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be
be / bē/ • v. (sing. present am / am/ ; are / är/ ; is / iz/ ; pl. present are; 1st and 3rd sing. past was / wəz; wäz/ ; 2nd sing. past and pl. past were / wər/ ; present subjunctive be ; past subjunctive were; present part. be·ing / ˈbēing/ ; past part. been / bin/ ) 1. (usu. there is/are) exist: there are no easy answers. ∎ be present: there is a boy sitting on the step. 2. occur; take place: the exhibition will be in November that was before the war. ∎ occupy a position in space: the Salvation Army store was on his left. ∎ stay in the same place or condition: she was here until about ten-thirty he's a tough customer—let him be. ∎ attend: the days when she was in school. ∎ come; go; visit: he's from Missouri I have just been to Thailand. 3. having the state, quality, identity, nature, role, etc., specified: Amy was 91 the floor was uneven I want to be a teacher father was not well his hair's brown it will be Christmas soon “Be careful,” Mr. Carter said. ∎ cost: the tickets were $25. ∎ amount to: one and one is two. ∎ represent: let A be a square matrix of order n. ∎ signify: we were everything to each other. ∎ consist of; constitute: the monastery was several three-story buildings. • aux. v. 1. used with a present participle to form continuous tenses: they are coming. she will be waiting. 2. used with a past participle to form the passive mood: it was done. 3. used to indicate something due to happen: construction is to begin next summer. ∎ used to express obligation or necessity: you are to follow these orders. ∎ used to express possibility: these snakes are to be found in North America. ∎ used to hypothesize about something that might happen: if I were to lose. PHRASES: the be-all and end-all inf. a feature of an activity or a way of life that is of greater importance than any other. be oneself act naturally, according to one's character and instincts. be that as it maysee may1 . be there for someone be available to support or comfort someone while they are experiencing difficulties or adversities. not be oneself not feel well. -to-be [in comb.] of the future: my bride-to-be.PHRASAL VERBS: be aboutsee about. be off go away; leave: he was anxious to be off. |
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"be." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "be." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-be010.html "be." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-be010.html |
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be
be Forms: pres. ind. am; (arch. and dial.) art; is; pl. are, (arch. and dial.) be; past ind. was, pl. were; pres. subj. be; past subj. were; pp. been. The forms are derived from four bases as follows.
A. IE. *es-, *s-. 1st pers. sg. OE. (e)am, eom, corr. to ON. em, Goth. im, Gr. eimí, Skr. ásmi :- IE. *ésmi. 3rd pers. sg. OE. is = OS., (O)HG., Goth. ist, ON. er, L. est, Gr. estí, Skr. ásti :- IE. *ésti. pl. OE. sind(on) = OS. sind(an), OHG. sint (G. sind), Goth. sind, L. sunt, Gr. eisí, Skr. sánti :- IE. *sénti. pres. subj. OE. sīe, pl. sīen = OS., OHG. sī, sīn (G. sei, seien), L. siēm, sim, Gr. eíēn, Skr. syā́t :- IE. *s(i)jḗm, *s(i)jénti. B. Gmc. *ar- (:- *or-), of unkn. orig. 2nd pers. sg. OE. eart, pl. (e)ar on. C. IE. *bheu-, *bhū-, 1st pers. sg. OE. bēo(m) = OS. bium, OHG. bim (G. bin), corr. to L. fīo I become, rel. to fuī I was, Gr. phúein bring forth, cause to grow, Skr. bhávati becomes, is. The orig. meaning of this base is ‘grow’; the derived sense ‘become’ led to its adoption as an element in the paradigm of the verb ‘be’, esp. for expressing the future. D. IE. *wes-. inf. OE. wesan = OS., OHG. wesan, ON. vera, Goth. wisan, rel. to Skr. vásati dwells, remains. The orig. meaning is ‘dwell, remain’, and the use of this base is therefore appropriate to the imper. (OE. wes, pl. wesaǒ) and the past (OE. 1st and 3rd sg. wæs, 2nd sg. wære, pl. wæron), in which latter alone it remains. |
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T. F. HOAD. "be." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "be." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-be.html T. F. HOAD. "be." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-be.html |
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BE
BE • abbr. ∎ Bachelor of Education. ∎ Bachelor of Engineering. ∎ bill of exchange. ∎ Black English. |
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"BE." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "BE." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-be.html "BE." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-be.html |
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Be
Be • symb. the chemical element beryllium. |
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Cite this article
"Be." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Be." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-be005.html "Be." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-be005.html |
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Be
Be symbol for the element beryllium . |
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Cite this article
"Be." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Be." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Be.html "Be." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Be.html |
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Be
Be (Ger.). The flat sign (♭).
