Abiding

/əˈbaɪdɪŋ/

verbIntermediate📊CommonAction
2 meanings1 idiom/phrase2 questions

Definitions

2 meanings
1

To remain or stay in a place or situation

/əˈbaɪd/

verbneutralIntermediate
Action

To remain or stay

I will abide by the rules.

💡 Simply: To stay in one place

More Examples

2

She had to abide in the hotel until the storm passed.

How It's Used

Law

"The judge ordered the defendant to abide by the terms of the contract."

Literary

"The hero had to abide in the wilderness for many days."

2

Lasting or enduring over time

/əˈbaɪdɪŋ/

adjectiveneutralAdvanced
Quality

Lasting or enduring

The abiding love between the couple was inspiring.

💡 Simply: Long-lasting

More Examples

2

The company's abiding commitment to quality is admirable.

How It's Used

Philosophy

"The philosopher discussed the abiding nature of truth."

Tip:Think of 'a binding' contract to remember 'abiding' as lasting

Idioms & expressions

abide by

To obey or follow a rule or law

"The company must abide by the regulations."

From Old English 'abid̄ian', meaning 'to await' or 'remain', derived from 'abid̄' meaning 'to await' and the suffix '-ian' indicating a verb form.

The word 'abide' has been used since Old English times, with the meaning 'to await' or 'remain'. Over time, its meaning has expanded to include 'to obey' or 'follow a rule'.

Memory tip

Think of 'a bite' to remember 'abide' as taking a bite out of time to stay

Word Origin

Original meaning

"to await or remain"

Base: abide
abide by the lawabide in the househave an abiding interest

Common misspellings

abidingabideingabidingly

Usage

40%Spoken
60%Written