be

¹ American  

[bee, bee, bi] / bi, bi, bɪ /

verb (used without object)

present singular 1st person

am,

2nd

are,

2nd

art,

3rd

is,

present plural

are,

past singular 1st person

was,

2nd

were,

2nd

wast, wert,

3rd

was,

past plural

were,

present subjunctive

be,

past subjunctive singular 1st person

were,

2nd

were,

2nd

wert,

3rd

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.

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auxiliary verb

present singular 1st person

am,

2nd

are,

2nd

art,

3rd

is,

present plural

are,

past singular 1st person

was,

2nd

were,

2nd

wast, wert,

3rd

was,

past plural

were,

present subjunctive

be,

past subjunctive singular 1st person

were,

2nd

were,

2nd

wert,

3rd

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,

3rd

is,

present plural

are,

past singular 1st person

was,

2nd

were,

past plural

were,

2nd

are,

3rd

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 American  

Symbol, Chemistry.

1. beryllium.

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Bé. ³ American  

abbreviation

1. Baumé.

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B/E ⁴ American  

Or b.e.

1. bill of exchange.

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be- ⁵ American  

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

   become, besiege, bedaub, befriend.

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B.E. ⁶ American  

abbreviation

1. Bachelor of Education.

2. Bachelor of Engineering.

3. Bank of England.

4. bill of exchange.

5. Board of Education.

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be ¹ British  

/ 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

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be- ² British  

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

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BE ³ British  

abbreviation

1. bill of exchange

2. (in the US) Board of Education

3. Bachelor of Education

4. Bachelor of Engineering

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Bé ⁴ British  

abbreviation

1. Baumé

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Be ⁵ British  

symbol

1. beryllium

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B/E ⁶ British  

abbreviation

1. bill of exchange

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be ⁷ British  

abbreviation

1. Belgium

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be Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing be

• let be

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Grammar

See me.

Etymology

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 be-⁵

Middle English, Old English, unstressed form of bī by

Example Sentences

It’s unclear exactly when that “next chapter” began, as rumors that the relationship was on the rocks have been circulating for more than a year.

From Los Angeles Times

Fat Mike, said on the roof of the museum as the sun was setting and the lights of Las Vegas were coming on.

From Los Angeles Times

While the transfer portal closed for most players last Friday, players from Indiana and Miami are allowed to enter through Saturday because of their participation in the national title game.

From Los Angeles Times

If you “stop at a gasoline station, you are committing a crime,” Deputy Solicitor Gen. Sarah Harris told the court.

From Los Angeles Times

The Department of Justice is currently investigating the protest led by civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong.

From Salon