Be Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

to have presence in the realm of perceived reality; exist; live

I think, therefore I am

;

not all that is can be understood

(used in the perfect or past perfect tenses only)

to pay a visit; go

have you been to Spain?

to take place; occur

my birthday was last Thursday

(copula)

used as a linking verb between the subject of a sentence and its noun or adjective complement or complementing phrase. In this case

be

expresses the relationship of either essential or incidental equivalence or identity (

John is a man; John is a musician

) or specifies an essential or incidental attribute (

honey is sweet; Susan is angry

). It is also used with an adverbial complement to indicate a relationship of location in space or time (

Bill is at the office; the dance is on Saturday

)

(takes a present participle)

forms the progressive present tense

the man is running

(takes a past participle)

forms the passive voice of all transitive verbs and (archaically) certain intransitive ones

a good film is being shown on television tonight

;

I am done