ENGLISH
REFERENCE

abide

v. · phr.v.
US //əˈbaɪd// UK //ɐbˈaɪd// abide
  1. 1 to tolerate (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to tolerate or put up with something you dislike — almost always used with 'can't'.

    to tolerate or endure something unpleasant. This sense is typically restricted to negative or interrogative constructions, especially with the modal 'can'.

    Example

    I simply can't abide people who are cruel to animals.

    Example

    He found he could not abide the constant noise of the city and eventually moved to a remote village in the mountains.
  2. 2 to follow a rule (phr.v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Formal

    to accept and follow a rule, law, or decision.

    to comply with or adhere to a rule, decision, or recommendation. This phrasal verb is inseparable and requires the preposition 'by'.

    Example

    All members of the club must abide by the safety rules.

    Example

    Failure to abide by the terms of the contract will result in immediate termination of the partnership.
    Pitfall
    You must abide to the rules.
    You must abide by the rules.

    The phrasal verb 'abide' always takes the preposition 'by', never 'to'.

  3. 3 to live or stay (v.)
    C2 Proficiency Archaic Literary

    to live in a place or stay there for a long time.

    to dwell or reside in a particular place; to remain stable or fixed in a state. This usage is largely restricted to religious or poetic contexts.

    Example

    The old stories say a spirit abides in the deep woods.

    Example

    The poem speaks of a deep peace that abides within the soul even during times of great trouble.
  4. 4 to last (v.)
    C2 Proficiency Literary

    to continue to exist for a long time.

    to endure or remain persistent over time; to last without fading.

    Example

    Their friendship has abided for over fifty years.

    Example

    While many trends are forgotten within months, certain classic designs abide because of their inherent functionality.
Origin

From Middle English abyden, from Old English ābīdan (“to abide, wait, remain, delay, remain behind; survive; wait for, await; expect”), from Proto-West Germanic uʀbīdan, from Proto-Germanic uzbīdaną (“to expect, tolerate”), equivalent to a- + bide. Cognate with Scots abide (“to abide, remain”), Middle High German erbīten (“to await, expect”), Gothic 𐌿𐍃𐌱𐌴𐌹𐌳𐌰𐌽 (usbeidan, “to expect, await, have patience”). The sense of pay for is due to influence from aby.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

Last updated June 20, 2026