Definition of "abide by"

abide by

verb
third-person singular simple present abides by, present participle abiding by, simple past and past participle abided by or abode by
1. (transitive) To accept (a decision or law) and act in accordance with it; to conform to (a decision or law); to acquiesce to (a decision or law).
2. (transitive) To remain faithful to (something or someone); to adhere to (an idea or plan).
  Quotations
  To say the truth , it is often safer to abide by the consequences of the first blunder , than to endeavour to rectify it
  1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volumes (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […]