Be

v. [An irregular and defective verb, the full conjugation of which in modern Eng. is effected by a union of the surviving inflexions of three originally distinct and independent verbs, viz. (1) the original Aryan substantive verb with stem es-, Skr. as-, ’s-, Gr. ’εσ-, L. es-, ’s-, OTeut. *es-, ’s-; (2) the verb with stem wes-, Skr. vas- to remain, OTeut. wes-, Gothic wis-an to remain, stay, continue to be, OS., OE., OHG. wesan, OFris. wes-a, ON. ver-a; (3) the stem beu- Skr. bhū-, bhaw-, Gr. φυ-, L. fu-, OTeut. *beu-, beo-, OE. béo-n to become, come to be. Of the stem es-, OE. (like the oldest extant Teutonic) possessed only the present tenses, Indicative and Subjunctive (orig. Optative), all the other parts being supplied from the stem wes-, pa. t. was, which, though still a distinct and complete vb. in Gothic, was in OE. only supplemental to es-, the two constituting the substantive verb am-was. Béon, be, was still in OE. a distinct verb (having all the present, but no past tenses) meaning to ‘become, come to be,’ and thus often serving as a future tense to am-was. By the beginning of the 13th c., the Infinitive and Participle, Imperative, and pres. Subjunctive of am-was, became successively obsolete, the corresponding parts of be taking their place, so that the whole verb am-was-be is now commonly called from its infinitive, ‘the verb to be,’ although be is no part of the substantive verb originally, but only a later accretion replacing original parts now lost.

  In OE. the present Indic. of am had two forms of the plural, (1) sind, sindon (= Goth. and Ger. sind, L. sunt, Skr. sánti) and earon, aron (= ON. eru), the latter confined to the Anglian dialects, where it was used side by side with sind, -un. Of these, sind, -on ceased to be used before 1250, its place being taken in southern Eng. by the corresponding inflexions of be. We, ye, they beth, ben, be, were the standard forms in southern and midl. Eng. for centuries; and even in the sing., be, beest, beth began to encroach on am, art, is, and are now the regular forms in southern dialect speech. Meanwhile aron, aren, arn, are, survived in the north, and gradually spread south, till early in 16th c. are made its appearance in standard Eng., where it was regularly used by Tindale. Be continued in concurrent use till the end of the century (see Shakespeare, and Bible of 1611), and still occurs as a poetic archaism, as well as in certain traditional expressions and familiar quotations of 16th c. origin, as ‘the powers that be.’ But the regular modern Eng. plural is are, which now tends to oust be even from the subjunctive. Southern and eastern dialect speech retains be both in singular and plural, as ‘I be a going,’ ‘we be ready.’]

  In treating this important word, the history of the inflexions is first exhibited, and then that of the signification.

  A.  Inflexions.

  I.  Inflexions from stem es-: partly replaced in ME. by be.

  1.  Present Indicative.

  * from es-, ’s-.

  1 sing. am. [= ON. em, Gothic im, Skr. ásmi, Gr. *ἔσμι, εἰμί, L. sum: the only Eng. vb. form which retains the old personal suffix -m (for -mi).] Forms: 1–3 eom, 1 Merc. eam, North. am, amm, 2–4 em, eam, æm, 2– am (Orm. amm, 3–4 ham, 4 ame, emme), contr. 6– ’m (I’m) in verse and familiar prose. In 4–5 icham (south and west) was treated as one word, whence later dial. cham in 16th c. and recent s. w. dial. Negative 1–5 neom, næm, nam. (Northern es, is: see 3rd sing.)

c. 885.  K. Ælfred, Boeth., xiii. 40. Ic eom ofwundrod.

a. 950.  Durh. Ritual, 10 a. Ic am drihten god ðin.

c. 950.  Lindisf. Gosp., Matt. xxviii. 20. Ic iuh mið am.

c. 975.  Rushw. G., ibid., Ic mid eow eam.

c. 1000.  Ags. G., Matt. xi. 28. Ic eom bilwite.

c. 1160.  Hatton G., ibid., Ich eom bylewhit.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 25. Ic em hal.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 256. Ic am þi mon.

c. 1205.  Lay., 461. Ich am duc. Ibid., 25943. Ich æm mon [1250 Ich ham a mon]. Ibid., 14136. Næm ich næuere bute care.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 5756. Lord here I ame.

c. 1300.  Beket, 475. So moche wrecche nam y noȝt.

c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron., 337. Ich emme þat þe bere.

1362.  Langl., P. Pl., A. V. 105. ‘Icham sori’ quod Envye, ‘I ne am [v.r. nam] but seldene oþer.

1382.  Wyclif, Ex. iii. 14. Y am that am.

c. 1385.  Chaucer, L. G. W., Prol. 314. Sir it am I.

1647.  Cowley, Mistr., lxxvi. No: I’m undone.

1863.  Geo. Eliot, Romola, i. I’m a stranger in Florence.

  dial.  1547.  Boorde, Introd. Knowl., 122. Iche cham a Cornyshe man.

1633.  B. Jonson, Tale Tub, I. i. ’Cham no man’s wife.

1746.  Exmoor Scolding (1879), 26. Cham a-troubled.

  2 sing. art. [= ON. est, after 12th c. ert, Goth. is, Skr. ási, Gr. ἔσσι (ἐσσί, εἶ, εἶ), L. es; in Eng., as in later ON., s of the stem has become r: the final t is a pleonastic addition of the 2nd pers. pron., not found in Goth., nor outside Teut.] Forms: 1–2 eart, 1 Merc. earð, North. arð, 2–3 ært, (eært, æart, hart, ard), Orm. arrt, 2–5 ert, 2– art, capable of contraction, 6– thou’rt. Negative 1–5 neart, nert, nart. Art-thou appears 1–2 eartu, earðu, arðu, 2–5 ertu, artu, artow; in poet. and dial. use, the pron. is now sometimes omitted, as in ‘What art doing?’ (Northern es, is: see 3rd sing.)

c. 950.  Lindisf. Gosp., Matt. vi. 9. Fæder user ðu arð vel bist in heofnum.

c. 975.  Rushw. G., ibid., Fæder ure þu þe in heofunum earð.

a. 1000.  Ags. G., ibid., Fæder ure þu þe eart an heofenum.

c. 1160.  Hatton G., ibid., Fader ure þu þe ert on heofne.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 223. Þu æart dust. Ibid., 200. Hwi ertu me so freomode.

a. 1250.  Owl & Night., 561. Thu art lutel.

c. 1280.  Relig. Songs, v. 178. Nu thu ard al skere.

a. 1300.  Cursor M. (Cott.) 14105. In mikel bisenes ert þou, Bise ert þou [Gött. bisi es þu] bot mani dede. Ibid. (c. 1340) (Fairf.), 12136. Vnneþes artow of vij ȝere.

1340.  Hampole, Pr. Consc., 424. Askes er-tow now.

1382.  Wyclif, 2 Sam. xii. 7. Thou ert thilk man [1388 Thou art thilke man] Ibid., Matt. vi. 9. Oure fadir that art in heuenes.

1602.  Dekker, Satirom., 234. Art not famous enough yet, but thou must eate men alive?

  3 sing. is. [= ON. es, after 1200 er, Goth., OHG., OS., OFris. ist, Skr. ásti, Gr. ἔστι, L. est: in Eng. as in ON. and Du. the personal suffix -t is lost.] Forms: 1– is; 1–6 ys; Orm. iss; North. 3–5 es (ess, esse, iss, isse). Negative 1–5 nis, nys. Is still rhymed with miss, bliss, this, etc., in 16th c.; it retains the s sound in is ’t? and when contracted, after breath mutes as that ’s, but = z elsewhere, as he ’s, all ’s, this is.

c. 885.  K. Ælfred, Oros., I. i. § 13. Hit is eall weste.

c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., Matt. xxviii. 6. Nys he her.

c. 1160.  Hatton G., ibid., Nis he her.

c. 1280.  Sarmun, 38, in E. E. P. (1862), 5. Manis lif nis bot a schade, nov he is and nov he nis.

a. 1300.  Cursor M. (Gött.). 5779. Til ȝou me sendis he þat ess [Cott. es, Fairf. ys]. Ibid. (c. 1340) (Trin.). 13158. Seint Ion þat in prisoun isse.

