Definition

1. Noun (plural):
   • Information or news about recent and important events: The word "tidings" refers to reports, announcements, or pieces of information concerning significant happenings, often carrying a formal or literary tone.

Usage

• "Tidings" is a plural noun, typically used with plural verbs (e.g., "The tidings are good").
• It is most commonly found in formal, literary, or historical contexts. In modern, everyday English, the word "news" is more frequently used.
• It often implies news that is being delivered or announced.

Examples

Advanced Usage

• "Glad tidings": A common phrase meaning good or joyful news.
  • The ambassador spread glad tidings of peace throughout the land.
• "Ill tidings": A literary phrase meaning bad or distressing news.
  • The scout returned with ill tidings of the approaching army.

Variants and Related Words

• Tiding (singular, rare): While "tidings" is almost always plural, the singular form "tiding" is very rarely used to refer to a single piece of news.
  • A tiding of great joy. (This usage is archaic and primarily found in fixed phrases like the Christmas carol lyric.)

Synonyms

• News: The most common modern synonym.
• Information: A more general term for facts or details.
• Intelligence: Often used for important or secret information, especially of a strategic nature.
• Word: Informal, as in "Send word when you arrive."

Idioms and Phrases

• "To bear tidings": To carry or deliver news.
  • He was chosen to bear the tidings to the council.

Noun

1. information about recent and important events
   • they awaited news of the outcome