be
verb (used without object)
to exist or live.
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be
1 American
[bee, bi]
/ bi, bɪ /
verb (used without object)
-
am,
present (1st person singular)
-
are,
present (2nd person singular), present (plural)
-
is,
present (3rd person singular)
-
was,
past (1st person), past (1st & 3rd person singular)
-
were,
past (2nd person singular), past (plural), past subjunctive
-
been,
past participle
-
being
present participle
-
to exist or live.
Shakespeare's “To be or not to be” is the ultimate question.
-
to take place; happen; occur.
The wedding was last week.
-
to occupy a place or position.
The book is on the table.
-
to continue or remain as before.
Let things be.
-
to belong; attend; befall.
May good fortune be with you.
-
(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.
-
(used as a copula to introduce or form interrogative or imperative sentences).
Is that right? Be quiet! Don't be facetious.
auxiliary verb
-
am,
present (1st person singular)
-
are,
present (2nd person singular), present (plural)
-
is,
present (3rd person singular)
-
was,
past (1st person), past (1st & 3rd person singular)
-
were,
past (2nd person singular), past (plural), past subjunctive, past (2nd person singular), past (plural)
-
been,
past participle
-
being
present participle
-
(used with the present participle of another verb to form the progressive tense).
I am waiting.
-
(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.
-
(used with the past participle of another verb to form the passive voice).
The date was fixed. It must be done.
-
(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)
-
am,
present (1st person singular)
-
are,
present (plural), present (2nd person singular)
-
is,
present (3rd person singular)
-
was,
past (1st person), past (1st & 3rd person singular)
-
were
past (2nd person singular), past (plural)
Be
2
American
Symbol, Chemistry.
Bé.
3
American
abbreviation
B/E
4
American
Or
b.e.
be-
5
American
B.E.
6
American
abbreviation
-
Bachelor of Education.
-
Bachelor of Engineering.
-
Bank of England.
-
bill of exchange.
-
Board of Education.
be
1
British
/ biː, bɪ /
verb
-
to have presence in the realm of perceived reality; exist; live
I think, therefore I am
not all that is can be understood
-
(used in the perfect or past perfect tenses only) to pay a visit; go
have you been to Spain?
-
to take place; occur
my birthday was last Thursday
-
(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 )
-
(takes a present participle) forms the progressive present tense
the man is running
-
(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
-
(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
-
(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
-
the facts concerning (something) are of no importance
be-
2
British
prefix
-
(from nouns) to surround completely; cover on all sides
befog
-
(from nouns) to affect completely or excessively
bedazzle
-
(from nouns) to consider as or cause to be
befool
befriend
-
(from nouns) to provide or cover with
bejewel
-
(from verbs) at, for, against, on, or over
bewail
berate
BE
3
British
abbreviation
-
bill of exchange
-
(in the US) Board of Education
-
Bachelor of Education
-
Bachelor of Engineering
Bé
4
British
abbreviation
Be
5
British
symbol
B/E
6
British
abbreviation
be
7
British
abbreviation
be
Idioms
Grammar
See me.
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
amsimple
-
aresimple
-
issimple
-
have beenperfect
-
has beenperfect
-
am beingprogressive
-
are beingprogressive
-
is beingprogressive
-
have been beingperfect progressive
-
has been beingperfect progressive
Past
-
wassimple
-
weresimple
-
had beenperfect
-
was beingprogressive
-
were beingprogressive
-
had been beingperfect progressive
Future
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”); see am, is, are 1, was, were
Origin of be-5
Middle English, Old English, unstressed form of bī by
Explanation
To be is to exist, or to take place. As Hamlet best put it: "To be or not to be, that is the question." The verb be is one of the most frequently used words in English, and it often takes the form of am, are, were, or was. When you make plans to meet someone later, you could say, "I'll be on the steps in front of the library," and when you talk about your goals, you might confess, "I want to be a movie star." It's a verb with a complicated history, stemming mainly from the Old English bēon, "be, exist, or happen."
Vocabulary lists containing be
Scrabble: Two-Letter Words
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Spelling Practice, Unit 8
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Spelling Practice 1, Unit 3
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The Brewers haven’t appeared in the World Series in 44 years, and owner Mark Attanasio said nervous fans already are wondering whether their next appearance will be 44 years away.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
Yet there seems to be no close end to the war.
From Salon ● Oct. 23, 2026
She said fitness apps have added a competitive element to "inform and advise" people in a way that could not be done a decade ago, but this can lead to compulsive behaviour disorder.