1340.  Hampole, Pr. Consc., 32. Swa he es, and ay … sal be.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 1267. Ther is [v.r. nys] no newe gyse, that it nas old.

c. 1400.  Maundev., iii. 19. There nys no Purgatorie.

c. 1450.  Myrc, 10. Alle ys for defawte of lore.

1483.  Caxton, G. de la Tour, B vij. Is it right or wrong.

c. 1530.  Redforde, Play Wyt & Sc. (1848), 3. Ah! syr, what tyme yst?

1635.  Quarles, Embl., II. xiv. When not himself, he’s mad; when most himself, he’s worse.

1733.  Pope, Ess. Man, I. 286. One truth is clear, Whatever Is is RIGHT.

1848.  Kingsley, Saints’ Trag., II. vii. 100. What’s thy name?

¶ In the northern dialect, ME. and mod., es, is, ys, is used for all persons of the sing., and also for the plur., when not immediately joined to the nom. pron., e.g., when the subject is a noun or relative; the latter usage is exceedingly frequent in the Shakespeare folio of 1623 (though much altered by editors ignorant of its history).

a. 1300.  Cursor M. (Cott.), 5262. Þat þou liuand es! [Fairf. On liue þou ys]. Ibid., 9727. ‘Fader,’ he said, ‘þi sun i es.’ Ibid., 14105. In mekil besines es þu.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Reeves T., 125 (Northern Clerk), I is as ille a millere as are ye [Lansd., I es as il a Melnere as es ye]. Ibid., 169. Il hayl! by god, Aleyn, thou is a fonne.

1485.  Malory, Arthur (1817), II. 391. Here is I.

1570–87.  Holinshed, Scot. Chron., II. 50. Giltless persons is condemned.

1574.  trans. Littleton’s Tenures, 107 b. Hys heires is in by dyscent.

1578.  in Scot. Poems 16th C. (1801), II. 133. Our fais that bisie is.

1590.  Shaks., Com. Err., III. ii. 20. Ill derds is doubled with an evil word. Ibid. (1593), 2 Hen. VI., III. ii. 11. Is all things well? Ibid., 303. There’s two of you.

[Mod. Sc. and north. Eng. All my hopes is lost. Is your friends coming?]

  1–3 plural.

  † α.  Obs. form from weak stem ’s: [OE. sind, sindon. = OS. sind, sindon, OFris. send, OHG. 3 pl. sint, sindun, Goth. 3 pl. sind, Skr. 3 pl. sánti, L. sunt. The -on, -un, occurring in WGer. is a second pl. suffix subsequently added.] Forms: 1 sind, sint, synd, synt, siondon, si(e)ndun, sindon, syndon, 2 synde(n, synd, synt, 2–3 sende(n, 3 sunde(n, sonde(n, seondeþ, (seoð), Orm. sinndenn. Replaced in south by be; in north and at length everywhere by are.

  β.  are. [= ON. 1 erum, 2 eruð, 3 eru, (:—*erund), Sw. 1 äro, 2 ären, 3 äro, Da. ere; a re-forming of the pl. on the strong stem-form es-, analogous to Gr. *ἐς-μές, ἐς-τέ, ἔ-ᾱσι (from *ἔς-αντι), L. es-tis, compared with the original type in Skr. s-más, s-thá, s-ánti, L. s-umus, s-unt, and Gothic sijum, sijuð, sind, OE. sind (in α).] Forms: 1 Merc. earun, Northumb. aron, aro-, 2–5 north. and n. midl. aren, 2–6 arn, 3 Orm. arrn, (4–5 arunne), 4–6 arne, 4– are (4–6 ar); 3–4 north. ern, 4–5 ere, er. (Without pronoun 4– es, is: see 3rd sing. above.)

