Usage of "bid"

[Our Tort System]

Hi,

I came across a usage of the word "bid" that went along these lines:

He bid the guests sit down for a meal.

Is this usage natural to a native speaker? Is it too formal or not?

Thanks!
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[HamburgEnglish]

To bid someone to do something is a very formal and polite way to ask someone to do something, or offer someone something.

"he bid the guests to sit down" He asked them to sit down; he offered them a seat.

"I bid you farewell" means I say goodbye, but in the sense of "I offer you my farewell".

To make a bid, or to bid also means to offer an amount of (normally money) such as in the case of an auction. e.g. He bid 20,000 Euro for the car, but still did not get it; someone bid 25,000 Euro and won the bid.

The verb forms are "bid, bid, bid". (you may hear some natives saying bidded. This is not really correct and more a colloquialism of an area; a little like costed; another colloquialism; because the verbs are cost, cost, cost)

Rob
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[Our Tort System]

[Alan]

HI OTS,

There are a couple of points here. I would use the construction 'bid someone do something' but it can be used with 'to'. There is a similarity with 'beg someone to do something' but to me 'bid' is more akin to 'request' and so I wouldn't use 'to'. The other point is that I would use the past form 'bade' rather than 'bid'. This sounds very formal but then using 'bid' in the first place is formal.too.

Alan
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[Our Tort System]

Hi Alan,
Thank you a lot,
Now it's as clear as day!
_________________
If it's not easy, don't do it!
That's how I got where I am.