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Cite this article
MICHAEL KENNEDY and JOYCE BOURNE. "Be." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MICHAEL KENNEDY and JOYCE BOURNE. "Be." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O76-Be.html MICHAEL KENNEDY and JOYCE BOURNE. "Be." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music. 1996. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O76-Be.html |
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be
be
•absentee, addressee, adoptee, agree, allottee, amputee, appellee, appointee, appraisee, après-ski, assignee, attendee, bailee, bain-marie, Bangui, bargee, bawbee, be, Bea, bee, bootee, bouquet garni, bourgeoisie, Brie, BSc, buckshee, Capri, cc, chimpanzee, cohabitee, conferee, consignee, consultee, Cree, debauchee, decree, dedicatee, Dee, degree, deportee, dernier cri, detainee, devisee, devotee, divorcee, draftee, dree, Dundee, dungaree, eau-de-vie, emcee, employee, endorsee, en famille, ennui, enrollee, escapee, esprit, evacuee, examinee, expellee, fee, fiddle-de-dee, flea, flee, fleur-de-lis, foresee, franchisee, free, fusee (US fuzee), Gardaí, garnishee, gee, ghee, glee, goatee, grandee, Grand Prix, grantee, Guarani, guarantee, he, indictee, inductee, internee, interviewee, invitee, jamboree, Jaycee, jeu d'esprit, key, knee, Lea, lee, legatee, Leigh, lessee, Ley, licensee, loanee, lychee, manatee, Manichee, maquis, Marie, marquee, me, Midi, mortgagee, MSc, nominee, obligee, Otomi, parolee, Parsee, parti pris, patentee, Pawnee, payee, pea, pee, permittee, plc, plea, pledgee, pollee, presentee, promisee, quay, ratatouille, referee, refugee, releasee, repartee, retiree, returnee, rupee, scot-free, scree, sea, secondee, see, settee, Shanxi, Shawnee, shchi, she, shea, si, sirree, ski, spree, standee, suttee, tant pis, tea, tee, tee-hee, Tennessee, testee, the, thee, three, thuggee, Tiree, Torquay, trainee, Tralee, transferee, tree, Trincomalee, trustee, tutee, twee, Twi, undersea, vestee, vis-à-vis, wagon-lit, Waikiki, warrantee, we, wee, whee, whoopee, ye, yippee, Zuider Zee
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Cite this article
"be." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "be." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-be.html "be." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-be.html |
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Bé
Bé Baumé (temperature scale)
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Cite this article
FRAN ALEXANDER , PETER BLAIR , JOHN DAINTITH , ALICE GRANDISON , VALERIE ILLINGWORTH , ELIZABETH MARTIN , ANNE STIBBS , JUDY PEARSALL , and SARA TULLOCH. "Bé." The Oxford Dictionary of Abbreviations. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. FRAN ALEXANDER , PETER BLAIR , JOHN DAINTITH , ALICE GRANDISON , VALERIE ILLINGWORTH , ELIZABETH MARTIN , ANNE STIBBS , JUDY PEARSALL , and SARA TULLOCH. "Bé." The Oxford Dictionary of Abbreviations. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O25-B12.html FRAN ALEXANDER , PETER BLAIR , JOHN DAINTITH , ALICE GRANDISON , VALERIE ILLINGWORTH , ELIZABETH MARTIN , ANNE STIBBS , JUDY PEARSALL , and SARA TULLOCH. "Bé." The Oxford Dictionary of Abbreviations. 1998. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O25-B12.html |
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