  α.  c. 885.  K. Ælfred, Oros., I. i. § 12. Be norðan him sindon [later MS. syndon] Ealdseaxan.

c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., Matt. x. 2. Ðis synt [Lindisf. sint, Rushw. sindun] þæra Apostola naman.

c. 1160.  Hatton G., ibid., Ðis sende þare apostle namen.

c. 1200.  Moral Ode, 290, in Trin. Coll. Hom., 229. Hwu fele senden in helle.

c. 1200.  Ormin, 6293. Þa þat sinndenn gode.

c. 1205.  Lay., 24763. We sunden twælf cnihtes. Ibid., 27319. Godd heo seondeð laðe.

  β.  a. 950.  Durh. Ritual, 28. Allo ʓie bearno lehtes aro ʓie.

c. 950.  Lindisf. Gosp., Matt. v. 14. Ȝie aron (vel sint) leht middanʓeardes.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 73. Swiche ben þe deueles bernes, þe aren cleped ortrowe.

c. 1200.  Ormin, 6849. Þa þatt arrn i þine walde.

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 16. So faȝen so fueles arn.

a. 1300.  Cursor M. (Cott.) 4847. Elleuen breþer es we [v.r. we er, we ar, are we] liuand. Ibid., 4878. Yee Ne ern lickli lel men to be.

a. 1300.  E. E. Psalter xcii. 6. Þine werkes ere þai.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Sel. Wks. (1871), III. 169. Bodily werkis arunne more knowen.

c. 1380.  Sir Ferumb., 2379. Þay aren in grete drede.

c. 1384.  Chaucer, H. Fame, 1008. Al these arne set in heuene [Caxt. ar, Thynne are].

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVIII. xix. (1495), 778. Camelles ben tothlesse aboue as oxen are.

1465.  Marg. Paston, in Lett., 500, II. 179. They eryn as he left hem … The place where they ern kept.

1528.  More, Heresyes, II. Wks. 202/1. Sarasyns, whiche … arne of another flocke.

1534.  Tindale, John x. 30. I and my father are one [Wyclif ben oon].

1611.  Bible, Gen. xlii. 31. We are true men: we are no spies. We be twelue brethren [Coverd. we are; Genev., we be].

1787.  Burns, Brigs of Ayr. I’ll be a Brig, when ye’re a shapeless cairn.

  ¶ Negative forms colloquial and vulgar, found in dramatists and novels since 17th c. are ar’n’t, a’n’t = are not, am not, e’n’t, ain’t = am not, is not, are not.

1710.  Palmer, Proverbs, 124. The politest atheist can’t be sure that their e’nt a God.

1794.  Southey, Wat Tyler, III. ii. You ar’n’t to die So easily.

1799.  B. Thompson, Kotzebue’s Stranger, in Mrs. Inchbald, Theat., I. 17. Sharp lad, a’n’t I?

1837.  Dickens, Pickw., xiii. I an’t quite certain. Ibid., xxviii. There ain’t anything the matter.

  ** from verb be.

  1 sing. † be. Obs. exc. dial. [= OS. bium, OFris. bem, OHG. pim, cogn. w. Skr. bhavāmi, Gr. *φῦμι, φύω, L. fui.] Forms: 1 bíom, béom, 1–3 béo, beon, 3– be, (4–5 by, 4–7 bee). Like am, this had the personal suffix -m, which was however dropped already in later OE.

  a.  as distinct vb. or future: I become, come to be, shall be.

c. 825.  Vesp. Psalter, cxlvi. 2. Ic singu gode minum swe longe swe ic biom [Lat. ero].

c. 1000.  Ags. Ps. cxix. 117. Gefultuma me fæste, ðonne béo ic hál.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 17. Bispreng me mid edmodnesse louerd þanne be ich clene.

c. 1205.  Lay., 28218. Ne beo [1250 worþe] ich nauere bliðe.

  b.  as present: rare and doubtful in ME., but now the regular form in southern and some midland dialects. The negative I ben’t, beant, baint is even more widely used dialectally.

c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., Matt. xxviii. 20. Ic beo mid eow ealle daʓas [Lindisf. am, Rushw. eam].

c. 1160.  Hatton G., ibid., Ich beo.

c. 1205.  Lay., 3945. Þa while ich beon on liue. Ibid., 11501. Þe while þe ich beo [1250 ham] on liue.

