Main Entry:

be

Pronunciation:

\ˈbē\

Function:

verb

Inflected Form(s):

past 1st & 3d singular was \ˈwəz, ˈwäz\ ; 2d singular were \ˈwər\ ; plural were; past subjunctive were; past participle been \ˈbin, ˈben, chiefly British ˈbēn\ ; present participle be·ing \ˈbē(-i)ŋ\ ; present 1st singular am \əm, ˈam\ ; 2d singular are \ˈär, ər\ ; 3d singular is \ˈiz, əz\ ; plural are; present subjunctive be

Etymology:

Middle English, from Old English bēon; akin to Old High German bim am, Latin fui I have been, futurus about to be, fieri to become, be done, Greek phynai to be born, be by nature, phyein to produce

Date:

before 12th century

intransitive verb1 a: to equal in meaning : have the same connotation as : symbolize <God is love> <January is the first month> <let x be 10> b: to have identity with <the first person I met was my brother> c: to constitute the same class as d: to have a specified qualification or characterization <the leaves are green> e: to belong to the class of <the fish is a trout> —used regularly in senses 1a through 1e as the copula of simple predication2 a: to have an objective existence : have reality or actuality : live <I think, therefore I am> b: to have, maintain, or occupy a place, situation, or position <the book is on the table> c: to remain unmolested, undisturbed, or uninterrupted —used only in infinitive form <let him be> d: to take place : occur <the concert was last night> e: to come or go <has already been and gone> <has never been to the circus> farchaic : belong, befallverbal auxiliary1—used with the past participle of transitive verbs as a passive-voice auxiliary <the money was found><the house is being built>2—used as the auxiliary of the present participle in progressive tenses expressing continuous action <he is reading><I have been sleeping>3—used with the past participle of some intransitive verbs as an auxiliary forming archaic perfect tenses <Christ is risen from the dead — 1 Corinthians 15:20(Douay Version)>4—used with the infinitive with to to express futurity, arrangement in advance, or obligation <I am to interview him today><she was to become famous>