View source for bide one's time

==English==

===Pronunciation===
* {{audio|en|en-au-bide one's time.ogg|a=AU}}

===Verb===
{{en-verb|bide<,,bode,bidden> one's time|past2=bided one's time|past_ptc2=bided one's time}}

# {{lb|en|intransitive|idiomatic}} To [[wait]], especially for a suitable [[opportunity]].
#* {{RQ:Scott Bride of Lammermoor|volume=I|chapter=III|pages=66–67|pageref=67|passage=Ravenswood, who had assumed the disguise of a sewer upon the occasion, answered, in a stern voice, “I '''bide my time'''”; and at the same moment a bull’s head, the ancient symbol of death, was placed upon the table.}}
#* {{quote-song|en|year=1965|author=w:Lennon–McCartney|title=w:Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)|album=w:Rubber Soul|artist=w:The Beatles|text=I sat on the rug, '''biding my time''' / Drinking her wine / We talked until two / And then she said, "it's time for bed"}}
#* {{quote-book
|en
|year=1999
|first=J. K.
|last=Rowling
|authorlink=J. K. Rowling
|chapter=The Keeper of the Keys
|title=Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
|url=https://archive.org/details/harrypottersorce0000rowl_t5a1/
|publisher=w:Scholastic, Inc.
|ISBN=978-0-590-35342-7
|OCLC=779609666
|page=57
|pageurl=https://archive.org/details/harrypottersorce0000rowl_t5a1/page/57/
|text=“Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die. Some say he’s still out there, '''bidin’ his time''', like, but I don’ believe it.}}
#* {{quote-book|en|year=2019|author=Andrew Herman|title=The “Better Angels” of Capitalism|publisher=Routledge|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MAiiDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT183&dq=%22bide+one%27s+time%22&hl=&cd=46&source=gbs_api#v=onepage&q=%22bide%20one's%20time%22&f=false|isbn=9781000314854|text=There are times, Machiavelli concedes, where it might be more advantageous to be cautious and '''bide one's time''' in order to ascertain the dispensation of the goddess more clearly.}}
#* {{quote-journal|en|date=2022 January 12|author=Paul Bigland|title=Fab Four: the nation's finest stations: London Bridge|journal=RAIL|issue=948|page=31|text=Above the concourse, the underneath of the platforms has been clad with attractive wood panelling, while the columns holding them up are surrounded with seating - for use by passengers '''biding their time''' waiting for their trains, or who have used one of the 70-or-so eateries or shops that form part of the retail developments at the station.}}

====Synonyms====
* {{l|en|cool one's heels}}, {{l|en|kick one's heels}}; See also [[Thesaurus:wait]]

====Translations====
{{trans-top|to wait, especially for a suitable opportunity}}
* Chinese:
*: Mandarin: {{t|cmn|[[等待]][[時機]]|tr=děngdài shíjī}}, {{t|cmn|[[等]][[機會]]|tr=děng jīhuì}}
* Dutch: {{t|nl|de kans afwachten}}
* Finnish: {{t|fi|[[odottaa]] [[tilaisuus|tilaisuuttaan]]}}, {{t|fi|[[odottaa]] [[sopiva|sopivaa]] [[hetki|hetkeä]]}}
* French: {{t|fr|attendre son heure}}
* German: {{t|de|den rechten Augenblick abwarten}}
* Hungarian: {{t|hu|[[kivár]]ja az [[idő|idejét]]}}, {{t|hu|[[kivár]]ja a [[megfelelő]] [[idő]]t/[[pillanat]]ot/[[alkalom|alkalmat]]}}, {{t|hu|[[kivár]]ja az [[alkalmas]] [[pillanat]]ot}}
* Japanese: {{t|ja|満を持す|tr=man o jisu}}
* Korean: {{t|ko|[[기회]][[-를]] [[노리다]]}}, {{t+|ko|벼르다}}
* Polish: {{t|pl|[[czekać]] [[na]] [[właściwy|właściwą]] [[chwila|chwilę]]|impf}}, {{t|pl|[[poczekać]] [[na]] [[właściwy|właściwą]] [[chwila|chwilę]]|pf}}
* Russian: {{t|ru|ждать своего́ ча́са}}, {{t|ru|выжида́ть своё вре́мя}}
* Spanish: {{t|es|esperar su tiempo}}
* Swedish: {{t+|sv|bida sin tid}}
* Turkish: {{t+|tr|fırsat kollamak}}
{{trans-bottom}}

===See also===
* {{l|en|cool one's heels}}
* {{l|en|mark time}}
* {{l|en|stall for time}}
* {{l|en|wait and see}}

===References===
* {{R:Lexico}}

{{catlangname|en|predicates}}