bid 
Antagonism.-. between ilitt'crriil powers in till' State, or 
lll!hT<-1ll lartioll-, h;t\i' rall^ril Mil- MI Mfhrrof tlle]U t' t'i'l 
for popular support, with the rcMilt ol i-ipular 
power. //. >'//(<, i'rin. oi 
TO bid fair, to open or <>ti* r a uuoil prospect ; seem likeh . 
bid (bid), . An offer of a price; specifically. 
an offer made or the price offered at an auction : 
us. to increase another's ImL 
bidactyl (bi-dak'til), (i. [< L. It-, two-, + Or. 
tdnTi'/'iii . linger, toe.] Same as didaclyl. 
bidagova (bid-ii-go'vii), . [Braz.] The name 
given in Brazil to a substitute for coffee pre- 
pared from the seeds of the Cii.if.-ni ncciilciitnli.-.: 
,->i. 
bidale (bid'al), H. [< bid, invite, + ali:] An 
entertainment to which persons were invited 
for the purpose of contributing to the relief of 
some une in distress. [Prov. Lug.] Also writ- 
ten hiiltill. 
I hr'fe was an antient Custom called a Bid- Alt or Bid- 
dcr-Ali-, trom tlie Saxon Hidden \ln'd<lun], to pray or Blip- 
plicate, when any honest Man decayed in his Rstate, was 
srt up a^ain by the li)>eral Benevolence and Contribution!* 
of Friends at a Feast, to which those Friends were bid or 
invited. It was most used in the \Vest of England, and 
in gome Comities called a Uelp Ale. 
Bra/id'* /'op. Antiif. (1777), p. 339, note. 
bidarkee (bi-diir'ke), n. [Also written bidarka : 
native name.] A boat of skins \ised by the 
Aleutian Islanders. 
There are three miles to traverse to reach the nearest 
river, ami here I trusted myself to one of the far-famed 
aidarkirx. b'tirtniijhtly Ree., XLI. 399. 
biddable (bid'a-bl), a. [< bid + -able.'} Obe- 
dient to a bidding or command ; willing to do 
what is bidden ; complying; docile. 
She is exceedingly attentive and useful ; . . . Indeed, 
I never saw a more biddable woman. 
Dicken*, Domlfey and Sou, viii. 
A more gentle, biddable invalid than the poor fellow 
made can hardly be conceived. 
//. Kintffili'ii, Kiivenshoe, xliv. 
biddance (bid'ans), w. [< but + -ance,] Bid- 
ding; invitation. [Rare.] 
bidder (bid'er), >t. [< ME. bidder, biddere ; 
< bid, ask, offer, + -eri.] One who bids; spe- 
cifically, (a) one who begs; (ft) one who com- 
mands or orders ; (c) one who asks or invites ; 
(il) one who offers to pay a specified price for 
an article, as at a public auction. 
llitlili'rx at the auction of popularity. Burke. 
biddery-ware (bid'e-ri-w3r), >i. Same as biilri. 
bidding (bid'ing), ii. [ME. bidding, biddings ; 
verbal n. of bid in both the original senses.] 
1 . Invitation ; command ; order ; a proclama- 
tion or notifying. 
At his second bidding darkness tied. 
Milton, f. L., 111. 712. 
They had chalked upon a slate the psalmes that were to 
be sung, so that all the congregation might see it without 
the bidding of a Cleark. Keelyn, Wary, Aug. 19, 1641. 
Henry . . . nominated Richard Henry Lee and Gray- 
son for the two senators from Virginia, and they were 
chosen at bis bidding. Bancroft, Hist. Const., II. 354. 
