abide by

abide by

To obey something, usually an established rule. Because Donna refuses to abide by her parents' rules, I worry that she'll be told to move out of their house. If you don't abide by the guidelines set by the review board, you might find yourself disqualified. The school threatens to expel any student who cannot abide by their rules and regulations.

See also: abide, by

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

abide by something

to follow the rules of something; to obey someone's orders. John felt that he had to abide by his father's wishes.

See also: abide, by

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

abide by

Accept and act in accordance with a decision or set of rules; also, remain faithful to. For example, All members must agree to abide by the club regulations, or A trustworthy man abides by his word. An older sense of the verb abide, "remain," is still familiar in the well-known 19th-century hymn "Abide with Me," which asks God to stay with the singer in time of trouble. [Early 1500s]

See also: abide, by

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

abide by

To conform to; comply with: abide by the rules.

See also: abide, by

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.