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1. FINANCE to offer to pay a particular price for something such as goods, property, or bonds:
bid (something) for something
• He bid £69,000 at Sotheby's for an 18th century wine glass.
2. FINANCE to offer to buy a large number of shares in a company and so take over the company:
bid (something) for something
• The company is bidding 910p a share for control of AB Ports, in a deal worth an estimated £2.8 billion.
3. COMMERCE to offer to do work or provide services for a fixed price, in competition with others:
bid (something) for something
• Investors have bid a record amount of cash for Venezuela's oil operating licences.
• The government has invited companies to bid for gas exploration rights in the west of the country.
— bidder noun [countable] :
• bidders for the franchises
— bidding noun [uncountable] :
• The painting made $14 million in frenzied bidding at Christie's.
if people bid up a price, they cause it to increase because of the competition between them in bidding:
• Investors have bid up the company's shares about 25%, despite disappointing operating results.
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bidder UK US /ˈbɪdər/ noun [C]
► a company or person that offers to pay a particular amount of money to buy something: bidder for sth »
Nestle has been cited as a potential bidder for these businesses.
► a company or organization that offers to do work for a particular price: bidder for/on sth »
There have been several bidders on this project.
Financial and business terms. 2012.