bid
B2Formal/Neutral in auction/business contexts; slightly formal for 'make a bid for' meaning attempt.
Definition
Meaning
to offer a price for something (like at an auction) or to make an attempt to achieve something.
Can also mean to invite, command, or say as a greeting/farewell (archaic/formal). In card games, to state the number of tricks one aims to win.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The noun and verb forms are identical. The past tense can be 'bid' (for offers/invitations) or 'bade' /beɪd, bæd/ (archaic for commanded/greeted). The past participle is 'bid' or 'bidden'. In auction context, past and participle are usually 'bid'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. 'Bid' as a noun for 'attempt' is slightly more common in UK news ("a bid for power"). The verb form for auctions is identical.
Connotations
In business, 'takeover bid' is common in both. In US, 'bid' can be used in sports context for hosting an event ("a bid for the Olympics") equally as in UK.
Frequency
Comparably frequent in both varieties in business/financial contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
bid (sth) for sthbid on sthbid sb farewell/goodbyebid (sb) do sth (archaic)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “bid fair to (seem likely to)”
- “a bid for freedom”
- “make a bid for power”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Central term in procurement, mergers & acquisitions, and auctions.
Academic
Used in economics papers on auctions and game theory.
Everyday
Mostly for auctions (eBay) or metaphorical attempts ("a bid for attention").
Technical
In card games (bridge), telecommunications (network bidding).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Several firms will bid for the government contract.
- She bid £500 for the antique chair.
- He bade her farewell with a wave.
American English
- We decided to bid on the construction project.
- He bid $1,000 at the charity auction.
- They bid us goodnight and left.
adverb
British English
- (Bid is not standardly used as an adverb.)
American English
- (Bid is not standardly used as an adverb.)
adjective
British English
- The bid price was unexpectedly high.
- The bid documents were submitted electronically.
American English
- The bid package must be complete.
- The bid process is highly competitive.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I bid £10 for the book.
- They made a bid to buy the house.
- The company submitted a bid to build the new school.
- She is making a bid to become team captain.
- His hostile takeover bid was rejected by the board.
- The athlete's final bid for the world record was unsuccessful.
- Investors are preparing to bid aggressively for the scarce assets.
- The politician's bid for the leadership was fraught with controversy.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of an auction: You BID to BUY an ITEM with your MONEY. BID has I (as in 'I offer'), D (as in 'dollars').
Conceptual Metaphor
ATTEMPTING IS OFFERING A PRICE (He bid for the championship). LIFE IS AN AUCTION (making bids for happiness).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не переводите всегда как "предлагать цену". "Bid for power" = "попытка захвата власти".
- В картах "bid" = "заявка", объявление контракта, а не просто ставка.
- "Bid farewell" = прощаться, формально/торжественно.
Common Mistakes
- Using "bid on" and "bid for" interchangeably (often "bid for a contract", "bid on a project").
- Incorrect past tense: "He bidded" instead of "He bid".
- Confusing noun/verb: "He made a bid to buy it" (noun) vs "He bid to buy it" (verb).
Practice
Quiz
In an auction context, which sentence is correct?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Often interchangeable, but 'bid for' emphasises the goal/object (bid for the contract), while 'bid on' emphasises the item/project being auctioned (bid on the painting).
Rarely, and only in formal/literary contexts for 'commanded' or 'said farewell/greeting' (He bade her enter). Not used for auction bids.
Yes, but this is archaic/formal (as in 'bid someone to a wedding'). Modern use is mostly in fixed phrases like 'bid farewell/welcome'.
A submitted offer where the price is hidden from competitors until all bids are opened simultaneously, to prevent bidding wars.