Search

goodbye; farewell.
the act of leaving or departing; farewell.
Contemporary Examples

As Sarah Palin prepares to bid Alaska adieu, liberals should hope that she runs for president in 2012.
Run, Sarah, Run! Michelle Goldberg July 22, 2009

But, when Hal is busted for running a Madoff-esque Ponzi scheme, Augie gets wiped out, and Ginger bids him adieu.
Andrew Dice Clay on ‘Blue Jasmine,’ His Alleged Misogyny, and More Marlow Stern July 24, 2013

The shingle recently bid its co-founder and CEO James Schamus adieu, replacing him with FilmDistrict CEO Peter Schlessel.
With Charlie Hunnam Out, Who Will Play Christian Grey in ‘Fifty Shades of Grey?’ Marlow Stern October 12, 2013

Historical Examples

adieu, most distinguished sir, deserving in many ways of my hearty reverence.
Letters of John Calvin, Volume II (of 4) Jules Bonnet

Return—but not to bid her adieu—return to be hers for ever, and only hers.
Tales And Novels, Volume 8 (of 10) Maria Edgeworth

And as we shall see Doodles no more,—or almost no more,—we will now bid him adieu civilly.
The Claverings Anthony Trollope

I say, Frank, give Langley my love; don’t wonder at it now, adieu!
Graham’s Magazine, Vol. XXXII No. 4, April 1848 Various

adieu—Yorkshire arrived in town very gratefull and not entirely dislocated.
Private Letters of Edward Gibbon (1753-1794) Volume 1 (of 2) Edward Gibbon

adieu, my dear sir; may God preserve you, and give you every good thing.
Patrick Henry Moses Coit Tyler

The girl took the note, bade Chrubin adieu and ran off toward Montfermeil.
The Bashful Lover (Novels of Paul de Kock Volume XIX) Charles Paul de Kock

sentence substitute, noun (pl) adieus, adieux (əˈdjuːz; French) (adjø)
goodbye; farewell

late 14c., adewe, from French adieu, from phrase a dieu (vous) commant “I commend (you) to God,” from a “to” (see ad) + dieu “God,” from Latin deum, accusative of deus “god,” from PIE *deiwos (see Zeus). Originally said to the party left; farewell was to the party setting forth.