by-bid
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To bid on behalf of someone else: The act of placing a bid in an auction or sale for the benefit or account of another person, not for oneself.
Usage
- The verb "by-bid" is used specifically in the context of auctions or competitive bidding processes. It describes a situation where an individual acts as an agent, placing bids on behalf of a principal party who is the actual intended buyer. This action implies a formal or understood agency relationship.
Examples
- Verb:
- The agent was authorized to by-bid for the anonymous collector at the art auction.
- To avoid driving up the price himself, he asked a friend to by-bid on the vintage car for him.
Advanced Usage
- Legal and Ethical Context: In many auction settings, "by-bidding" (the act of a by-bid) may be subject to specific regulations. It can be a legitimate practice when disclosed, but undisclosed by-bidding to artificially inflate prices can be considered fraudulent, known as "shill bidding."
- The auction house requires full disclosure if you intend to by-bid for another party.
Variants and Related Words
- By-bidder (noun): A person who places a bid on behalf of someone else.
- The by-bidder successfully secured the painting for his client.
- Bid (verb/noun): The core action of offering a price.
- Proxy Bid (noun): A related concept, often an automated system that bids on a bidder's behalf up to a maximum limit.
Synonyms
- Bid as an agent: To bid while formally representing another.
- Bid on behalf of: A more common phrasal alternative describing the same action.
Related Phrasal Verbs/Constructions
- To bid for someone: While similar, this phrase can be ambiguous and may simply mean bidding to obtain something someone as a gift, not necessarily as their formal agent in the bidding process. "By-bid" is more precise in indicating the agency role.
- Compare: I will bid for that vase for you (likely meaning "to get it for you") vs. I will by-bid for you (meaning "I will act as your bidding agent").
Notes
- "By-bid" is a specialized term primarily used within auction and legal commerce contexts. It is not a common word in everyday conversation. The prefix "by-" here indicates a secondary or indirect capacity, similar to its use in words like "bypass" or "byproduct."
Verb
- bid on behalf of someone else