abide

Verb

abide (third-person singular simple present abides, present participle abiding, simple past abode or abided or abid, past participle abode or abided or abid or (rare) abidden)

1. (transitive) To endure without yielding; to withstand.
   • The old oak tree abides the wind endlessly.

   Synonyms:

   hold on, resist, astand, bear up, carry on, continue, endure, follow up, hang in there, hold out

2. (transitive) To bear patiently.
   • "I never could abide shoemakers," said an old servant,—and it ended in her marrying one.
   • VVe will be Kings and Lords within our ſelues,
     And not abide the pride of tyrranie.1593, anonymous author, The Life and Death of Iacke Straw […], →OCLC, Act III

   Synonyms:

   brook, put up with, tolerate, abear, aby, accept, allow, bear, bide, dree

3. (transitive) To pay for; to take the consequences of.
   • Diſparage not the faith thou doſt not know, / Leſt to thy perill thou abide it deare.[c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “A Midsommer Nights Dreame”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First...
   • If it be found ſo, ſome will deere abide it.1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...

   Synonyms:

   answer for, suffer, atone

4. Used in a phrasal verb: abide by (“to accept and act in accordance with”).
   • The new teacher was strict and the students did not want to abide by his rules.
5. (intransitive, obsolete) To wait in expectation.
   • And Abraham ſaid vnto his yong men, Abide you here with the aſſe, and I and the lad will goe yonder and worſhip, and come againe to you.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 22:5

   Synonyms:

   hold on, stay, back that train up, bide, bide one's time, expect, defer, hang on, hold one's breath, hold one's horses

6. (intransitive, obsolete) To pause; to delay.
7. (Scotland, archaic, intransitive) To stay; to continue in a place; to remain stable or fixed in some state or condition; to be left.
   • One generation passeth away, and another generation commeth: but the earth abideth for euer.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Ecclesiastes 1:4
   • Let euery man abide in the ſame calling wherein he was called.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Corinthians 7:20
8. (archaic, intransitive) To have one's abode.
   • "As how, my lambkin," blushing, she replide, / "Because I in this dancing schoole abide? / If that it be, that breede's this discontent, / We will remoue the camp incontinent: / For shelter onelie, sweete heart, came I hither, / And to auoide the troblous stormie weather; / But now the coaste is...1593, Thomas Nashe, The Choice of Valentines
   • And her brother and her mother ſaid, Let the damſell abide with vs a few dayes, at the leaſt ten ; after that, ſhe ſhall goe.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 24:55

   Synonyms:

   dwell, live, reside, bedwell, belive, haunt, inhabit, occupy, stay

9. (archaic, intransitive) To endure; to remain; to last.
   • The Dude abides.1998, Joel and Ethan Coen, The Big Lebowski (motion picture), spoken by Narrator (Sam Elliot)
10. (archaic, transitive) To stand ready for; to await someone; watch for.
    • Saue that the holy Ghoſt witneſſeth in euery city, ſaying that bonds and afflictions abide me.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Acts 20:23
    • I will abide the coming of my lord.1859, Alfred Tennyson, “Enid”, in Idylls of the King, London: Edward Moxon & Co., […], →OCLC, page 52

    Synonyms:

    await, wait for, attend, bide, expect, hold up, keep, remain, stay, tarry

11. (obsolete, transitive) To endure or undergo a hard trial or a task; to stand up under.
    • […]And shalt abide her judgment on it.1859, Alfred Tennyson, “Enid”, in Idylls of the King, London: Edward Moxon & Co., […], →OCLC, page 31
12. (archaic, transitive) To await submissively; accept without question; submit to.
    • The grand Conſpirator, Abbot of Weſtminſter, / With clog of Conſcience, and ſowre Melancholly, / Hath yeelded vp his body to the graue : / But here is Carlile, liuing to abide / Thy Kingly doome, and ſentence of his pride.1595 December 9 (first known performance), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Richard the Second”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to...