biddan

From Proto-Germanic *bidjaną (“to ask”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷʰedʰ-. Cognate with Old Frisian bidda (West Frisian bidde), Old Saxon biddian (Low German bidden), Dutch bidden, Old High German bitten (German bitten), Old Norse biðja (Danish bede, Swedish bedja, be), Gothic 𐌱𐌹𐌳𐌾𐌰𐌽 (bidjan).

• IPA^(key): /ˈbid.dɑn/

biddan

1. to ask, request

   Bǣde þū sumne mann helpe?

   Did you ask someone for help?

   • late 10th century, Ælfric, "Sermon on the Nativity of Our Lord"

     Ne bitt hē ūs nānes þinges.

     He doesn't ask us for anything.

2. to beg

   Hē bæd hīe belīfan, ac hēo ēode.

   He begged her to stay, but she left.

   • late 10th century, Ælfric, "On the Greater Litany"

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

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

3. to pray

• Middle English: bidden
  • English: bid