Forms: 2–3 bitiden, 3–4 bi-, bytyden, 4–5 bi-, bytide, 4–7 betyd(e, 4– betide. Pa. t. 3–4 bitidde, 4 bitide, 4–5 bi-, bytidd, -tydde, 5 bytid, beted, 5–6 betyd, -tid, 6 -tyded, -tided. Pa. pple. 3–4 bitid, 4–5 betyd, 5–6 betid, 4–5 bi-, betyde, 5–7 betide, 6 betidde, -tidd, (-tight), 7 -tyded, 6– betided, 9 betid. [ME. bitide-n, f. bi-, BE- 2 + tide-n to happen; see TIDE v.]
1. intr. To happen, befall. Only in 3rd pers. and often impers.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 2358. Sone it was king pharaon kid Hu ðis newe tiding wurð bi-tid.
1297. R. Glouc., 418. He nolde non lenger abyde … tyde wat so bytyde.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 21723. Has bitid oft mani quar, þat less folk ouercummen þe mar.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 377. Þe casis þat bitydden bytwene … naaman and heliȝe.
c. 1420. Anturs Arth., i. In the tyme of Arther thys antur be-tydde.
1591. Spenser, M. Hubberd, 37. A strange adventure, that betided Betwixt the Foxe and th’ Ape.
1647. W. Browne, Polex., II. 199. The wounded man … about to aske what was betided.
1765. H. Walpole, Otranto, iii. (1798), 55. The death of my son betiding while my soul was under this anxiety.
a. 1802. Pop. Rime attrib. to T. of Erceld., in Scott, Minstr., III. 209. Betide betide, whatever betide, Haig shall be Haig of Bemerside.
1870. Morris, Earthly Par., III. IV. 3. Who ’gan to tell Mishaps betid upon the winter seas.
b. Const. dative object; occas. to, unto.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 71. Ac ȝif us eni ufel bitit; þonke we gode in ure wit.
c. 1250. Lay., 2237. Wel þe sal bityde.
c. 1386. Miller’s T., 264. A man woot litel what him schal betyde.
c. 1430. How Gd. Wijf tauȝte hir Douȝtir, 174, in Babees Bk. (1868), 45. What-sum-euere þee bitide, Make not þin husbonde poore with spendinge.
1579. Spenser, Sheph. Cal., Nov., 174. As if some euill were to her betight [gloss. happened].
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turks (1621), 122. Which calamitie betided unto the Christians.
1832. Ht. Martineau, Hill & Valley, ix. 139. Whatever fortune betides you.
c. esp. in the expression of a wish. Now almost exclusively in ‘Woe betide!’
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., B. 522. Multyplyez on þis molde, & menske yow bytyde.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. IV. 157. Er ich wedde suche a wif · wo me by-tyde.
1633. Heywood, Eng. Trav., IV. Wks. 1874, IV. 70. A happy Morning now betide you Lady.
1808. Scott, Marm., III. xxiii. But woe betide the wandering wight.
1868. G. Duff, Pol. Surv. (1868), 194. Woe betide the unfortunate shipmaster.
† 2. To become of (rarely on). Obs.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 3274. For be þis well sal i habide Quat o mi nerrand mai be tide.
1494. Fabyan, VII. ccxxii. 246. Howe so it betyde of the kynge.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., I. iii. 6. If he were dead, what would betide on me?
1675. Hobbes, Iliad (1677), 189. What is betide Of th’ Argive threats.
† 3. To fall to as a possession. Obs.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 4035. Þir breþer tuain þam tok to red To dele þair landes þam bi-tuixs … Til esau bitid ebron.
c. 1430. Syr Gener., 4384. Twoo the best knightes of all oure side, Such twoo shal neuer vs betide.
1587. Byrd, Sonn., in Arb., Garner, II. 88. If I had Davids crown to me betide.
† 4. To become or befit (any one). Obs.
1554. Philpot, Exam. & Writ. (1842), 327. It betideth no man to doubt of the authority … of thilk things.
1566. J. Studley, Seneca’s Medea (1581), 136. She threates our king more then doth her betyde.
5. In pa. pple. Circumstanced, beset, begone.
1470. Harding, Chron., ci. vii. Then with his staffe he slewe hym so betyd.
¶ catachr. To bode, betoken.
[Not in Johnson 1773.]
a. 1799. Cowper, Morning Dream, 41. Awaking, how could I but muse At what such a dream should betide?
1850. Prescott, Peru (1856), II. 251. The Spaniards doubted … whether it betided them good or evil.
