bode
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bode¹
- /bəʊd/ UK
- /boʊd/ US
Sounds like bowed (etymology 2) · Rhymes with -əʊd
Where it comes from
The verb is derived partly from the following:
* From Middle English boden, bodian (“to be a sign or symbol, betoken, signify; to be an omen of a future event, forebode, foreshadow; to foretell, presage; to command, order; to deliver a message, proclaim, report; to preach”), from Old English bodian (“to announce, proclaim, tell; to foretell, prophesy; to preach; etc.”), from Proto-West Germanic *bodōn (“to announce, proclaim; to call, summon”), from Proto-Germanic *budōną (“to announce, proclaim; to call, summon”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰewdʰ- (“to be awake; to be aware”). Doublet of bid (“to make an attempt; to make an offer”).
* A back-formation from forebode.
The noun is derived from Middle English bod (“foreboding, omen; message, report; command, edict; (Christianity) commandment; etc.”), from Old English bod (“command, edict, order”), from Proto-West Germanic *bod (“command, mandate, order”), from Proto-Germanic *budą (“message; offer”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰewdʰ- (see above).
verb bodes · boding · boded · bode
-
Of a thing: to be an indication, omen, or sign of (something); to portend.
But in the thought and ſcope of my opinion, / This bodes ſome ſtrange eruption to the ſtate.
Similar: betoken
-
To declare (something, such as a future event) before it occurs; to foretell, to predict; specifically, to predict (something undesirable); to forebode.
Augur accurſt! denouncing Miſchief ſtill, / Prophet of Plagues, for ever boding Ill!
Similar: augur, presage, anticipate, bode, call, divine, forecast, foredeem, forehold, foresee, foreshadow, foretell
- Often followed by ill or well: of a thing: to be an indication, omen, or sign of something. VVhat ever novv / The Omen prove, it boded vvell to you.
noun bodes
- A feeling that something is going to happen; a premonition, a presentiment.
-
An indication, an omen, a sign.
[A]t Myræ in Lycia, vvas the fountaine of Apollo Curius, vvhere the fiſhes being three times called vvith a Pipe, aſſembled themſelues, and if they deuoured the meats giuen them, it vvas interpreted a good bode and happie preſage: if they ſtrucke avvay the ſame vvith their tailes, it vvas direfull a
Similar: augury, foreshadowing
- A message; also, news, tidings. I muſt tell you vvhat lovely Jeſus, fair Jeſus, King Jeſus hath done to my ſoul; ſometimes he ſendeth me out a ſtanding drink, and vvhiſpereth a vvord thorovv the vvall; and I am vvell content of kindneſs at the ſecond hand; his bode is ever vvelcome to me, be vvhat it vvill; […]
bode²
- /bəʊd/ UK
- /boʊd/ US
Sounds like bowed (etymology 2) · Rhymes with -əʊd
Where it comes from
The noun is derived from Middle English bod (“act of bargaining or offering, or the subject of the bargain or offer; promise; proposal”), the same word stated in etymology 1. Doublet of bid.
The verb is probably derived from the noun.
cognates
* Dutch bod
* Faroese boð
* German Gebot
* Icelandic boð
* Norwegian Bokmål bud, Norwegian Nynorsk bod
* Old Saxon gibod
* Swedish bud
noun bodes
- An offer to pay a certain amount of money for something; a bid. Na, na, Captain; ye're ower young and ower free o' your siller [silver]—ye should never tak a fish-wife's first bode; […]
verb bodes · boding · boded
- To make a bid or offer for (something); to bid, to offer. 52. Bode good, and get it. / 53. Bode a Robe, and wear it; bode a Sack, and bear it. / Speak heartily, and expect Good, and it vvill fall out accordingly.
bode³
- /bəʊd/ UK
- /boʊd/ US
Sounds like bowed (etymology 2) · Rhymes with -əʊd
Where it comes from
From Middle English bode (“emissary, messenger”), from Old English boda (“herald, messenger; prophet”), from Proto-West Germanic *bodō, from Proto-Germanic *budô (“messenger”), from *beudaną (“to bid, offer”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰewdʰ- (“to be awake; to be aware”) (compare etymology 1).
cognates
* Dutch bode (“harbinger, messenger”)
* German Bote (“messenger”)
noun bodes
- A herald; a messenger. [T]he fame of the Duke's coming was sent abroad by the bodes or messengers, despatched to prepare the towns through which he was to pass for an arrival sooner than expected, […]
bode⁴
- /bəʊd/ UK
- /boʊd/ US
Sounds like bowed (etymology 2) · Rhymes with -əʊd
Where it comes from
From Middle English bod, bode, bade, baide; further etymology uncertain, probably:
* an aphetic form of abod (“act of waiting, delay”), probably related to Old English bād (“expectation; waiting”), from Proto-West Germanic *baidu, from Proto-Germanic *baidō; and/or
* a variant of bide (“act of delaying; a delay”), from Old English bīd (“act of abiding; delay”), related to bīdan (“to remain, stay; to wait”), from Proto-West Germanic *bīdan (“to wait”), from Proto-Germanic *bīdaną (“to await, wait”) (whence modern English abide, bide), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeydʰ- (“to convince; to trust”).
noun bodes
-
An act of biding or waiting; a wait; also, a delay.
[M]ake thou thy boade, / In reſolution to reuenge theſe vvronges, / VVith bloud of thouſands guiltleſſe of this rage, / Flie thou on them amaine: […]
Similar: tarrying
bode⁵
- /bəʊd/ UK
- /boʊd/ US
Sounds like bowed (etymology 2) · Rhymes with -əʊd
Where it comes from
An inflected form of bide.
verb
- simple past of bide
Bode⁶
Where it comes from
* As a Dutch and German surname, from bode (“messenger”).
* As a German and Danish surname, from the name Bodo, derived from Old Saxon bodo (“messenger”), related to above.
* As a Dutch and German surname, from Bude (“booth, small house”).
proper noun
- A surname.
- A male given name.
- A city in Iowa.
- A village in Nepal.
- A river in Germany, a tributary to the Saale
- A small river and tributary to the Wipper
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: portend, presage, omen, foretell, prognosticate, forecast, prefigure, foreshadow, predict, auspicate, betoken, augur, foretoken, point, promise, boger
Translations
Every language
verb (transitive) of a thing: to be an indication, omen, or sign of (something); (intransitive) to be an indication, omen, or sign of something
| Español | agorar, agüerar, anunciarse, augurar, presagiar, pronosticar |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 징조이다 jingjoida |
| 中文 | 預示 /预示 yùshì |
| Português | augurar, pressagiar |
| Français | augurer, présager |
| Deutsch | ahnen lassen, sich ankündigen, verheißen |
| Italiano | presagire, promettere |
| Ελληνικά | προμηνύω prominýo, προοιωνίζομαι prooionízomai, προοιωνίζω prooionízo |
| Русский | предвеща́ть predveščátʹ, предвести́ть predvestítʹ, сули́ть sulítʹ, посули́ть posulítʹ, веща́ть veščátʹ |
verb (transitive) to declare (something, such as a future event) before it occurs — see also foretell, predict
| Deutsch | ahnen lassen, verheißen |
|---|---|
| Italiano | far presagire, preannunciare |
| Русский | гада́ть gadátʹ, погада́ть pogadátʹ |
Talk about this word "bode." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/bode. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. bode. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/bode "bode." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/bode.Cite this
@misc{bode_2026,
title = {bode},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/bode},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
