Also 1–4 bod, 6 boad. [Com. Teut.: OE. bod (chiefly northern for ʓebod; cf. bebod), neuter = OFris. bod, OS. gibod (Du. gebod), OHG. gabot, (mod.G. gebot, bot), ON. boð (Sw., Da. bud):—OTeut. *gabodo(m, f. bod- pa. ppl. stem of beudan to offer, etc., see BID v.]
† 1. Command, order, behest. Obs.
a. 1000. Hymns, vii. 109 (Gr.). We … þíne bodu bræcon.
c. 1205. Lay., 30121. Þat bod wes ihalden.
c. 1340. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 852. Þere were boun at his bode burnez in-noȝe.
† 2. Message, tidings. Obs.
c. 1205. Lay., 27999. He brohte boden swiðe gode.
c. 1330. Arth. & Merl., 2046. A bod com fram the sarrazin.
c. 1450. Lonelich, Grail, xliv. 340. Thanne cam he to þe messengers … and of here bode ȝaf hem answeryng.
1637. Rutherford, Lett., clxxvii. (1862), I. 419. His bode is ever welcome to me, be what it will.
† 3. Premonition, omen, augary. Obs.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Parl. Foules, 343. The owl eke, that of death the bode ybringeth.
1613. Purchas, Pilgr., I. iii. xvii. 285. It was a good bode and happie presage.
1632. Shirley, Love in Maze, Epil. If no fate Have an unlucky bode.
4. Presentiment, foreboding. arch.
1587. Fleming, Contn. Holinshed, III. 1338/1. With better boad of lucke and lot, receive thou now the same.
1852. Heavysege, Saul (1869), 214. Down black bodes, false flies.
5. An offer of a price, a bid. Still in north. dial.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 213. Þe beggere [= buyer] ecneð his bode.
1394. P. Pl. Crede, 716. [Friars] bene at lone and at bode As burgeses vsithe.
1790. Burns, Lett., 62. I refused fifty-five shillings for her, which was the highest bode I could squeeze.
1816. Scott, Antiq., xxxix. ‘Ye should never tak a fish-wife’s first bode.’
1853. Reade, Chr. Johnstone, 63. Half-a-crown was his first bode.
† 6. ? Prayer, petition. Obs. cf. BEDE.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 65. Wenne scal þos bode [v.r. beode] us god don.
