bidding
part of speech
noun (bidding, often uncountable; biddings rare); verb, -ing form of bid (bid, bids, bid, bidding)
meaning for a pupil
1) Offering money for something at an auction. tree →
2) (old-fashioned) A command or request: «do someone's bidding» means to do what they tell you. tree →
3) (verb) Making an offer, or (formal, old) saying something to someone, as in «bidding goodnight». tree →
4) (card games) Saying how many tricks you think you can win. tree →
sense in the lessons
In stories, a servant or a magical creature does its master's bidding. In everyday life and on websites, bidding happens at auctions and on eBay. Phrases: at someone's bidding, bidding war, open the bidding.
examples
- 'What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, forasmuch as she hath not done the bidding of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?' (Writings EST.1.15, JPS 1917) tree →
- Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said: 'And who among all thy servants is so trusted as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and giveth heed unto thy bidding, and is honourable in thy house? (Prophets 1SA.22.14, JPS 1917) tree →
- The bidding for the painting started at one hundred pounds. tree →
- The genie did his master's bidding. tree →
- Two people were bidding for the same bike online. tree →
- The dog came at his bidding. tree →
- She was bidding everyone goodnight. tree →
- A bidding war pushed the price up. tree →
- “Madam, I have done your bidding. tree →
note
Spelling: double «d» – bidding. Past of bid for auctions is «bid»; in the old «say» sense it can be «bade». Maths: in an auction the highest bid wins.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «bidding» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.