2. The act of making an offer at an auction: 
as, the biddini/ was lively. 
bidding-prayer (bid'ing-prar), n. [See be- 
low.] In England, the prayer before the ser- 
mon. As directed in the 5">th canon of the Church of 
England, this is a form in which the preacher calls on ttie 
congregation to pray for the church catholic, the sover- 
eign, and diltcreut estates of men. A similar form of 
prayer preceding the sermon has been in use since long 
before the Reformation. At first it was called Uiddiny / 
the bcddx (literally, praying of the prayers), after the 
Reformation bidding of tne common prayer*, bidding (of) 
prayers or prayer (the last word being object of the first); 
but after the sixteenth century the word biddimi came 
to be popularly regarded as an adjective, or the phrase 6iV(- 
lufi ]<i-i/'-r as a quasi-compound, a prayer which bids or 
directs what is to be prayed for. A collect is now generally 
substituted for the bidding-prayer (and sometimes enllr.l 
by the same name), but on special occasions, and in 
cathedrals and at university sermons, the bidding-prayer 
is always used. LiturgiologtsU often designate the ,l< .1 
con's litanies of the primitive and the Ureek Church as 
bidding-prayer*. See ectfne and litattft. 
Our people, as of yore, may all join their priest and 
say along with him, before he begins his sermon, the 
truly Catholic petitions of the hiddimi-iirain'r. 
i:<'k, Church of" our Fathers, ii. ::.M. 
biddy 1 (bid'i), .; pi. biddies (-iz). [E. dial, and 
U. b., perhaps of imitative origin. Cf. chicka- 
biddy.] A familiar name for a hen. 
Biddy 2 (bid'i), . [Dim. of Bridget, a fern. 
proper name, usually {riven in honor of St. 
Bridget (Ir. and Gael, lirir/hid (gen. Srii/liidc. 
Bride, whence the form St. Bride), < 'hrii/li. 
strength), who lived in Ireland in the f>th ami 
6th centuries.] An Irish female domestic; a 
servant-girl. [Colloq., U. 8.] 
bide (bid), v. ; pret. and pp. bode, ppr. biding. 
L< -Ml'., biili a, < AS. bidan (pret. bad, pi. bidon, 
pp. biden) = OS. 6id=OFries. bida = D, bei- 
547 
'i:n- OHO. bitini. Ml l(i. hit,-,,, (i. dial. bciten = 
[eel. hidlut = Sw. biiln = Dan. hie = (loth. In i- 
linn, wail. Cf. Ir. Jiithiin, I wait, = Uael. J'cith, 
wait. See n/iiili^ and abmlr. ] I. iiitraim. If. 
To remain in expectation ; wait. 2. To be or 
remain in a place or state; wait. 
In whose cold blood no spark of lion 
Shak.,3 Hen. VI., i i 
Safe In a ditch he bidet, 
U'ith twenty trenched gashes "II hit* head. 
filnlk.. .Macliflh, iii. 4. 
3. To dwell ; reside. 
All knees to tliee shall how, of them that bidr 
In heaven, or earth, or under earth In hell. 
Miltnn, I 1 . I.., iii. 3-.il. 
And Lancelot saw that she withheld her wish, 
And bvtte among them yet a little space 
Till he should learn It. 
Tfiuiftxoif, Lancelot and Klaine. 
II. trans. 1. To wait for; await. 
He has the elements of greatness within him, and he 
patiently bidet his time. Preteott. 
I will hid,' you at King Tryggve's hill 
Outside the city gates. 
William Murrii, Earthly 1'aradise, I. 9. 
2. To endure; suffer; bear. 
Poor naked wretches, wheresoe'er you are, 
That bide the pelting of this pitiless storm. 
Skat., Lear, lit 4. 
oh, humble me ! I cannot bide the joy 
That in my Saviour's presence ever flows. 
Jones Very, Poems, p. 58. 
Bidens (bi'denz), . [NL., < L. bidens, having 
two teeth: see bident.] 1. A genus of herba- 
ceous composite plants, closely related to Dah- 
lia and to Coreopsis, having achenes armed 
with two or more rigid, persistent, retrorsely 
barbed awns. They are coarse, useless weeds, but 
some of the species have conspicuous yellow flowers and 
are known as bur-marigolds. The persistency with which 
the achenes adhere to clothing and the coats of animals 
has given rise to the common name of beyyar" it-tick* or 
bey<jar'*-lic.f. The root and seeds of B. biyinnata, known 
as Spanish needles, have had an ill-founded reputation as 
emmenagogues and as a remedy for acute bronchial affec- 
tions. 
