bide one's time — to wait patiently for a favorable opportunity to do something
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: to wait patiently for a favorable opportunity to do something
Pronunciation (IPA): /baɪd wʌnz taɪm/
Example Sentences
- The cat decided to bide its time before pouncing on the laser pointer dot.
- She's biding her time until the right job opportunity comes along.
- The vampire had to bide his time until sunset to leave his coffin.
bide one's time
NOUN[/baɪd wʌnz taɪm/]
to wait patiently for a favorable opportunity to do something
The young fencer bides his time, waiting for the master to lower his guard.
Bide your time for the prime!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The verb 'bide' derives from Old English 'bīdan', meaning 'to remain' or 'to wait'. From the Middle Ages onwards, it developed the sense of 'to wait or endure through the passage of time', a meaning preserved in the phrase 'bide one's time' used today to denote patient waiting for an opportune moment.
Breakdown
bide (Old English bīdan: to remain, wait, endure) + one's time (possessive pronoun + noun phrase indicating duration). The phrase literally means 'to remain/wait through one's allocated time'.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The cat decided to bide its time before pouncing on the laser pointer dot.”
“She's biding her time until the right job opportunity comes along.”
“The vampire had to bide his time until sunset to leave his coffin.”
“Investors are biding their time before entering the volatile market.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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