be-
prefix forming verbs and verbal derivatives 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.
[Old English be-, bi-, unstressed variant of bī by]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
be
(bi; unstressed bi, bɪ)
v. and auxiliary v., pres. sing. 1st pers. am, 2nd are, 3rd is, pres. pl. are; past sing. 1st pers. was, 2nd were, 3rd was, past pl. were; pres. subj. be; past subj. sing. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd pers. were; past subj. pl. were; past part. been; pres. part. be•ing. v.i. 1. to exist or live: Shakespeare's “To be or not to be” is the ultimate question.
2. to take place; 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): He is tall. She is president.
7. (used as a copula to introduce or form interrogative or imperative sentences): Is that right? Be quiet!
auxiliary verb. 8. (used with the present participle of another verb to form progressive tenses): I am waiting. We were talking.
9. (used with the infinitive of the principal verb to indicate a command, arrangements, or future action): He is to see me today. You are not to leave before six.
10. (used with the past participle of another verb to form the passive voice): The date was fixed.
11. (used in archaic or literary constructions with some intransitive verbs to form perfect tenses): He is come.
[before 900; Middle English; Old English bēon; akin to Old Frisian, Old High German bim (I) am, Latin fuī (I) have been, Greek phýein to grow, become]
Be
Chem. Symbol. beryllium.
be-
a prefix with the original sense “about,” “around,” “all over,” hence having an intensive and often disparaging force; used as a verb formative (becloud; besiege), and often serving to form transitive verbs from intransitives or from nouns: belabor; befriend; belittle.
[Middle English, Old English, unstressed form of
bī by1]
B.E.
1. Bachelor of Education.
2. Bachelor of Engineering.
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