1864.  Capern, Devon Provinc., s.v. Be, I be going.

1864.  Tennyson, North. Farmer, 3. 1 beänt a fool.

  2 sing † beest, be’st. Obs. exc. dial. [= OS. bist, OHG. pis, pist.] Forms: (1 bis), 1–3 bist, 3 beost, 3–4 best, 4 beste, 4– beest (5 north. bes), 9. beest, bist.

  a.  as distinct vb., or future.

c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., Luke xxiii. 43. To-dæʓ þu bist mid me on paradiso.

c. 1160.  Hatton G., ibid., To-daiʓ þu byst.

c. 1205.  Lay., 9843. Wið þine sune þu beost iuæid.

c. 1340.  Cursor M. (Trin.). 2038. Þou beste of his blessyng quyt.

1377.  Langl., P. Pl., B. V. 598. Bileue so · or þow beest nouȝte ysaued.

  b.  as present = art. Rare in ME., but now widely spread in south. and midl. dialects.

c. 950.  Lindisf. Gosp., Matt. vi. 9. Fæder user ðu arð vel bist in heofnum.

c. 1205.  Lay., 3053. Al swa muchel þu bist [v.r. hart] worþ.

1848.  Kingsley, Saints’ Trag., II. vii. 100. Wood cutter:—Be’est a keeper, man?

1862.  Barnes, Rhymes Dorset Dial., I. 61. Whatever bist about.

  3 sing. beeth, bes. Obs. exc. dial. Forms: 1–3 bið, 1 byð, 2 bæð, 2–3 beoð, 3 (bideð), buþ, 3–5 beð, beþ, bueð, 4 byeþ, 4–6 beth(e. North. 4 betz, beis, 4–5 bes(e, 6 Sc. beis. South. dial. 9 be.

  a.  as distinct vb., or future.

c. 825.  Vesp. Psalter, ciii. 3. Se milde bið allum un-rehtwisnissum ðinum.

c. 1205.  Lay., 5763. Anan swa hit beoð auen.

c. 1340.  Cursor M. (Fairf.), 3762. My hert bese [Trin. beþ] neuer broȝt in rest, bi-twix and þis Iacob be slayne.

a. 1400.  Chron. Eng., 270, in Ritson, Metr. Rom., II. 281. Non ne byth ther nevermore.

1535.  Stewart, Cron. Scot., I. 565. Traist weill … the feild this da beis ouris.

  b.  as present.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 25. He bið wið-uten feire.

c. 1200.  Moral Ode, 39, in E. E. P. (1862), 24. So muchel bet [v.r. bið] his mihte.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 1175. It beis not sua [v.r. bes, beþ].

1340.  Ayenb., 54. Þe holyist man byeþ … becaȝt.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 1163. Nought beth forgeten the infortune of Mart [Six-texts was].

c. 1460.  Towneley Myst., 13. It bese the wars for thi sake.

1516–21.  Buckhm., in Ellis, Orig. Lett., III. I. 217. It bethe matter that I am lothe … to troble you withall.

c. 1570.  Bp. St. Andrews, in Scot. Poems 16th C., II. 305. When Plutois palice beis provydit for them.

Mod. East-Anglian  Here he be.

  1–3 plural. be. [In the other OTeut. langs. only repr. by OHG. pirumes, pirut (MHG. birnt, bint).] Forms: α. (type beoth, beth): 1–3 béoð (1 Northumb. bíað, bið-on, bioð-on, Merc. bíoþ, bið-on, beoþ-an), 1–4 bēo, 2 bæð, byð, 2–3 bieð, buoð, buð(ü), 3–4 bueð, buþ, beoth, 2–5 beð, beþ, 4 byeþ, beeþ, 4–5 beth, 5– beeth, (6–7 dial. beth).

