abide by

English

Pronunciation

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Verb

abide by (third-person singular simple present abides by, present participle abiding by, simple past and past participle abided by or abode by)

1. (transitive) To accept (a decision or law) and act in accordance with it; to conform to (a decision or law); to acquiesce to (a decision or law).

   I don't agree with it, but I'll abide by the decision to give the reward to her.

   The defendent has abided by my ruling in good faith.

2. (transitive) To remain faithful to (something or someone); to adhere to (an idea or plan).

   He may have shown his true colors, but he's supported me for years, so I'll abide by him.

   She has served me loyally, abiding by my rule for almost my entire life.

   • 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC:

     To say the truth , it is often safer to abide by the consequences of the first blunder , than to endeavour to rectify it

Usage notes

Neither of the idiomatic uses allows an object between abide and by.

Synonyms

• to accept a decision and act in accordance with it: acquiesce, conform
• to remain faithful to: stand by, go to the wall for, stick with

Translations

accept a decision or law and act in accordance with it

• Arabic: اِلْتَزَمَ (iltazama)
• Catalan: acatar (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 遵循 (zh) (zūnxún), 遵守 (zh) (zūnshǒu)

• Dutch: zich schikken naar, zich neerleggen bij
• Finnish: noudattaa (fi)
• French: se conformer (fr), obéir à (fr), se soumettre (fr)
• German: einhalten (de), befolgen (de)
• Greek:

  Ancient: μένω (ménō)

• Hungarian: elfogad (hu), követ (hu), betart (hu), aláveti magát
• Italian: conformarsi a, sottostare (it), adeguarsi (it), attenersi
• Japanese: 従う (ja) (したがう, shitagau), 守る (ja) (まもる, mamoru)
• Polish: stosować się
• Portuguese: seguir (pt)
• Russian: соблюда́ть (ru) impf (sobljudátʹ), блюсти́ (ru) impf (bljustí), соблюсти́ (ru) pf (sobljustí)
• Spanish: someterse, acatar (es), atenerse (es)
• Swedish: hålla sig till
• Thai: ยึดมั่นใน (yéut mân nai), ปฏิบัติตาม (bpàdtìbàt dtaam)
• Turkish: uymak (tr)

remain faithful to something or someone

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 忠於 / 忠于 (zh) (zhōngyú), 信守 (zh) (xìnshǒu)

• Dutch: zich houden aan, trouw blijven aan
• Finnish: pitää kiinni, pysyä (fi)
• French: tenir sa promesse (fr), rester fidèle à (fr)
• German: beistehen (de), zur Seite stehen, stehen (de) (with zu), halten (de) (with zu)
• Greek:

  Ancient: ἐμμένω (emménō)

• Hungarian: kitart (mellette), hű/hűséges marad (hozzá)
• Italian: mantenere (it) (a promise), rimanere fedele (remain faithful)
• Russian: остава́ться ве́рным impf (ostavátʹsja vérnym), оста́ться ве́рным pf (ostátʹsja vérnym)
• Spanish: someterse a, adherirse a, observar (es), respaldar (es)
• Turkish: sadık kalmak (tr)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Ido: ^{(please verify)} su sub-misar

Anagrams

• yabbied