Betide

/bɪˈtaɪd/ verb

Definition

To happen to someone, usually in the phrase 'woe betide' meaning something bad will happen.

Etymology

From Old English 'betīdan', combining 'be-' (about) and 'tīdan' (to happen); archaic or poetic usage in modern English but common in older literature.

Kelly Says

'Woe betide' is a perfect example of how English absorbed Old Germanic grammar—it survives mainly in this frozen phrase, like a linguistic fossil reminding us how different the language was just centuries ago.

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