Dictionary entry details
• BE (noun)
Meaning:
A light strong brittle grey toxic bivalent metallic element
Classified under:
Nouns denoting substances
Synonyms:
atomic number 4; Be; beryllium; glucinium
Hypernyms ("Be" is a kind of...):
metal; metallic element (any of several chemical elements that are usually shiny solids that conduct heat or electricity and can be formed into sheets etc.)
Holonyms ("Be" is a substance of...):
beryl (the chief source of beryllium; colored transparent varieties are valued as gems)
chrysoberyl (a rare hard yellow green mineral consisting of beryllium aluminate in crystal form; used as a gemstone)
gadolinite; ytterbite (a mineral that is a source of rare earths; consists of silicates of iron and beryllium and cerium and yttrium and erbium)
• BE (verb)
Meaning:
Have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun)
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Context examples:
John is rich / This is not a good answer
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "be"):
end; terminate (be the end of; be the last or concluding part of)
suit (be agreeable or acceptable)
litter (strew)
hang (be menacing, burdensome, or oppressive)
stand (occupy a place or location, also metaphorically)
lie (be and remain in a particular state or condition)
fit (conform to some shape or size)
lend (have certain characteristics of qualities for something; be open or vulnerable to)
let go (be relaxed)
belong (be classified with)
belong (be suitable or acceptable)
curve; twist; wind (extend in curves and turns)
jumble; mingle (be all mixed up or jumbled together)
promise (give grounds for expectations)
accept; take (be designed to hold or take)
iridesce (be iridescent)
shine (be distinguished or eminent)
diverge (have no limits as a mathematical series)
squat (be close to the earth, or be disproportionately wide)
hoodoo (bring back luck; be a source of misfortune)
impend (be imminent or about to happen)
range; run (change or be different within limits)
continue; remain; stay; stay on (continue in a place, position, or situation)
sell (be sold at a certain price or in a certain way)
translate (be translatable, or be translatable in a certain way)
head; head up (be the first or leading member of (a group) and excel)
come in for (be subject to or the object of)
compare (be comparable)
come; fall (come under, be classified or included)
encounter; run into (be beset by)
gravitate (be attracted to)
pay (be worth it)
come in handy (be useful for a certain purpose)
clean (be cleanable)
consist (have its essential character; be comprised or contained in; be embodied in)
work (behave in a certain way when handled)
lubricate (have lubricating properties)
breathe (allow the passage of air through)
trim (be in equilibrium during a flight)
swing (have a certain musical rhythm)
osculate (be intermediate between two taxonomic groups)
retard (be delayed)
transplant (be transplantable)
cohere (have internal elements or parts logically connected so that aesthetic consistency results)
object (be averse to or express disapproval of)
stick (be or become fixed)
recognize (exhibit recognition for (an antigen or a substrate))
distribute (be mathematically distributive)
adorn; beautify; deck; decorate; embellish; grace (be beautiful to look at)
make (be suitable for)
kill (be fatal)
draw (allow a draft)
wash (be capable of being washed)
balance (be in equilibrium)
come; hail (be a native of)
act (be suitable for theatrical performance)
test (show a certain characteristic when tested)
seem (appear to exist)
answer (be liable or accountable)
beat (be superior)
hold (have as a major characteristic)
contain (be divisible by)
connect (be scheduled so as to provide continuing service, as in transportation)
sell (be responsible for the sale of)
sell (be approved of or gain acceptance)
put out (be sexually active)
look (have a certain outward or facial expression)
appear; seem (seem to be true, probable, or apparent)
owe (be in debt)
belong (be owned by; be in the possession of)
cover (be sufficient to meet, defray, or offset the charge or cost of)
represent (be representative or typical for)
account (be the sole or primary factor in the existence, acquisition, supply, or disposal of something)
cut across (be contrary to ordinary procedure or limitations)
begin; start (have a beginning characterized in some specified way)
begin (have a beginning, of a temporal event)
stand (be in some specified state or condition)
define; delimit; delimitate; delineate; specify (determine the essential quality of)
go (be or continue to be in a certain condition)
add up; make sense (be reasonable or logical or comprehensible)
comprise; consist (be composed of)
appear; look; seem (give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect)
moon about; moon around; mope (be apathetic, gloomy, or dazed)
boil; seethe (be in an agitated emotional state)
hurt; suffer (feel pain or be in pain)
be well (be healthy; feel good)
suffer (feel unwell or uncomfortable)
feel (seem with respect to a given sensation given)
remain; rest; stay (stay the same; remain in a certain state)
continue (exist over a prolonged period of time)
coruscate; scintillate; sparkle (be lively or brilliant or exhibit virtuosity)
bedevil; befuddle; confound; confuse; discombobulate; fox; fuddle; throw (be confusing or perplexing to; cause to be unable to think clearly)
rank (take or have a position relative to others)
point (be positionable in a specified manner)
need; require; want (have need of)
compact; pack (have the property of being packable or of compacting easily)
rest (not move; be in a resting position)
cut (allow incision or separation)
prove; turn out; turn up (be shown or be found to be)
account for (be the reason or explanation for)
measure (have certain dimensions)
buzz; hum; seethe (be noisy with activity)
pass (be identified, regarded, accepted, or mistaken for someone or something else; as by denying one's own ancestry or background)
abound (be abundant or plentiful; exist in large quantities)
disaccord; disagree; discord (be different from one another)
gape; yaw; yawn (be wide open)
be given; incline; lean; run; tend (have a tendency or disposition to do or be something; be inclined)
go; run (have a particular form)
enter; figure (be or play a part of or in)
press (be urgent)
rage (be violent; as of fires and storms)
interrelate; relate (be in a relationship with)
rut (be in a state of sexual excitement; of male mammals)
stagnate (cease to flow; stand without moving)
stagnate (stand still)
be; cost (be priced at)
contain; hold; take (be capable of holding or containing)
remain (be left; of persons, questions, problems, results, evidence, etc.)
