betide

present singular third person betides · participle present betiding · participle past betid · past betid · participle past betided · past betided · first person past singular betided · first person past singular betid · archaic present second person singular betidest · past second person singular betided · past second person singular betid · archaic past second person singular betidedst · present singular third person betides · archaic present singular third person betideth · past singular third person betided · past singular third person betid

1. datedliterarytransitiveusuallyOften used in a prediction (chiefly in woe betide) or a wish: to happen to (someone or something); to befall.

   Whether good or ill betide you, trust in yourself.

   5 more examples

   Why wayle we then? why weary we the Gods with playnts, / As if ſome euill were to her betight? / She raignes a goddeſſe now emong the ſaintes, / That whilome was the ſaynt of ſhepheardes light: / And is enſtalled nowe in heauens hight.

   1579, Immeritô [pseudonym; Edmund Spenser], “Nouember. Ægloga Vndecima.”, in The Shepheardes Calender: […], London: […] Hugh Singleton, […], →OCLC, folio 46, verso

   Why, how now, countrymen! Why flock you thus to me in multitudes? What accident's betided to the Jews?

   c. 1589–1590 (date written), Christopher Marlo[we], edited by Tho[mas] Heywood, The Famous Tragedy of the Rich Iew of Malta. […], London: […] I[ohn] B[eale] for Nicholas Vavasour, […], published 1633, →OCLC, Act I

   More health and happines betide my liege, / Then can my care tunde tongue deliuer him.

   1595 December 9 (first known performance), [William Shakespeare], The Tragedie of King Richard the Second. […] (First Quarto), London: […] Valentine Simmes for Androw Wise, […], published 1597, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]

   But woe betide the wandering wight, / That treads its circle in the night.

   1808 February 22, Walter Scott, “Canto Third. The Hostel, or Inn.”, in Marmion; a Tale of Flodden Field, Edinburgh: […] J[ames] Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Company, […]; London: William Miller, and John Murray, →OCLC, stanza XXV, page 157

   Ill betide those foul birds that delight to file their own nest, and disgust the ear with perpetual discord of ill-omened croak.

   1845 July and August, John O’Sullivan, “Annexation”, in United States Magazine and Democratic Review, volume 17, number 1, page 2

2. datedintransitiveliteraryChiefly in the third person: to happen; to take place; to bechance, to befall.

   If he were dead what would betide of me.

   c. 1593 (date written), [William Shakespeare], The Tragedy of King Richard the Third. […] (First Quarto), London: […] Valentine Sims [and Peter Short] for Andrew Wise, […], published 1597, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii]

   3 more examples

   [W]ipe thou thine eyes, haue comfort, / The direfull ſpectacle of the wracke which touch'd / The very vertue of compaſſion in thee: / I haue with ſuch prouiſion in mine Art / So ſafely ordered, that there is no ſoule / No not ſo much perdition as an hayre / Betid to any creature in the veſſel / Which thou heardſt cry, which thou ſaw'ſt ſinke: […]

   1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii], page 2, column 1

   The death of my ſon betiding while my ſoul was under this anxiety, I thought of nothing but reſigning my dominions, and retiring for ever from the ſight of mankind.

   1764 December 24 (indicated as 1765), Onuphrio Muralto, translated by William Marshal [pseudonyms; Horace Walpole], chapter III, in The Castle of Otranto, […], London: […] Tho[mas] Lownds […], →OCLC, pages 107–108

   Be not dismayed whate'er betide, / God will take care of you; / Beneath his wings of love abide, / God will take care of you.

   1904, “God Will Take Care of You”, Civilla Durfee Martin (lyrics), Walter Stillman Martin (music)

   Synonyms: betime, come to pass, occur, tide, transpire, bechance, befall, behap