Bide past tense

Meaning of bide

to wait or remain in a condition.

Infinitive

Word: bide /baɪd/

Examples:

1. I always bide my time before making any important decision.
2. She bides with her grandparents during the summer holidays.
3. They bide in the quiet countryside, away from the city's hustle.

Past Simple

Word: bided /ˈbaɪdɪd/

Examples:

1. He bided his time quietly, waiting for the perfect moment to speak.
2. Many centuries ago, people bided by the old laws and traditions of their ancestors.
3. She bided in the small village for a year, learning its customs and ways of life.

Past Participle

Word: bided /ˈbaɪdɪd/

Examples:

1. The time had been bided patiently by the stoic farmer until the first signs of spring appeared.
2. Every bit of advice had been bided by the eager student before making the crucial decision.
3. The storm was bided calmly by the villagers, who had long prepared for such events.

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Bare infinitive

To describe habitual actions or general truths.
Example. He always bides his time before making important decisions.
Example. I bide until the full moon rises.
Example. Bide here while I fetch the lantern.
To describe a scheduled event in the near future (often used in formal or archaic contexts).
Example. He always bides his time before making important decisions.
Example. I bide until the full moon rises.
Example. Bide here while I fetch the lantern.
To give instructions or directions.
Example. He always bides his time before making important decisions.
Example. I bide until the full moon rises.
Example. Bide here while I fetch the lantern.

Past Simple

To describe a specific action that occurred at a definite time in the past. This usage is rare and often feels archaic or literary.
Example. He bided his time until the enemy's guard was lowered.
Example. We always bided our time by the river in the summer.
To describe a past habit.
Example. He bided his time until the enemy's guard was lowered.
Example. We always bided our time by the river in the summer.

Past Participle

Present Perfect Tense, to describe actions that occurred at an unspecified time in the past but are relevant to the present.
Example. She has bided her time wisely, and now the opportunity is hers.
Example. By the time the opportunity arose, he had already bided too long and missed his chance.
Example. By next year, I will have bided my time and be ready to act.
Example. The years were bided in silence by the old monastery. (Note. This structure is awkward and not recommended for use; it is provided here for theoretical completeness.)
Past Perfect Tense, to describe actions that were completed before another action or time in the past.
Example. She has bided her time wisely, and now the opportunity is hers.
Example. By the time the opportunity arose, he had already bided too long and missed his chance.
Example. By next year, I will have bided my time and be ready to act.
Example. The years were bided in silence by the old monastery. (Note. This structure is awkward and not recommended for use; it is provided here for theoretical completeness.)
Future Perfect Tense, to describe actions that will be completed by a certain future time.
Example. She has bided her time wisely, and now the opportunity is hers.
Example. By the time the opportunity arose, he had already bided too long and missed his chance.
Example. By next year, I will have bided my time and be ready to act.
Example. The years were bided in silence by the old monastery. (Note. This structure is awkward and not recommended for use; it is provided here for theoretical completeness.)
Passive Voice Constructions, which is unlikely with the verb 'bide' due to its meaning, but grammatically possible.
Example. She has bided her time wisely, and now the opportunity is hers.
Example. By the time the opportunity arose, he had already bided too long and missed his chance.
Example. By next year, I will have bided my time and be ready to act.
Example. The years were bided in silence by the old monastery. (Note. This structure is awkward and not recommended for use; it is provided here for theoretical completeness.)

Common mistakes

— 01

Bide' in Past Simple Form

A common mistake with the verb 'bide' is misunderstanding or misusing its past simple form. 'Bide' is an irregular verb, and many people incorrectly assume it follows the regular verb pattern by adding -ed for the past tense. Thus, they mistakenly use 'bided' instead of the correct form, which is 'bode' or 'abode.' For example, they might say 'I bided my time,' when it should be 'I bode my time' or 'I abode my time.'

— 02

Confusing forms

Another widespread error is confusing the past simple form with the past participle form of 'bide.' The correct past participle form is 'bidden,' not 'bode' or 'abode.' This mistake often occurs in perfect tenses, leading to incorrectly constructed sentences. For instance, people might say, 'I have bode my time,' instead of the correct 'I have bidden my time.' This confusion undermines the grammatical integrity of sentences and can lead to misunderstandings.

— 03

Omission of 'Bide'

A subtle mistake is not recognizing that 'bide' and its forms are somewhat archaic and rarely used in contemporary English, especially in American English. People often opt for more common verbs like 'wait' or 'remain.' However, when they do choose to use 'bide,' they might incorrectly modernize its past forms, leading to nonstandard usage. For example, replacing 'I had bidden my time' with a modern but incorrect 'I had bided my time' demonstrates a misunderstanding of the verb’s correct usage and historical context.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple form of 'bide'?

The past simple form of 'bide' is 'bided' or 'bode.' Both forms are considered correct, but 'bided' is more commonly used in contemporary English, while 'bode' is considered archaic or literary. Example. Contemporary. He bided his time until the opportunity was right. Literary. He bode his time, as foretold in the ancient texts.

What is the past participle form of 'bide'?

The past participle form of 'bide' follows the same pattern as the past simple, being either 'bided' or 'bode.' In modern usage, 'bided' is the preferred form for the construction of perfect tenses. Example. He has bided his time wisely, waiting for the perfect moment to act.

How do I use 'bided' in a sentence correctly?

'Bided' is used to indicate that someone has waited for something for a period of time, often implying patience or strategizing. It is used in both the past simple and past participle forms. Example. Past Simple. She bided her time before making her move in the chess game. Present Perfect. They have bided their time, and now they're ready to launch the project. Is 'bide' still commonly used in English, and how can I use it correctly