betide

Woe betide the philistine who requests a salt shaker or asks that a meticulously prepared dish be spice-bombed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

A certain life was expected for you, and woe betide you if you went outside of that.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 23, 2024

Woe betide the grounds passholder who shows up at the “wrong” entrance; you may be made to walk several blocks, though several on Monday attempted to argue with U.N. police.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 19, 2022

"Woe betide you if you were a preacher and you misquoted," Lord Sentamu says.

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2022

Etymologically, “invective” is a cavalry charge, and when Cicero hit a gallop, woe betide whoever was in the way.

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith

But I have to wonder if, whatever betides, I can stay upbeat in spirit.

From The New Yorker ● Dec. 16, 2019

It fails to mention Ogden Nash's "One rule which woe betides the banker who fails to heed it,/ Which is you must never lend any money to anybody unless they don't need it."

From Time Magazine Archive

Let it content thee, Sister, seeing me More happy than betides mortality.

From Endymion A Poetic Romance by John Keats

When this odd gesture betides them, they are scratching themselves with one foot, and thus lose the center of gravity.

From School Reading by Grades Sixth Year by James Baldwin

Soon her song is waken'd; "Woe! woe! betides us, Friend from friend divided, Bird from forest banish'd!"

From An Anthology of Jugoslav Poetry; Serbian Lyrics by Various

Betide, p.t. betided; p.p. betid; to happen, come to pass, e.g.

From The Story of Sigurd the Volsung by Winifred Turner

But first Ile tel you what betided me after I was brought to Doctour Zacharies.

From The Vnfortunate Traveller, or The Life Of Jack Wilton With An Essay On The Life And Writings Of Thomas Nash By Edmund Gosse by Edmund Gosse

So be of good cheer and tell us what hath betided thee from him.

From The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Volume III by John Payne

Now it betided,   Heaven's gate being partly open, that there glided A fair dream forth, and hovered o'er his sleep.

From Poems by Victor Hugo

For the love of her, afflicted, as I am, I have become; All      that's fallen on me betided from the evil eye, perdie.

From The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Volume IV by John Payne

There was an Ark with scrolls of the Law in the room, betiding a piety and a purse beyond the normal.

From Ghetto Comedies by Israel Zangwill

With no thought of ill betiding, "Thus," we said, "life's years shall be For us twain a river gliding To a calm, eternal sea."

From The Argosy Vol. 51, No. 4, April, 1891 by Charles W. Wood

Betide, betided or betid, betiding, betided or betid.

From The Grammar of English Grammars by Goold Brown

I will come anon and learn what is betiding.

From The Sign of the Red Cross by Evelyn Everett-Green

O I know the Hand that is guiding me Through the shadow to the light; And I know that all betiding me Is meted out aright.

From Poems with Power to Strengthen the Soul by James Mudge