Definition

1. 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

1. bid on behalf of someone else