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abide

verb
\ ə-ˈbīd How to pronounce abide (audio) \
abided also abode\ -​ˈbƍd How to pronounce abode (audio) \; abiding

Definition of abide

transitive verb

1a : to bear patiently : tolerate cannot abide such bigots
b : to endure without yielding : withstand abide the onrush of the enemy
2 : to wait for : await I will abide the coming of my lord.— Alfred Tennyson
3 : to accept without objection will abide your decision

intransitive verb

1 : to remain stable or fixed in a state a love that abided with him all his days
2 : to continue in a place : sojourn will abide in the house of the Lord
abide by
1 : to conform to abide by the rules
2 : to accept without objection : to acquiesce in will abide by your decision
Other Words from abide Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym The Use of Abide in Literature and Popular Culture Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about abide

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Other Words from abide

abider noun

Choose the Right Synonym for abide

bear, suffer, endure, abide, tolerate, stand mean to put up with something trying or painful. bear usually implies the power to sustain without flinching or breaking. forced to bear a tragic loss suffer often suggests acceptance or passivity rather than courage or patience in bearing. suffering many insults endure implies continuing firm or resolute through trials and difficulties. endured years of rejection abide suggests acceptance without resistance or protest. cannot abide their rudeness tolerate suggests overcoming or successfully controlling an impulse to resist, avoid, or resent something injurious or distasteful. refused to tolerate such treatment stand emphasizes even more strongly the ability to bear without discomposure or flinching. unable to stand teasing

continue, last, endure, abide, persist mean to exist over a period of time or indefinitely. continue applies to a process going on without ending. the search for peace will continue last, especially when unqualified, may stress existing beyond what is normal or expected. buy shoes that will last endure adds an implication of resisting destructive forces or agencies. in spite of everything, her faith endured abide implies stable and constant existing especially as opposed to mutability. a love that abides through 40 years of marriage persist suggests outlasting the normal or appointed time and often connotes obstinacy or doggedness. the sense of guilt persisted

The Use of Abide in Literature and Popular Culture

The comments by users of this dictionary suggest that many people who are interested in the meaning of the word abide are motivated by one of two rather distinct things: the Bible, in which, for instance, Jesus calls upon his followers to "abide in me"; and the movie The Big Lebowski, in which Jeffrey Lebowski (aka "The Dude") proclaims that "The Dude abides." Both the movie and the book have done much to keep the word in general current usage. Though the sources are wildly different, in each of these particular examples, abide is used as it is defined at the first intransitive sense: "to remain stable or fixed in a state." In the phrase "abide in me," Jesus is asking his followers to stay constant in their relationship to him. The exact meaning of "The Dude abides" is a topic of some debate, but clearly there is some notion of the constancy of Lebowski himself—metaphysically perhaps—being asserted.

Although the phrase can’t abide has for some the feeling of a modern colloquialism, it has been pointed out that such use dates back at least as far as Shakespeare: in Henry IV, Part II, Falstaff says “she would always say she could not abide Master Shallow.”

Did You Know?

Abide may sound rather old-fashioned these days. The word has been around since before the 12th century, but it is a bit rare now, except in certain specialized uses. Even more archaic to our modern ear is "abidden," the original past participle of "abide." Today, both the past and the past participle of "abide" are served by either "abode" or "abided," with "abided" being the more frequent choice. "Abide" turns up often in the phrase "can't (or couldn't) abide." The expression "abide by," which means "to conform to" or "to acquiesce in," is also common. Related terms include the participial adjective "abiding" (which means "enduring" or "continuing," as in "an abiding interest in nature"), the noun "abidance" ("continuance" or "compliance"), and the noun "abode" ("residence").

Examples of abide in a Sentence

Now his anger had poisoned all relationships, no one could be put in the two empty beds in the room, and not even his long-suffering sister could abide him in her house. — Peter Pouncey, Rules for Old Men Waiting, 2005 A former party functionary, Yeltsin replaced Communist ideology with a supremely simplified vision of democracy, which boiled down to two tenets: He could not abide Communists, and he supported freedom of the press. — Masha Gessen, New Republic, 5 June 2000 abide in the house of the Lord a love that abided till the end of their lives
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Recent Examples on the Web

 Gadot believed that the involvement of respected archaeologists and academic institutions like Tel Aviv University pushed Elad to abide by the best practices of the discipline. — Rachel Poser, Harper's magazine, "Common Ground," 19 Aug. 2019 American politicians generally abide by a rule to leave their political differences at water’s edge. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "House speaker as US emissary: Pelosi emerges as force abroad," 17 Aug. 2019 So that this time the regime really is serious and will abide by negotiations. — CBS News, "Transcript: Juan Cruz talks with Michael Morell on "Intelligence Matters"," 14 Aug. 2019 In imparting these ideas, teachers are often abiding by state education standards or following the textbook. — Charles King, Time, "American Students Are Taught Racism Is Bad—But They're Still Not Learning the Truth About Race," 6 Aug. 2019 Legal sellers, however, will generally abide by age restrictions in sales to keep their licence. — The Economist, "The legalisation of recreational cannabis is weeding out teenaged users," 11 July 2019 Whosoever abides in me will bring forth much fruit. — Oliver Morton, WIRED, "The Beauty and Madness of Sending a Man to the Moon," 4 June 2019 Under the Obama administration, ICE granted renewable work permits to many law-abiding immigrants who had been in the country at least five years. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "He voted for Trump. Now he and his wife raise their son from opposite sides of the border," 19 May 2019 The catch, and there always is one, is that they are sequestered off to Golden Oaks for the duration of their pregnancy and have to abide by certain rules. — Rachel Epstein, Marie Claire, "Joanne Ramos' 'The Farm' Forces Us to Take a Complicated Look at Our Society," 1 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'abide.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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