Bode Meaning

/bəʊd/
C2

Definition, CEFR level C2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.

Listen pronunciation

verbTo indicate by signs, as future events; to be an omen of; to portend or foretell.

verbOf a thing: to be an indication, omen, or sign of (something); to portend.

It doesn't bode well!
This does not bode well.
His silence on this matter certainly doesn't bode well.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
The dark clouds on the horizon ____ trouble for our picnic today.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The dark clouds do not ____ well for the outdoor wedding tonight.

The verb is derived partly from the following: * From Middle English boden, bodian (“to be a sign or symbol, betoken, signify; to be an omen of a future event, forebode, foreshadow; to foretell, presage; to command, order; to deliver a message, proclaim, report; to preach”), from Old English bodian (“to announce, proclaim, tell; to foretell, prophesy; to preach; etc.”), from Proto-West Germanic *bodōn (“to announce, proclaim; to call, summon”), from Proto-Germanic *budōną (“to announce, proclaim; to call, summon”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰewdʰ- (“to be awake; to be aware”). Doublet of bid (“to make an attempt; to make an offer”). * A back-formation from forebode. The noun is derived from Middle English bod (“foreboding, omen; message, report; command, edict; (Christianity) commandment; etc.”), from Old English bod (“command, edict, order”), from Proto-West Germanic *bod (“command, mandate, order”), from Proto-Germanic *budą (“message; offer”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰewdʰ- (see above).

"But in the thought and ſcope of my opinion, / This bodes ſome ſtrange eruption to the ſtate." — c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shake-speare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: […] (First Quarto), London: […] [Valentine Simmes] for N[icholas] L[ing] and Iohn Trundell, published 1603, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i], signature B2, recto:
"O heauen; O earth, beare vvitness to this ſound, / And crovvne vvhat I profeſſe vvith kinde euent / If I ſpeake true: If hollovvly inuert / VVhat beſt is boaded me, to miſchiefe: I, / Beyond all limit of vvhat elſe i'th vvorld, / Do loue, prize, honor you." — 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 III, scene i], page 11, column 1:
"But so much haste bodes / Right little speed, and— […]" — 1823, Lord Byron, “Werner; or, The Inheritance”, in Werner, a Tragedy, London: John Murray, […], →OCLC, Act II, scene i, page 60:
"It bodeth evil for Atlantis that I come back with my spirit sore to find Oltis stepping into the place of high priest." — 1892, Elizabeth G[reen Davey] Birkmaier, “The Pelasgian Captives”, in Poseidon’s Paradise: The Romance of Atlantis, San Francisco, Calif.: The Clemens Publishing Co. […], →OCLC, page 43:
"Augur accurſt! denouncing Miſchief ſtill, / Prophet of Plagues, for ever boding Ill!" — 1715, Homer, translated by Alexander Pope, “Book I”, in The Iliad of Homer, volume I, London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintott […], →OCLC, page 7, lines 131–132:

Explore More C2 Vocabulary Words

CEFR Practice Quiz
The dark clouds on the horizon ____ trouble for our picnic today.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The dark clouds do not ____ well for the outdoor wedding tonight.

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