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REFERENCE

hide

v.
A2 Elementary Oxford US //ˈhaɪd// UK //hˈaɪd// hide Archaic General-service Informal Vulgar

v. to put something in a place where people cannot see it or find it. You can also do this to yourself if you do not want to be seen.

v. to put or keep out of sight; to conceal from the knowledge or observation of others. Often used reflexively when the subject is also the object.


SIMPLE

I need to hide the presents before the children come home.

CONTEXTUAL

The small rabbit tried to hide in the tall grass to avoid being seen by the hawk.

COMPLEX

The witness chose to hide her true identity for years, fearing that coming forward would put her family in immediate danger from the local authorities.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology 1

From Middle English hiden, huden, from Old English hȳdan (“to hide, conceal, preserve”), from Proto-West Germanic huʀdijan (“to conceal”), from Proto-Germanic huzdijaną (“to hoard”), from Proto-Indo-European (s)kewdʰ- (“to cover, wrap, encase”), from Proto-Indo-European (s)kewH- (“to cover”). The verb was originally weak. In the King James Version of the Bible (1611), both hid and hidden are used for the past participle. Cognates Cognate with Dutch huiden, Low German (ver)hüden, (ver)hüen (“to hide, cover, conceal”), Welsh cuddio (“to hide”), Latin custōs, Ancient Greek κεύθω (keúthō, “to conceal”), Sanskrit कुहरम् (kuharam, “cave”). Related to hut and sky.

Etymology 2

From Middle English hyde, from Old English hȳd, from Proto-West Germanic hūdi, from Proto-Germanic hūdiz, from Proto-Indo-European kéw(H)tis (“skin, hide”) (compare Latin cutis (“skin, rind, hide”)), from Proto-Indo-European (s)kew(H)- (“to cover”), ultimately the same root as the above etymology. More at sky. Cognates See also West Frisian hûd, Dutch huid, German Haut, Danish hud, Welsh cwd (“scrotum”), Latin cutis (“skin”), Lithuanian kutys (“purse, money-belt”), Ancient Greek κύτος (kútos, “hollow vessel”), σκῦτος (skûtos, “cover, hide”).

Etymology 3

From Middle English hide, from Old English hīd, hȳd, hīġed, hīġid (“a measure of land”), for earlier hīwid (“the amount of land needed to support one family”), a derivative of Proto-Germanic hīwaz, hīwō (“relative, fellow-lodger, family”), from Proto-Indo-European ḱey- (“to lie with, store, be familiar”). Related to Old English hīwisc (“hide of land, household”), Old English hīwan (“members of a family, household”). More at hewe, hind.

Usage

The verb is both transitive and intransitive. The past tense is 'hid' and the past participle is 'hidden'.

Pitfall

I have hid the keys.I have hidden the keys.The past participle is 'hidden'; 'hid' is only used for the simple past tense.

Idioms7 entries

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