be

Definitions


[biː], (Verb)

Definitions:
- exist
(e.g: there are no easy answers)

- occur; take place
(e.g: the exhibition will be in November)

- having the state, quality, identity, nature, role, etc., specified
(e.g: Amy was 91)

- say
(e.g: last time I saw her she was all ‘You need to quit smoking!’)

- used with a present participle to form continuous tenses
(e.g: they are coming)

- used with a past participle to form the passive voice
(e.g: it was done)

- used to indicate something that is due or destined to happen
(e.g: construction is to begin next summer)

- used with the past participle of intransitive verbs to form perfect tenses
(e.g: I am returned)


Phrases:
- -to-be
- as was
- been and —
- not to be
- the be-all and end-all
- were it not for

Origin:
Old English bēon, an irregular and defective verb, whose full conjugation derives from several originally distinct verbs. The forms am and is are from an Indo-European root shared by Latin sum and est. The forms was and were are from an Indo-European root meaning ‘remain’. The forms be and been are from an Indo-European root shared by Latin fui ‘I was’, fio ‘I become’, and Greek phuein ‘bring forth, cause to grow’. The origin of are is uncertain
Old English bēon, an irregular and defective verb, whose full conjugation derives from several originally distinct verbs. The forms am and is are from an Indo-European root shared by Latin sum and est. The forms was and were are from an Indo-European root meaning ‘remain’. The forms be and been are from an Indo-European root shared by Latin fui ‘I was’, fio ‘I become’, and Greek phuein ‘bring forth, cause to grow’. The origin of are is uncertain


[], (Symbol)

Definitions:
- the chemical element beryllium


Phrases:

Origin:


[], (Abbreviation)

Definitions:
- Bachelor of Education

- Bachelor of Engineering

- bill of exchange


Phrases:

Origin:




definition by Oxford Dictionaries