English dictionary



Info: This web site is based on WordNet 3.0 from Princeton University.

English noun: Be

1. Be (substance) a light strong brittle grey toxic bivalent metallic element


Synonymsatomic number 4, beryllium, glucinium


Broader (hypernym)metal, metallic element


Substance meronymberyl, chrysoberyl, gadolinite, ytterbite


English verb: be

1. be (stative) have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun)


SamplesJohn is rich.
This is not a good answer.


ExamplesJohn will be angry


Pattern of useSomething is ----ing PP.
Something ----s Adjective/Noun.
Somebody ----s Adjective.
Somebody ----s something.
Somebody ----s somebody.
Somebody ----s PP


Narrower (hyponym)abound, accept, account, account for, act, add up, add up, adhere, adorn, amount, answer, appear, appear, bake, balance, be, be given, be well, beat, beautify, bedevil, befuddle, begin, begin, belong, belong, belong, belong, body forth, boil, breathe, broil, buy, buzz, clean, cohere, come, come, come, come in for, come in handy, compact, compare, comprise, confound, confuse, connect, consist, consist, contain, contain, continue, continue, coruscate, cost, count, count, cover, curve, cut, cut across, deck, decorate, define, delimit, delimit, delimitate, delineate, depend, deserve, disaccord, disagree, discombobulate, discord, distribute, diverge, draw, drown, embellish, embody, encounter, end, enter, fall, fall, feel, figure, fit, footle, fox, fuddle, gape, go, go, grace, gravitate, hail, hang, hang around, head, head up, hold, hold, hoodoo, hum, hurt, impend, incarnate, incline, interrelate, iridesce, jumble, kill, lallygag, lean, lend, let go, lie, linger, litter, loaf, loiter, lollygag, look, look, lounge, lubricate, lurk, make, make sense, matter, measure, merit, mess about, mill about, mill around, mingle, moon about, moon around, mope, need, number, object, osculate, owe, pack, pay, point, press, promise, prove, put out, rage, range, rank, rate, recognize, relate, remain, remain, remain, represent, require, rest, rest, retard, run, run, run, run into, rut, scintillate, seem, seem, seem, seethe, seethe, sell, sell, sell, shine, shine, sparkle, specify, squat, stagnate, stagnate, stand, stand, stand by, start, stay, stay, stay on, stick, stick, stick by, stink, substantiate, subtend, suck, suffer, suffer, suit, swim, swim, swing, take, take, tarry, tend, terminate, test, throw, total, translate, transplant, trim, turn out, turn up, twist, underlie, want, wash, weigh, wind, work, yaw, yawn

2. be (stative) be identical to; be someone or something


SamplesThe president of the company is John Smith.
This is my house.


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something.
Something ----s something

3. be (stative) occupy a certain position or area; be somewhere


SamplesWhere is my umbrella?.
The toolshed is in the back.
What is behind this behavior?.


Pattern of useSomething ----s.
Somebody ----s PP


Narrower (hyponym)attend, belong, center on, come, continue, cover, dwell, extend, extend, extend, extend to, face, fill, follow, go, go, go, go to, inhabit, inhabit, keep one's distance, keep one's eyes off, keep one's hands off, lead, lead, lie, lie, live, occupy, pass, poke out, populate, reach, reach out, rest, run, sit, sit, sit around, stand back, stay away, straddle, stretch, stretch along, touch

4. be (stative) have an existence, be extant


SamplesIs there a God?.


Synonymsexist


Pattern of useSomething ----s.
Somebody ----s.
Somebody ----s PP


Narrower (hyponym)coexist, come, consist, distribute, dwell, dwell, endanger, flow, hold, imperil, indwell, inhabit, jeopardise, jeopardize, kick about, kick around, knock about, lie, lie in, menace, obtain, peril, preexist, prevail, threaten

5. be (stative) happen, occur, take place


SamplesI 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.


Pattern of useSomething ----s.
Somebody ----s.
Something is ----ing PP.
Somebody ----s PP

6. be (stative) be identical or equivalent to


SamplesOne dollar equals 1,000 rubles these days!.


Synonymsequal


Pattern of useSomebody ----s somebody.
Something ----s something


Narrower (hyponym)agree, check, correspond, correspond, correspond, equate, fit, gibe, jibe, match, represent, stand for, tally, translate


Antonymsdiffer

7. be (stative) form or compose


SamplesThis 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.


Synonymscomprise, constitute, make up, represent


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something.
Something ----s something


Narrower (hyponym)compose, constitute, fall into, fall under, form, make, make, pose, present, range, straddle, supplement

8. be (social) work in a specific place, with a specific subject, or in a specific function


SamplesHe is a herpetologist.
She is our resident philosopher.


Synonymsfollow


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something.
Somebody ----s somebody.
Somebody ----s PP


Narrower (hyponym)cox, vet

9. be (stative) represent, as of a character on stage


SamplesDerek Jacobi was Hamlet.


Synonymsembody, personify


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something.
Something ----s something


Broader (hypernym)represent, stand for, symbolise, symbolize, typify


Narrower (hyponym)body, exemplify, personify, represent

10. be (possession) spend or use time


SamplesI may be an hour.


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something.
Something ----s something


Broader (hypernym)occupy, take, use up

11. be (stative) have life, be alive


SamplesOur great leader is no more.
My grandfather lived until the end of war.


Synonymslive


Pattern of useSomething ----s.
Somebody ----s


Verb groupendure, go, hold out, hold up, last, live, live on, survive

12. be (stative) to remain unmolested, undisturbed, or uninterrupted -- used only in infinitive form


SamplesLet her be.


Pattern of useSomebody ----s somebody


Broader (hypernym)remain, rest, stay

13. be (stative) be priced at


SamplesThese shoes cost $100.


Synonymscost


Pattern of useSomething ----s something


Broader (hypernym)be


Narrower (hyponym)knock back, put back, set back









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