2. In ;ool., a genus of hawks with two-toothed 
beak ; same as IHodon or Barpagus (which see). 
Spix, 1834. 
bident (bi'dent), . [< L. biden(t-)s, OL. dui- 
den(t-)s, with two teeth, < bi-, dui-, = E. twi-, 
two-, + den(t-)s= E. tooth. Cf. trident.'] 1. 
In arckaeol., an instrument or a weapon with 
two prongs. Hence 2. Any two-pronged in- 
strument. 
The conversion of the bident Into a trident, by which, 
instead of two, you chalk three for one. 
Foote, in Jon Bee's Samuel Foote, cv. 
bidental (bi-den'tal), a. [< L. Uden(t-)s, with 
two teeth (see bident), + -al.~] Same as ftfrfew tare. 
bidental (bi-den'tal), . [L., so called from 
the animal sacrificed at its consecration (< ii- 
dcn(t-)s, an animal for sacrifice whose two rows 
of teeth are complete), or from the forked light- 
ning (a sense of bidental in ML.), < biden(t-)s, 
with two teeth or prongs : see bident.] InKom. 
until/., a monument marking a place that had 
been struck by lightning, it consisted of a wall, not 
roofed, carried around the site, which was considered 
to be sacred and neither to be trodden nor looked upon, 
and often resembleda raised well-curb. Such monuments 
were consecrated by the pontiffs, or, later, by the harus- 
pices, by the sacrifice of a sheep or other victim, and 
were probably given in charge of guardians, themselves 
called bidfntateg. 
bidentate (bi-den'tat), a. [< L. biden(t-)g, hav- 
ing two teeth (see bident), + -ate 1 .] Having 
two teeth or processes like teeth ; two-toothed. 
Other forms are bidentated, bidental, bidentiitl. 
and (rarely) bidcnted. 
bidential (bi-den'shal), a. Same as bidentate. 
bidenticulate (bi-deii-tik'u-lat), a. [< 6i-2 + 
denticulate. Cf. bidentate.] Having two mi- 
nute teeth. 
bidery (bid'e-ri), n. See bidri. 
bidet (bi-det v ; F. pron. be-da'), w. [< F. fti- 
det (>prob. It. bidetto), a small horse; of un- 
known origin.] 1. A small horse; formerly, 
in the British army, a horse allowed to each 
trooper or dragoon for carrying his baggage. 
For joy of which I will . . . mount my bidet in a dance, 
and curvet upon my curtal. B. Jonton, Chloridia. 
2. The basin of a water-closet so made that, 
in addition to the ordinary places of entrance 
of water- and discharge-pipe, there is a contri- 
vance for washing or administering injections : 
sometimes made as a separate article of bed- 
room furniture. 
bid-hook (bid'huk), n. [A variant of ftead- 
linnl:.] \iint., a small kind of boat-hook. 
bidigitate (bi-dij'i-tat), a. [< bi-? + digitate.] 
Having two digits, or two nnger-like processes. 
biens6ance 
biding (bi'ding), . [< >IK. lading, bi/dyni/ ; ver- 
bal n. of liide.} 1. An nwiiitinir: c.\p-i-t..- 
2. KeHidciK-e; habitation. 
At Antwerp has my constant bottiy l>een. 
/."'(, Jane Shore, I. i 
bidiri, . See bidri. 
bidogyn (bi-do'gin), . [\V., a dagger: see un- 
der oodMn.] In Celtic ,///</. , a dagger. 
bidri, bidry, bidree (bid'ri, bid-re';, . [An- 
glo-lnd., alwo bidery, bidiri, < Hind, li/itri, < 
Hiilnr, a town in the state of Hyderabad, In- 
dia.] A kind of ornamental metal-work of In- 
dia, consisting essentially of dama^-ening of 
silver upon some metal ground which is made 
black by coating it with certain chemicals, in. 
alloy used as the basis of the damascene work varies in 
composition in different hicalities ; it may lie either bronze 
or brass, in the latter case sometimes containing a very 
large p< -i > - nt .1 . -I /inr. Also called buldert/ 
bidri-ware, bidri- work, . Same as biilri. 
bid-standt (bid'stand), 11. A cant term for a 
highwayman. 
