be-


be-

pref.1. Completely; thoroughly; excessively. Used as an intensive: bemuse.2. On; around; over: besmear.3. About; to: bespeak.4. Used to form transitive verbs from nouns, adjectives, and intransitive verbs, as:a. To make; cause to become: bedim.b. To affect, cover, or provide: bespectacled.
[Middle English bi-, be-, from Old English be-, bi-; see ambhi in Indo-European roots.]

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]

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] usage: See me.

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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