  β.  Midl. (type beon, ben, been, be): 2–4 beon, 2 bienn, bin, 2–3 bien, 2–6 ben, 3–4 buen, 4–5 by, 4–6 bene, 4–7 been(e, 5 (byn(ne), 5–7 bin (still dial.), 6–7 bee, 4– be. Negative, dial. ben’t, beant.

  γ.  North. 3 bes, 5 bese.

  a.  as future.

c. 825.  Vesp. Psalter, xcii. 14. Bioð ʓemoniʓfaldade in ældu.

c. 1175.  Cott. Hom., 239. A domes deiȝ alle godes fend … abroden bienn.

c. 1205.  Lay., 3057. Sone heo bið [hi beoð] ilaȝeð.

  b.  as present.

c. 1175.  Cott. Hom., 219. Her beoð niȝen anglen hapes.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 89. La hu ne beað þa … galileisce?

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 39. Þo bin þe gode word of holi boc.

c. 1205.  Lay., 4455. Whær beo ȝe mine cnihtes?

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 107. Watres ben her ðer-under.

1297.  R. Glouc., 368. Hey men, þat in Engelond beþ, Beþ ycome of þe Normans.

a. 1300.  K. Alis., 4965. Men hy ben. Ibid., 6494. Faire wymmen heo buth.

c. 1300.  Beket, 174. To fewe ther beoth.

1307.  Elegy Edw. I., ix. Our baners that bueth broht to grounde.

1340.  Ayenb., 1. Þise byeþ þe capiteles.

c. 1370.  Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 33. Þei been enemys.

c. 1385.  Chaucer, L. G. W., 1029. We … Be now disclaundered.

1387.  Trevisa, Higden, Rolls Ser. I. 321. Þere by gracious tymes.

c. 1420.  Sir Amadace, xlviii. For-sothe thai bynne away.

c. 1460.  Fortescue, Abs. & Lim. Mon. (1714), 7. Thes two Princes beth of egall Astate. Ibid., 10. Which Lawys ben right good.

1485.  Caxton, Paris & V., 16. Knyghtes and barons that been here.

a. 1500.  Rob. Hood (Ritson), I. i. 213. My goodes beth sette and solde.

1534.  Tindale, Rom. xiii. 1. The powers that be, are ordeyned of God.

1535.  Coverdale, Zech. i. 19. What be these? Ibid. (1548), Erasm. Par. Rom. II. 40. And what thinges bene they?

1557.  K. Arthur (Copland), Cont., The chapytres that ben conteyned in this present volume.

1582.  Bentley, Mon. Matrones, ii. 65. They be never offended at anie thing.

1583.  Stubbes, Anat. Abus., II. 2. Surely they are, as all other countries and nations be.

1594.  Shaks., Rich. III., IV. iv. 93. Where is thy Husband now? Where be thy Brothers?

1611.  Bible, 2 Kings vi. 16. They that be with vs are moe than they that be with them.

1669.  Milton, Accedence, Wks. (1847), 461/1. Ego, tu, sui be of the first Declension.

a. 1687.  Petty, Pol. Arith., v. (1691), 87. There be Three distinct Legislative Powers.

  ¶ Examples of dial. and arch. retention of been, bin, beth for be, and of be for are.

1576.  Gascoigne, Philomene, 63 (Arb.), 88. Such as true and stedfast louers bene.

a. 1581.  Campion, Hist. Irel., II. vii. (1633), 97. The Irish beene false by kinde.

1584.  Peele, Arraignm. Paris, Prol. 6. Th’ unpartial daughters of Necessity Bin aids in her suit.

1586.  Ferne, Blaz. Gentrie, 71. You zay zomewhat well vor vs that we beene the most necessary men.

1608.  Shaks., Per., II. Prol. 28. To seas, Where when men been, there’s seldom ease.

1640.  Brome, Antip., II. ix. 271. We be none of your father, so we beant.

1651.  Jer. Taylor, Holy Dying, iv. § 9 (1727), 178. Widows beth slothful, and children beth unkind.

1820.  Byron, Mar. Fal., V. i. 169. And who be they?

1842.  Barnes, Rhymes Dorset Dial., I. 136. The carpets they do use, Ben’t fit to tread … An’ chairs an’ couches be so neat, You mussen teäke em vor a seat.

