biddan

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *biddjan, from Proto-Germanic *bidjaną. Cognate with Old Frisian bidda, Old Saxon biddian, Old Dutch bidden, Old High German bitten, Old Norse biðja, Gothic 𐌱𐌹𐌳𐌾𐌰𐌽 (bidjan).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbid.dɑn/

Verb

biddan

1. to ask (+ accusative someone, + genitive for something)
   • c. 990, Wessex Gospels, Matthew 20:22

     Ġit nyton hwæs ġit biddaþ.

     You two don't know what you're asking for.

   • c. 992, Ælfric, "Sermon on the Nativity of Our Lord"

     Ne bitt hē ūs nānes þinges.

     He doesn't ask us for anything.

   • c. 992, Ælfric, "Dedication of the Church of St. Michael the Archangel"

     Se biscop ða funde him to rǽde, þæt hí mid þreora daga fæstene, swutelunge þæs wundres æt Gode bǣdon.

     The bishop then found it advisable, that they should ask from God an explanation of the miracle with a fast of three days.

2. to beg (+ accusative someone, + genitive for something)
   • c. 992, Ælfric, "On the Greater Litany"

     Būtan þām ǣhtum, ġelīċe sind þā þe biddaþ and þā þe him æt biddaþ.

     Aside from possessions, those who beg are the same as those they beg from.

Conjugation

Conjugation of biddan (strong class 5)

infinitive	biddan	biddenne
indicative mood	present tense	past tense
first person singular	bidde	bæd
second person singular	bitst	bǣde
third person singular	bitt, bit	bæd
plural	biddaþ	bǣdon
subjunctive	present tense	past tense
singular	bidde	bǣde
plural	bidden	bǣden
imperative
singular	bide
plural	biddaþ
participle	present	past
	biddende	(ġe)beden

Derived terms

• ġebiddan (“to pray”)

Descendants

• Middle English: bidden
  • English: bid
  • Scots: bid

See also

• āscian