Meaning & use
bidding adieu
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Meanings
phrasefixed phraseformalliterary
the act of saying goodbye to someone or something in a formal or slightly literary way
Grammar: Used as a noun phrase or participle; often followed by 'to': bidding adieu to someone.
Patterns
- bidding adieu to someone
- bidding someone adieu
- bidding adieu to something
After thirty years at the company, she is bidding adieu to her colleagues this Friday.
The retiring professor gave a short speech before bidding adieu to the university.
Fans lined the streets, bidding adieu to the team after their final match.
phrasefixed phraseformalfigurative
the act of giving up or leaving something, such as a habit, a place, or a period of life
Grammar: Often used with 'to' plus a thing, not a person: bidding adieu to smoking.
Patterns
- bidding adieu to something
- bidding adieu to a habit
- bidding adieu to an era
The city is bidding adieu to its old tram system after a century of service.
He is bidding adieu to late nights and unhealthy food.
This concert marks the band bidding adieu to touring.
Common combinations
- bidding adieu to someone
- They held a party, bidding adieu to their departing manager.
- bidding someone adieu
- She stood at the gate, bidding her friends adieu.
- bidding adieu to a place
- After the sale, they spent a weekend bidding adieu to the family cottage.
- bidding a fond adieu
- The audience gave a standing ovation, bidding a fond adieu to the retiring dancer.
Synonyms and how they differ
- saying goodbye
- The everyday, neutral way to express the same idea; 'bidding adieu' is more formal and literary.
- farewell
- A noun or interjection meaning goodbye; it can stand alone, while 'bidding adieu' needs a verb structure.
- valediction
- A very formal word for a farewell speech or statement; much rarer and more academic than 'bidding adieu'.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: bidding adieu or bidding?
bidding adieu vs bidding
As a noun, 'bidding' usually means the act of offering a price at an auction or the commands of a person in authority. The phrase 'bidding adieu' uses 'bidding' as the -ing form of the verb 'bid' meaning 'to say'.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'bidding adieu' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The phrase takes 'to' before the person or thing being left: bidding adieu to her old car. The other prepositions do not fit this fixed expression.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “bidding adieu”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.