Webster's English Dictionary

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be

be \(')be-\ \(')w*z, 'wa:z\ \(')w*r\ \(')bin, chiefly Brit (')be-n\ 
   \'be--in\ \*m, (')am\ \*r, (')a:r\ \(')iz, *z\ vb or was;  or were or were 
   or were or been or be.ing or am or are or is or are or be [ME been, fr. OE 
   be-on; akin to OHG bim am, L fui I] past 1st & 3d sing  2d sing  pl  past 
   subjunctive  past part  pres part  pres 1st sing  2d sing  3d sing  pl  
   pres subjunctive have been, futurus about to be, fieri to become, be done, 
   Gk phynai to be born, be by nature, phyein to bring forth 1a: to equal in 
   meaning : have the same connotation as {God is l ove} {January is the first 
   month} {let x ~ 10} : represent symbolically 1b: to have identity with {the 
   first person I met was my brother> 1c: to constitute the same class as  1d: 
   to have a specified qualification or characterization {the leaves Xare 
   green} 1e: to belong to the class of {the fish is a trout} - used reg 
   ularly in senses 1a through 1e as the copula of simple predication 2a: to 
   have an objective existence : have reality or actuality : LI VE {I think, 
   therefore I am} {nce upon a time there was a knight} 2b: to have, maintain, 
   or occupy a place, situation, or position {the bo ok is on the table} 2c: 
   to remain unmolested, undisturbed, or uninterrupted - used only in i 
   nfinitive form {let him ~} 2d: OCCUR : take place {the concert was last 
   night}  archaic  2e: BELONG, BEFALL  1: - used with the past participle of 
   transitive verbs as a passive-voic e auxiliary {the money was found the 
   house is being built} 2: - used as the auxiliary of the present participle 
   in progressive tens es expressing continuous action {he is reading} {I have 
   been sleeping} 3: - used with the past participle of some intransitive 
   verbs as an auxi liary forming archaic perfect tenses {Christ is risen from 
   the dead -1 Cor 15 : 20 (DV)} {the minstrel boy to the war is gone -Thomas 
   Moore} 4: - used with the infinitive with to to express futurity, arrange 
   ment in advance, or obligation {I am to interview him today} {he was to 
   become famous}