tidings
LowFormal, literary, archaic, biblical
Definition
Meaning
news or information, often about important events.
Reports, announcements, or updates, frequently carrying an archaic or poetic connotation; often used with a qualitative descriptor (e.g., glad tidings, evil tidings).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Always plural in form but can refer to singular or plural content. Implies a certain weight or significance to the news being conveyed.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Slightly more prevalent in UK English due to historical/literary retention.
Connotations
Evokes a traditional, sometimes solemn or portentous tone in both varieties.
Frequency
Very rare in everyday speech in both regions; mostly found in fixed expressions, literature, religious contexts, or deliberate archaisms.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
to bring tidings of [something]to bear tidings from [somewhere]tidings that [clause]tidings about [event]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “bearer of glad tidings”
- “tidings of comfort and joy”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Rare, except in historical or literary analysis.
Everyday
Extremely rare; would sound deliberately old-fashioned or humorous.
Technical
Not used.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The messenger brought good tidings.
- We awaited tidings from our relatives overseas.
- The ambassador's tidings concerning the treaty were cautiously optimistic.
- These grim tidings of economic downturn precipitated a market sell-off.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'tide' coming in, bringing 'tidings' or news from across the sea.
Conceptual Metaphor
NEWS IS A MESSENGER / NEWS IS A PHYSICAL OBJECT BEING DELIVERED.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation as 'вести' in modern contexts; it is far more archaic. 'Новости' or 'известия' are more common equivalents.
- The plural form 'tidings' is fixed; do not use a singular form like 'a tiding'.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a singular noun (*'a tiding').
- Using it in casual, contemporary contexts where 'news' is appropriate.
- Misspelling as 'tydings'.
Practice
Quiz
In which context would 'tidings' be LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is grammatically plural in form (always ends in -s), but it can refer to a single piece of news or multiple pieces.
No, the singular form 'tiding' is obsolete and not used in modern English. The word is only used in the plural form 'tidings'.
'Glad tidings' is the most frequent and fixed collocation, often associated with announcements of happy events, especially in religious contexts.
Yes, it is formal, literary, and archaic. Using 'news' or 'information' is almost always more natural in contemporary speech and writing.
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