Past tense of 'bid', meaning commanded, ordered, or requested someone to do something.
From Old English 'bæd', past tense of 'biddan' (to ask, command, pray). The word is related to German 'bitten' and has maintained its strong verb conjugation pattern from Proto-Germanic roots meaning 'to announce' or 'to command'.
The verb 'bid' has one of English's most complex conjugation patterns - 'bid/bade/bidden' for commanding, but 'bid/bid/bid' for offering at auctions - showcasing how different meanings of the same root word can follow entirely different grammatical rules.
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