Verb
This could bode disaster for all involved.
her natural gift for reading boded well for her future in school
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
These developments and an apparent disharmony between Davies and his employers bodes well for Madrid in the long run.—Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024 Those numbers bode well for energy generation at Oroville Dam, Shasta Dam and the state’s other hydroelectric behemoths.—Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 These coffee balls are fully compostable in a backyard, which bodes well for K-Rounds because Keurig’s technology was developed in partnership with Delica.—Jaina Grey, WIRED, 13 Mar. 2024 These wins bode well for its chances to win best picture.—Andrew Blankstein, NBC News, 11 Mar. 2024 Put another way: The fire in the NBCU News Group house has spread to the Comcast neighborhood – and that can’t bode well for Conde, who I’m told had been remote-working during the crisis.—Oliver Darcy, CNN, 28 Mar. 2024 And that bodes ill for attrition rates among the group.—Paige McGlauflin, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2024 Recent polls don’t bode well for either candidates’ chances against Cruz.—Jaime Moore-Carrillo, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Mar. 2024 Some indicators point to further stock market gains Despite the sharp stumble on Feb. 13 over lingering inflation worries, the stock market has been performing well of late, and that might bode well for the rest of the year.—The Arizona Republic, 18 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bode.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English, from Old English bodian; akin to Old English bēodan to proclaim — more at bid entry 1
First Known Use
Verb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Time Traveler
The first known use of bode was
before the 12th century
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