Bode

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -əʊd
• Homophones: bowed (in one sense)

From Middle English boden, from Old English bodian ("announce, foretell"), from Proto-Germanic *budōną ("to proclaim, announce, lere, instruct"), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰewdʰ- ("to be awake, perceive fully"). Related to Old English boda ("messenger, forerunner"), Dutch bode ("messenger, harbinger"), German Bote ("messenger"), from Proto-Germanic *budô ("messenger"). See bid. Compare also Old Saxon gibod, German Gebot, Old Norse boð).

Since 1740 also a shortening of forebode

Full definition of bode

Verb

1. To indicate by signs, as future events; to be the omen of; to portend; to presage; to foreshow.
2. (intransitive) To foreshow something; to augur.
• DrydenWhatever now
  The omen proved, it boded well to you.

Derived terms

• bodement

Noun

1. An omen; a foreshadowing.
• ChaucerThe owl eke, that of death the bode bringeth.
2. (obsolete or dialect) A bid; an offer.
3. A messenger; a herald.
4. A stop; a halting; delay.

• Inflected form of bide

Verb

1. bode

   (simple past of bide)
• TennysonThere that night they bode.

Anagrams

• Obed