Why, I tell yon, sir: he has lieen the only ttid-stand 
that ever kept Newmarket Salisbury-plain, Hockley i' 
the Hole, Uads-hill, and all the high places of any request. 
/.'. Joiison, F.very Man out of his Humour, iv. 4. 
biduous (bid'u-us), a. [< L. biduun, < bi-, two-, 
+ dies, day.] Lasting two days only, as some 
flowers. 
bieberite (be'ber-it), . [< Bieber (see def.) + 
-ite 2 .] Native cobalt sulpnate or cobalt vitriol : 
a decomposition-product of other cobalt min- 
erals found at Bieber, near Frankfort-on-the- 
Main. 
bielaga, The Russian stuigeon,Aeinenser huso. 
bield (beld), n. [Now only North. E. and 8c., 
in 8c. also written beild, biel; early mod. E. 
bield, beeld, etc., < ME. beeld, beld, belde, < AS. 
byldo (= OHG. baldi, MHG. belde = Goth, bal- 
thei), boldness, courage, < beald, bold : see bold.] 
If. Boldness; courage; confidence; feeling of 
security. 2f. Resource; help; relief; means 
of help or relief ; support ; sustenance. 
For fuid thou gettis nane uther l>,'il<l, 
But ult the herbls upon the Held. 
Sir D. Lyndfay, The Monarchic, L 1087. 
3. Shelter; refuge; protection. 
This bosom soft shall t>e thy beeld. 
Fairfax, tr. of Tas^>, xvi. 49. 
The random beild o' clod or stane. Burn*. 
Folk maun liow to the bush that they seek britil frae. 
Hogg, Brownie, ii. 197. 
4. A place of shelter. 
These evil showers make the low bush better than no 
beild. Scott, Monastery, I. UL 
bield (beld), r. [Now only North. E. and Sc., 
in Sc. also written beild, biel, etc. ; early mod. 
E. bield, beeld, etc., < ME. bcelden, belden, < AS. 
bieldan, byldan (= OS. beldjan = OHG. balden, 
MHG. belden = Goth, balthian, intr.), make 
bold, < beald, bold: see bold, n., and cf. bold, 
r.] I. trans. If. To make bold; give courage 
or confidence to. 2. To defend; protect; shel- 
ter. 
Scorn not the bush that beildi yon. 
Scntt, Monastery. I. xiv. 
Il.t intrans. To be bold or confident; grow 
bold or strong. 
bieldy (bel'dT), a. [Sc., also written beildy, < 
bield + -y.] Sheltered from the weather; af- 
fording shelter. 
His honour being under hiding lies a' day, and whiles 
a' night, In the cove in the dern hag ; . . . it's a beildy 
enough bit. Scott, Waverley, II. xxviii. 
biemarginate (bi-e-mar'ji-nat), a. [< M- 2 + 
emarginate.] In eiitoni., having two emargina- 
tions or concavities in the margin. 
Wen, bienly, bienness. See bein, etc. 
biennial (bi-en'i-al), . and H. [< L. bienninm, 
a space of two years, < bicnnis, lasting two years 
(> biennalig, adj.), < W- + annns, year: see W- 2 
and tinniinl.] I. ". 1. Happening or taking 
place once in two years: as, biennial games. 
I consider biennial elections as a security that the sober 
second thought of the people shall be law. A HIM (1788). 
2. Continuing or lasting for two years ; changed 
or renewed every two years: said especially of 
plants. 
II. w. 1. A plant which requires two seasons 
of growth to produce its flowers and fruit, 
growing one year and flowering, fruiting, and 
dying the next. 2. An exercise, as a college 
examination, occurring once in two years. 
Sometimes also MMMMMd 
biennially (bi-en'i-al-i), adc. Once in two 
years; at the return'of two years. 
bienseance (F. pron. byan-sa-ons'), n. [F-> < 
bienteant, becoming, seemly, < bien (< L. bene), 
well, + aeaiit, becoming, seemly, lit. sitting, 
