be

verb24

1. •
   used before words that describe someone or something, to say that they have that quality

   • The sky is blue.
2. •
   Used to indicate that the subject has the qualities described by a noun or noun phrase.

   • The sky is a deep blue today.
3. •
   Used to indicate ambient conditions such as weather, light, noise or air quality.

   • It is hot in Arizona, but it is not usually humid.
   • Why is it so dark in here?
4. •
   Used to indicate that a predicate nominal applies to the subject.

   • Rex is a dog.
   • A dog is an animal.
5. •
   Used with past participles of verbs to form the passive voice.

   • The dog was saved by the boy.
6. •
   Used with present participles of verbs to form the continuous aspect.

   • The woman is walking.
   • I shall be writing to you soon.
7. •
   Used to declare the subject and object identical or equivalent.

   • Hi, I’m Jim.
   • 3 times 5 is fifteen.
8. •
   To occupy a place.

   • The cup is on the table.
9. •
   To exist.

   • There is just one woman in town who can help us.
   • (or, dialectally:) It is just one woman in town who can help us.
10. •
    (literary) To exist; to have real existence, to be alive.

    • The Universe has no explanation: it just is.
    • That was the week that was.
11. •
    Used to link a subject to a measurement.

    • This building is three hundred years old.
    • I am 75 kilograms.
12. •
    Used to state the age of a subject in years.

    • I’m 20 (years old).
13. •
    Used to indicate the time of day.

    • It is almost eight (o’clock).
    • It’s 8:30 [read eight-thirty] in Tokyo.
14. •
    Used with to-infinitives of verbs to express intent, obligation, appropriateness, or relative future occurrence.

    • I am to leave tomorrow.
    • They are to stay here until I return.
15. •
    Elliptical form of “be here”, “go to and return from” or similar, also extending to certain other senses of “go”.

    • The postman has been today, but my tickets have still not yet come.
    • I have been to Spain many times.
16. •
    To occur, to take place.

    • When will the meeting be?
17. •
    To exist or behave in a certain way.

    • "What do we do?" "We be ourselves."
    • Just be yourself.
18. •
    Used to indicate passage of time since the occurrence of an event.

    • It has been three years since my grandmother died. (similar to "My grandmother died three years ago", but emphasizes the intervening period)
    • It had been six days since his departure, when I received a letter from him.
19. •
    (rare) Used to link two noun clauses: a day of the week, recurring date, month, or other specific time (on which the event of the main clause took place) and a period of time indicating how long ago that day was.

    • I saw her Monday was a week: I saw her a week ago last Monday (a week before last Monday).
    • On the morning of Sunday was fortnight before Christmas: on the morning of the Sunday that was two weeks before the Sunday prior to Christmas.
20. •
    To remain undisturbed in a certain state or situation.

    • Let them be for a few hours.
    • Leave us be until the guests arrive.
21. •
    Used with past participles of certain intransitive verbs to form the perfect aspect.

    • He is finished.
    • He is gone.
22. •
    To pass or spend (time).

    • and when he compares both sides, he will be some time at a loss to fix any determination. — 1844
23. •
    To take a period of time.

    • Dinner will be ten minutes.
    • It was an hour before he returned.
24. •
    (Ireland, Caribbean) To tend to do, often do; marks the habitual aspect.

    • Women be shoppin’! You cannot stop a woman from shoppin’! — 1996

noun1

1. •
   The name of the Cyrillic script letter Б / б

adjective1

1. •
   Initialism of board-eligible.

noun4

1. •
   Initialism of Bachelor of Engineering.
2. •
   Abbreviation of Berlin: a state of Germany.
3. •
   Initialism of breast expansion.
4. •
   Abbreviation of Bengkulu: a province of Indonesia.