[
UK
/bˈiː/
]
[ US /ˈbi, bi/ ]
[ US /ˈbi, bi/ ]
VERB
-
spend or use time
I may be an hour -
work in a specific place, with a specific subject, or in a specific function
She is our resident philosopher
He is a herpetologist -
be identical or equivalent to
One dollar equals 1,000 rubles these days! -
represent, as of a character on stage
Derek Jacobi was Hamlet -
be priced at
These shoes cost $100 -
occupy a certain position or area; be somewhere
What is behind this behavior?
The toolshed is in the back
Where is my umbrella? -
happen, occur, take place
There was a lot of noise in the kitchen
I lost my wallet; this was during the visit to my parents' house
There were two hundred people at his funeral -
form or compose
The stone wall was the backdrop for the performance
This money is my only income
This sum represents my entire income for a year
These few men comprise his entire army
These constitute my entire belonging
The children made up the chorus -
to remain unmolested, undisturbed, or uninterrupted -- used only in infinitive form
let her be -
have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun)
This is not a good answer
John is rich -
have an existence, be extant
Is there a God? -
have life, be alive
Our great leader is no more
My grandfather lived until the end of war -
be identical to; be someone or something
The president of the company is John Smith
This is my house
How To Use be In A Sentence
- Richardson, are proprietors of shows, and the berouged, bedraggled creatures who exhibit on the platform outside for their living. Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine — Volume 53, No. 327, January, 1843
- In my view his confrontational, gladiatorial style has been a major contributor to the widespread disdain of the British public for politicians generally. Times, Sunday Times
- Smith, who is also a director of Norwich City Football Club, said her CBE was a "very, very great honour". BBC News | News Front Page | UK Edition
- Three tall memorial archways inscribed with Chinese characters stand outside the temple.
- Liberal democracy is a fraud, a cover for the power of the elite. Times, Sunday Times
- There were 42 free-kicks, two penalties, four bookings and three players sent off, two of whom had to be escorted from the pitch by police.
- He described the sequence of events leading up to the robbery.
- He was a cute little beggar, looked like you as well.
- When the new foods that came from the Americas - peppers, summer squash and especially tomatoes - took hold in the region, a number of closely related dishes were born, including what we call ratatouille - and a man from La Mancha calls pisto, an Ikarian Greek calls soufiko and a Turk calls turlu. NYT > Home Page
- It would almost be better to have no backbench bills at all than the current system, which offers a false glimmer of hope. Times, Sunday Times
