biding

Biding is the present participle form of the verb bide, meaning to wait, remain, or endure in a place or state until a particular outcome or opportunity occurs. The most familiar usage is in the idiom bide one’s time, which describes delaying action until conditions are favorable.

Etymology and usage notes: Bide derives from Old English bidan, meaning to wait or endure. In contemporary English, bide is largely intransitive, often used with reflexive pronouns (bide one’s time). The form biding appears in ongoing actions or descriptions, as in “They are biding their time” or “She spent the day biding her time.” The phrase should not be confused with abide, which means to comply with rules or to tolerate; they are related historically but have distinct meanings and usages.

Context and nuance: Biding is more common in formal, literary, or strategic contexts, such as politics, negotiations, or long-term planning. It conveys patience and restraint, sometimes implying prudence or caution. In everyday speech, speakers often substitute waiting or staying, but biding retains a sense of measured, purposeful delay.

Examples:

- They spent the winter biding their time before making a move.

- The negotiators are biding their time, waiting for a more favorable proposal.

- He was biding his time, hoping for a better offer.

See also: Abide by (to comply with), bide one’s time (common idiom), waiting.