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026
The Milwaukee Brewers should be L.A.’s team in this World Series because their players and ownership are heavily invested in Southern California.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
There could be something useful in how the soldiers appear, she thinks.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
The "Be Ready" campaign encourages households to stock up on supplies to survive for three days, including non-perishable food, bottled water, a torch, sleeping bags, and first aid items.
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026
“Be humble. Be a good teammate. Be a leader, not a follower,” JT said when asked what he tells Christian and Weston.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 21, 2026
Be generous with napkins, too, and pro tip: tuck a bus tub — which you can buy online or from a restaurant supply store — somewhere discreet for used dishes.
From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026
Be wary of calling the number back or answering calls from unknown numbers.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 19, 2026
“In the shed. Be back in a sec.”
From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz
Such experiments may be done, for instance, by preparing 2° Bé. solutions of each extract and then mixing them in proportions of, say, 10:90, 20:80, 30:70, etc.
From Synthetic Tannins by Georg Grasser
The partly neutralised 2° Bé. solution of this product yielded a reddish-grey coloured leather, the qualities of which were very similar to that yielded by Neradol D. 3.
From Synthetic Tannins by Georg Grasser
The solution is then evaporated, the residue dissolved in 600 c.c. hot water, and the chromium precipitated with a 40° Bé. solution of caustic soda.
From Synthetic Tannins by Georg Grasser
Above 10° Bé. the effect is more that of an acid with concentrations below 10° Bé.—the only ones of technical importance—however, no ill-effects may be observed.
From Synthetic Tannins by Georg Grasser
Neradol D is a viscous liquid, measuring about 33° Bé., which is similar to extracts of natural tannins.
From Synthetic Tannins by Georg Grasser
Khoury’s father, Amin J. Khoury, founded Wellington, Florida-based B/E Aerospace, an aircraft cabin interiors maker that was bought in 2017 for more than $6 billion.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 6, 2022
Rockwell Collins, a longtime supplier of radio and flight displays to Boeing, last year bought B/E Aerospace, the largest cabin-equipment supplier.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 16, 2018
He declined to reveal lavatory dimensions and added, in an email, that “there is currently only one supplier for lavs across all models of the 737 — B/E Aerospace.”
From New York Times ● Dec. 23, 2016
Numerous phone calls requesting an interview with executives from B/E Aerospace, which has its headquarters in Wellington, Fla., were not returned.
From New York Times ● Dec. 23, 2016
"B/E Aerospace may also guide below consensus," Stallard said.
From Reuters ● Oct. 18, 2010
What rotten luck for you that “The Grapes of Wrath” should not only have come out be- fore your book was submitted but should have so swept the country!
From Salon ● Oct. 15, 2024
Offering participants a discreet way to alert the moderator to their discomfort- for example by giving them remote buttons they can use to 'bring the researcher in' if need be- may be effective.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 15, 2023
Buteglute has given him his chance to be- to be- the most famous-ah- to do a good thing.
From Scientific American ● Apr. 20, 2023
My original encounter from the store got in line for her pic next, then be- came the photographer for the rest of the meet-and-greet.
From The Guardian ● Sep. 22, 2019
The words be- come an undercurrent in my life, like music that sticks in your head, a constant background to every thought.
From "The Queen of Water" by Laura Resau
Earlier Sergei Aksyonov, the Russian-installed head of Crimea, said air defence systems had been in action around a Kerch shipyard named after B.E.
From Reuters ● Nov. 4, 2023
"It was back in 2019 and I was sitting in my box room at home, quietly sulking and downloading application forms for jobs in PR," said the 48-year-old, who writes under the pen name B.E.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2023
The thriller is adapted from a book of the same name by B.E.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 14, 2023
It also features five commissions from the WNO: Atlanta composer B.E.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 12, 2022
Instead it was his father who did the talking, saying that the man had gone to St. Xavier’s, and then B.E.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
Dutch supplier of semiconductor assembly equipment BE Semiconductor Industries is up 2.2%.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026
BE Semiconductor Industries, the Dutch supplier of semiconductor assembly equipment, is down 0.1%.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026
BE Semiconductor shares trade 5.8% lower at 180.85 euros.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
YOU HAD TO BE HERE: A local activist hung a “Save Bosnia” sign in the stands during the opening game here between Mexico and Norway.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 1994
The company history is right below the slogan: DON’T BE A FINK!
