Meaning
- Abide means to accept, tolerate, or act in accordance with rules, decisions, or laws.
- It can also mean to endure something unpleasant or to stay in a particular place or condition.
Grammar and Usage
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Part of speech: Verb
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Verb type: Mainly intransitive, sometimes transitive.
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Common patterns:
- abide by + law/rule/decision → to obey or follow.
- cannot abide + noun/gerund → to strongly dislike or be unable to tolerate.
Common Phrases
- abide by the law – to follow the law.
- abide by the decision – to accept a decision.
- cannot abide someone/something – to dislike strongly.
Collocations
- abide by rules
- abide by regulations
- abide by a promise
- cannot abide lies
- abide peacefully
Examples
- All citizens must abide by the law.
- She promised to abide by the decision of the committee.
- I can’t abide people who are dishonest.
- We must abide by the terms of the contract.
- He could hardly abide the noise coming from the construction site.
- Tourists are expected to abide by local customs.
- I cannot abide waiting in long queues.
- He decided to abide in the small town for the rest of his life.
Synonyms or Related
- obey
- follow
- comply
- tolerate
- endure
Antonym
- disobey
- defy
- resist
- reject