be

¹

[bee, bee, bi]

verb (used without object)

present-singular-1st-person

am ,

second-person

are ,

second-person

art ,

third-person

is ,

present-plural

are ,

past-singular-1st-person

was ,

second-person

were ,

second-person

wast, wert ,

third-person

was ,

past-plural

were ,

present-subjunctive

be ,

past-subjunctive-singular-1st-person

were ,

second-person

were ,

second-person

wert ,

third-person

were ,

past-subjunctive-plural

were ,

past-participle

been ,

present-participle

being .

1. to exist or live.

   Shakespeare's “To be or not to be” is the ultimate question.

2. to take place; happen; occur.

   The wedding was last week.

3. to occupy a place or position.

   The book is on the table.

4. to continue or remain as before.

   Let things be.

5. to belong; attend; befall.

   May good fortune be with you.

6. (used as a copula to connect the subject with its predicate adjective, or predicate nominative, in order to describe, identify, or amplify the subject).

   Martha is tall. John is president. This is she.

7. (used as a copula to introduce or form interrogative or imperative sentences).

   Is that right? Be quiet! Don't be facetious.

auxiliary verb

present-singular-1st-person

am ,

second-person

are ,

second-person

art ,

third-person

is ,

present-plural

are ,

past-singular-1st-person

was ,

second-person

were ,

second-person

wast, wert ,

third-person

was ,

past-plural

were ,

present-subjunctive

be ,

past-subjunctive-singular-1st-person

were ,

second-person

were ,

second-person

wert ,

third-person

were ,

past-subjunctive-plural

were ,

past-participle

been ,

present-participle

being .

1. (used with the present participle of another verb to form the progressive tense).

   I am waiting.

2. (used with the present participle or infinitive of the principal verb to indicate future action).

   She is visiting there next week. He is to see me today.

3. (used with the past participle of another verb to form the passive voice).

   The date was fixed. It must be done.

4. (used in archaic or literary constructions with some intransitive verbs to form the perfect tense).

   He is come. Agamemnon to the wars is gone.

verb (used with object)

present-singular-1st-person

am ,

third-person

is ,

present-plural

are ,

past-singular-1st-person

was ,

second-person

were ,

past-plural

were ,

second-person

are ,

third-person

was .

1. Informal.,  to say, declare, think, or feel (usually used to introduce reported speech or thought).

   So I'm walking down my street yesterday, and I'm “Why is there a crowd in front of my house?”

Be

²

Symbol, Chemistry.

1. beryllium.

Bé.

³

abbreviation

1. Baumé.

B/E

⁴

Or b.e.

1. bill of exchange.

be-

⁵

1. a native English prefix formerly used in the formation of verbs.

   become, besiege, bedaub, befriend.

B.E.

⁶

abbreviation

1. Bachelor of Education.

2. Bachelor of Engineering.

3. Bank of England.

4. bill of exchange.

5. Board of Education.

be

¹

/ biː, bɪ /

verb

1. to have presence in the realm of perceived reality; exist; live

   I think, therefore I am

   not all that is can be understood

2. (used in the perfect or past perfect tenses only) to pay a visit; go

   have you been to Spain?

3. to take place; occur

   my birthday was last Thursday

4. (copula) used as a linking verb between the subject of a sentence and its noun or adjective complement or complementing phrase. In this case be expresses the relationship of either essential or incidental equivalence or identity ( John is a man; John is a musician ) or specifies an essential or incidental attribute ( honey is sweet; Susan is angry ). It is also used with an adverbial complement to indicate a relationship of location in space or time ( Bill is at the office; the dance is on Saturday )

5. (takes a present participle) forms the progressive present tense

   the man is running

6. (takes a past participle) forms the passive voice of all transitive verbs and (archaically) certain intransitive ones

   a good film is being shown on television tonight

   I am done

7. (takes an infinitive) expresses intention, expectation, supposition, or obligation

   the president is to arrive at 9.30

   you are not to leave before I say so

8. (takes a past participle) forms the perfect or past perfect tense of certain intransitive verbs of motion, such as go or come

   the last train is gone

9. the facts concerning (something) are of no importance

be-

²

prefix

1. (from nouns) to surround completely; cover on all sides

   befog

2. (from nouns) to affect completely or excessively

   bedazzle

3. (from nouns) to consider as or cause to be

   befool

   befriend

4. (from nouns) to provide or cover with

   bejewel

5. (from verbs) at, for, against, on, or over

   bewail

   berate

BE

³

abbreviation

1. bill of exchange

2. (in the US) Board of Education

3. Bachelor of Education

4. Bachelor of Engineering

Bé

⁴

abbreviation

1. Baumé

Be

⁵

symbol

1. beryllium

B/E

⁶

abbreviation

1. bill of exchange

be

⁷

abbreviation

1. Belgium

Grammar Note

See me.

Word History and Origins

Origin of be¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English been, Old English bēon “to be” (akin to Old Frisian, Old High German bim, German bin, Old Saxon bium, biom “(I) am,” Old English, Old High German, Old Saxon būan, Old Norse būa “reside,” Latin fuī “(I) have been,“ Greek phy- “grow, become,” Old Irish boí “(he) was,” Sanskrit bhávati “(he) becomes, is,” Lithuanian búti “to be,” Old Church Slavonic byti, Persian būdan “to be”); am, is, are ¹, was, were

Origin of be²

Middle English, Old English, unstressed form of bī by

Word History and Origins

Origin of be¹

Old English bēon ; related to Old High German bim am, Latin fui I have been, Greek phuein to bring forth, Sanskrit bhavati he is

Origin of be²

Old English be- , bi- , unstressed variant of bī _by

Idioms and Phrases

• let be

Example Sentences

An Orange County woman faces five felony charges after she was accused of paw-litical fraud by registering her dog to vote and illegally casting ballots for the pooch in two elections, authorities said.

From Los Angeles Times

Approximately 1,800 firefighters have been battling the blaze, some laying down sprinkler line to shoot water onto the hulking trees, which can grow beyond 300 feet tall.

From Los Angeles Times

The full-time content creator was en route to Oxford when he parked up at Wollaton Park on 28 August.

From BBC

He has agreed to sell what he claims to be THC vape liquids to a schoolgirl – an illegal substance which is the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis.

From BBC

In the past the CDC has been instrumental in global health, leading the response to crises from famine, to HIV, to Ebola.

From BBC