📚 “Biding Your Time”: A Literary Linger through Patience 🕰️
Definition
To wait for the right moment to speak or take action. The verb “to bide,” meaning “to wait for” since about the year 950, survives today primarily in this cliché. Frederick W. Robertson used the expression in a sermon (1853): “They bide their time and suddenly represent themselves.”
Synonyms
- Wait patiently
- Await
- Hang around
- Hold back
- Sit tight
Antonyms
- Act impulsively
- Rush
- Hurry
- Hustle
Similar Terms & Expressions
- Hold your horses: Often said to someone who is rushing or anxious; asking them to be patient.
- Take it easy: Slow down or relax.
- Play the waiting game: Endure a delay with patience.
- Patience is a virtue: Acknowledging that the ability to wait without frustration is a commendable quality.
Humor-Filled Quotes & Proverbs
- “Never put off until tomorrow what you can avoid altogether.” — Oscar Wilde
- “My advice to you is to take it steady and bide your time till you know yourself well enough to know what’s worth biding for.” — Hunter S. Thompson
- “Good things come to those who wait.” — An old proverb, often misattributed to those who wish dinner would hurry up.
Recommended Literature & Entertainment
- Books: “Waiting for Godot” by Samuel Beckett; “The Power of Patience” by M.J. Ryan.
- Songs: “Patience” by Guns N’ Roses; “Hold On!” by Wilson Phillips.
- Movies: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013), The Pursuit of Happyness (2006).
### Which term also means 'to wait patiently'?
- [x] Bide
- [ ] Speed
- [ ] Dash
- [ ] Jolt
> **Explanation:** To "bide" means to endure a wait with patience, hailing from ancient verbiage.
### Which phrase advises patience?
- [ ] Run headlong into action
- [ ] Charge in and hope
- [x] Hold your horses
- [ ] Jump the gun
> **Explanation:** "Hold your horses" is used to ask someone to be patient, nicely urging them to wait.
### Complete the cliché: "Bide your _____":
- [ ] Shoes
- [x] Time
- [ ] Words
- [ ] Food
> **Explanation:** The complete phrase is "Bide your time," advising someone to wait patiently for the right moment or opportunity.
### True or False: 'To Bide' is an obsolete term used only in clichés now.
- [x] True
- [ ] False
> **Explanation:** While once common, "to bide" is now primarily found surviving in the cliché "bide your time."
Farewell Thought: Remember, life isn’t just a dash for the finish line. Sometimes, the most beautiful moments can be found when we simply bide our time and savor the journey. 🌟
