announce, command," were separate, but over time they merged into one form. The offering sense that dominates auctions and card games comes mainly from the second root, while the older "ask" sense survives in the related verb "bid" as in "bid someone farewell" or "bid someone come in." Those two Old English roots also share a family with Germanic words across Europe. German "bitten" (to ask), Dutch "bieden" (to offer), and Danish "byde" (to offer) show the same split, so the English verb reflects a pattern found throughout the related languages.

Synonyms: offer, proposal, tender, invitation

Antonyms: withdrawal, rejection