adhere; stand by; stick; stick by (be loyal to)
footle; hang around; lallygag; linger; loaf; loiter; lollygag; lounge; lurk; mess about; mill about; mill around; tarry (be about)
add up; amount; come; number; total (add up in number or quantity)
count; matter; weigh (have weight; have import, carry weight)
rate (be worthy of or have a certain rating)
deserve; merit (be worthy or deserving)
buy (be worth or be capable of buying)
shine (be clear and obvious)
body forth; embody; incarnate; substantiate (represent in bodily form)
delimit; subtend (be opposite to; of angles and sides, in geometry)
stink (be extremely bad in quality or in one's performance)
underlie (be or form the base for)
depend (be contingent upon (something that is elided))
fall (be due)
Sentence frames:
Something is ----ing PP
Something ----s Adjective/Noun
Somebody ----s Adjective
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s PP
Sentence example:
John will be angry
Meaning:
Be identical to; be someone or something
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Context examples:
The president of the company is John Smith / This is my house
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Occupy a certain position or area; be somewhere
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Context examples:
Where is my umbrella? / The toolshed is in the back / What is behind this behavior?
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "be"):
lie (be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position)
sit (sit around, often unused)
face (be opposite)
straddle (sit or stand astride of)
follow (be next)
center on (have as a center)
lie; rest (have a place in relation to something else)
belong; go (be in the right place or situation)
come (exist or occur in a certain point in a series)
extend; poke out; reach out (reach outward in space)
continue; cover; extend (span an interval of distance, space or time)
stretch; stretch along (occupy a large, elongated area)
attend; go to (be present at (meetings, church services, university), etc.)
fill; occupy (occupy the whole of)
dwell; inhabit; live (inhabit or live in)
inhabit; occupy (be present in; be inside of)
keep one's distance; keep one's eyes off; keep one's hands off; stand back; stay away (stay clear of, avoid)
extend to; reach; touch (to extend as far as)
extend; go; lead; pass; run (stretch out over a distance, space, time, or scope; run or extend between two points or beyond a certain point)
go; lead (lead, extend, or afford access)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s
Somebody ----s PP
Meaning:
Have an existence, be extant
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Synonyms:
exist; be
Context example:
Is there a God?
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "be"):
distribute (be distributed or spread, as in statistical analyses)
flow (be abundantly present)
endanger; imperil; jeopardise; jeopardize; menace; peril; threaten (pose a threat to; present a danger to)
belong; consist; dwell; lie; lie in (originate (in))
hold; obtain; prevail (be valid, applicable, or true)
coexist (exist together)
kick about; kick around; knock about (be around; be alive or active)
preexist (exist beforehand or prior to a certain point in time)
come (be found or available)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP
Meaning:
Happen, occur, take place
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Context examples:
I lost my wallet; this was during the visit to my parents' house / There were two hundred people at his funeral / There was a lot of noise in the kitchen
Sentence frames:
Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s PP
Meaning:
Be identical or equivalent to
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Synonyms:
equal; be
Context example:
One dollar equals 1,000 rubles these days!
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "be"):
translate (be equivalent in effect)
correspond; represent; stand for (take the place of or be parallel or equivalent to)
agree; check; correspond; fit; gibe; jibe; match; tally (be compatible, similar or consistent; coincide in their characteristics)
correspond; equate (be equivalent or parallel, in mathematics)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Form or compose
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Synonyms:
make up; constitute; comprise; be; represent
Context examples:
This money is my only income / The stone wall was the backdrop for the performance / These constitute my entire belonging / The children made up the chorus / This sum represents my entire income for a year / These few men comprise his entire army
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "be"):
supplement (serve as a supplement to)
pose; present (introduce)
fall into; fall under (be included in or classified as)
range; straddle (range or extend over; occupy a certain area)
constitute; form; make (to compose or represent:)
compose (form the substance of)
make (constitute the essence of)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Work in a specific place, with a specific subject, or in a specific function
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Synonyms:
be; follow
Context examples:
He is a herpetologist / She is our resident philosopher
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "be"):
vet (work as a veterinarian)
cox (act as the coxswain, in a boat race)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s PP
Meaning:
Represent, as of a character on stage
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Synonyms:
personify; embody; be
Context example:
Derek Jacobi was Hamlet
Hypernyms (to "be" is one way to...):
represent; stand for; symbolise; symbolize; typify (express indirectly by an image, form, or model; be a symbol)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "be"):
body; personify (invest with or as with a body; give body to)
exemplify; represent (be characteristic of)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Spend or use time
Classified under:
Verbs of buying, selling, owning
Context example:
I may be an hour
Hypernyms (to "be" is one way to...):
occupy; take; use up (require (time or space))
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Have life, be alive
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Synonyms:
live; be
Context examples:
Our great leader is no more / My grandfather lived until the end of war
Sentence frames:
Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Meaning:
To remain unmolested, undisturbed, or uninterrupted -- used only in infinitive form
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Context example:
let her be
Hypernyms (to "be" is one way to...):
remain; rest; stay (stay the same; remain in a certain state)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s somebody
Meaning:
Be priced at
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Synonyms:
cost; be
Context example:
These shoes cost $100
Hypernyms (to "be" is one way to...):
be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "be"):
knock back; put back; set back (cost a certain amount)
Sentence frame:
Something ----s something