From "The Million Dollar Shot" by Dan Gutman
Bé Ù, a Vietnamese restaurant in Virgil Village, will be open Friday, but owner Uyên Lê said that’s because she does her community organizing work through the business.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 29, 2026
Bé Ù offered free meals in exchange for Huy Fong Sriracha sauce, and it got around 300 bottles during the promotion.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2023
Last summer, Uyên Lê, owner and chef at Bé Ù Vietnamese Street Food in East Hollywood, was scraping out her Sriracha bottles and trying to ration her supply.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2023
Opened last year, Le Grand Bé is a big, splashy, four-star addition to St-Malo’s historical walled center.
From New York Times ● Aug. 22, 2019
The same result was obtained on adding sufficient sodium sulphate to the above mixture of phenolsulphonic acid and formaldehyde to raise the density from 2º-3º Bé.
From Synthetic Tannins by Georg Grasser
"Should I wear this? How will that look? How am I going to be perceived? Will I be judged?," she told BBC Scotland News.
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026
“So if anything we should be cautious in discounting the threats. I am not sure their capabilities are diminished.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
Is it possible to do something similar now that I am retired?
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 23, 2026
"The resignation is for personal reasons, and results from errors of judgement made by me in the past, for which I am taking responsibility," Air Marshal Tony Davies said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2026
I am sure it was because of all the hullabaloo the crowd was making that Marlene was becoming a little unsettled.
From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo
The four reports are the only that occurred on Catalina of the 478 files released thus far.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
Dafydd encouraged people to seek help if its starts to become an unhealthy relationship to ensure you are "channelling your energy in the right way".
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026
Similar increases are likely in the next five years if AI actually delivers.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 23, 2026
The Milwaukee Brewers should be L.A.’s team in this World Series because their players and ownership are heavily invested in Southern California.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
The Jesuits are widely known for their focus on social justice and human rights, as well as a devotion to theology, missionary work, and education.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
“It’s the worst thing anyone could accuse me of. ... I have no idea why Tom is trying to destroy me with these lies.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
None of this is predicted to change the cost of oil any time soon, according to experts.
From Salon ● Oct. 23, 2026
"A lot of men think talking about how they feel is a sign of weakness, and I admit I did feel a bit ashamed at first," he said.
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026
A new website housing documents the Pentagon is releasing on UFOs has a retro feel, with black-and-white military imagery of flying objects displayed prominently and statements in typewriter-like font.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
But Joey is willing to break the rules to advocate for herself and other people with leprosy.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
The report said the object was seen “remaining stationary, then moving northwest toward Los Angeles over approximately 10 minutes.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
The reports out of Catalina began about two years after the infamous crash in Roswell, N.M., where the government maintains it recovered a weather balloon, but skeptics say it was a UFO.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
His first recurring role was on “The Little People,” also known as “The Brian Keith Show,” where he played a student doctor named Ronnie Collins.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
But I was met with dismissive answers and no action.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
She was instrumental in establishing the Girl Scouts of the Philippines.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
When the Astros’ team buses arrived at Dodger Stadium for games during the pandemic season of 2020, when ballparks were closed to the public, Dodgers fans gathered outside to boo.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
So we’re basically back to where things were before the fighting started.
From Salon ● Oct. 23, 2026
Supt Andy Barclay, deputy head of road policing for Police Scotland, warned drivers that conditions may be hazardous and urged them to consider whether journeys were "really necessary" over the weekend.
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026
“If they were disappointing, the economy could slow more sharply.”
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 23, 2026
When the Japanese military took control of all media in the Philippines, Filipinos lost access to objective news sources and were left only with propaganda.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
The Pentagon has been working on declassifying documents related to UFOs for years, and Congress created an office in 2022 for that purpose.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
He has been in training for the The Marathon Eryri, formerly the Snowdonia Marathon, but with a very different outlook.
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026
The secret sauce of the economy has been an explosion in business investment.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 23, 2026
Tech stock losses cooled, but concerns about high costs and barriers to AI growth haven’t been completely assuaged.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
And it seems to have been worth it—that girl is eating it up.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
It appears that the image was only used as the team’s profile pic briefly before being replaced by one featuring a side view of the throwback helmet.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
Milei is yet to respond to news of the case being dropped.
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026
“But the health of the overall equity market and the health of the U.S. economy relies vitally on the artificial-intelligence industry being successful.”
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 23, 2026
And concerns are being compounded by anemic growth.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
"You make me very proud. You are capable of being a good governor, not of one but of many islands."
From "Adventures of Don Quixote" by Argentina Palacios
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