1861.  Thackeray, Georges, ii. 114. Where be your painted houris?

1865.  Swinburne, Queen Busahe, 367. If thou be keen To note things amiss that been.

1879.  T. H. S. Escott, England, I. 242. No alarming sound for the powers that be.

  Been, bin was erroneously used by 16th c. Sc. writers, in supposed imitation of Chaucer, and by Byron (in supposed imitation of Shaks.) as singular.

1513.  Douglas, Æneis, I. Pref. 213. I will nocht say all Virgill bene als trew.

1552.  Lyndesay, Monarche, 5768. Gret dule, that day, to Iugis bene.

1556.  Lauder, Tractate (1864), 65. Nothing … Different … Than bene the purest Creature That euir wes formit of nature.

1823.  Byron, Juan, XIII. xxvi. Also there bin another pious reason For making squares and streets anonymous.

  2.  Present Subjunctive.

  * from stem es- (in weak form ’s-).

  sing. † OE. sie, sí. [= OFris. sê, OS., OHG. sî, sîs, sî, ON. sê, sêr, sê, Goth. sijau, sijais, sijai, Skr. syām, syās, syāt, OL. siēm, siēs, siēt, cl. L. sīm, sīs, sīt. In OE. all 3 persons were levelled under one form, though in ancient times the 1 pers. was distinct siém, sión.] Forms: 1 (1 pers. siem, sion) síe, sié, sió, sé, siʓ, 1–2 sí, sý, sye, syo, seo.

c. 732.  Bæda, Death-song. Naeniʓ uuiurthit thonc-snotturra than him tharf sie.

c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., Matt. xxiv. 3. Hwilc tacn si þines tocymys. Ibid., v. 13. Buton þæt hit sy útaworpen, and sy [v.r. sí, siʓ] fram mannum fortreden.

c. 1160.  Hatton G., ibid., Buton þæt hyt sye ut-aworpen, and syo fram mannen fortredon.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 91. Si lof Dauiðes bern, blesced bie he.

c. 1205.  Lay., 14893. Alre king si [1250 beo] he ærmest. Ibid., 24759. Hail seo [1250 beo] þu Arður king!

  plural. † OE. sien, sie, sín. [= OS. sîn, OFris. sê, OHG. sîmês, sît, sîn, ON. sêm, sêt, sê, Goth. sijaima, sijaip, sijaina, Skr. syāma, syāta, syús, OL. siēmus, siētis, siēnt, cl. L. sīmus, sītis, sīnt.] Forms: 1 sien, sín, sýn, síe, sie, sé, sæ, 2 syen, 3 seon (seoð).

c. 950.  Lindisf. Gosp., Matt. vi. 1. Þæt ʓie se ʓeseno.

c. 975.  Rushw. G., ibid., Þæt ʓe sie ʓeseanæ.

c. 1000.  Ags. G., ibid., Þæt ʓe sin ʓeherede.

c. 1160.  Hatton G., ibid., Þæt ȝe syen ȝeherede.

c. 1205.  Lay., 13837. Wh[ah]æt cnihtes ȝe seon [1250 beo].

  ¶ A present subj. from stem wes-, singular wese, plural wesen, also existed in OE., in poetic use.

c. 1000.  Ags. Ps. cv. 37. Wese swa, wese swa, þurh eall wide ferhð. Ibid., lxvii. 5. Þa þe wydewum syn wraðe … oþþe steop-cildum wesen strange fæderas.

  ** from verb be.

  sing. be. Forms; 1 bío, 1–3 béo, 2 bo, bie, 4–5 bi, by, 4– be, (4–7 bee).

a. 1000.  Metr. Boeth., x. 65. Hwæt iow æfre þy bet bio oððe þince.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 91. Blesced bie he þe cumeð a godes name. Ibid., 107. Be swo it beo.

a. 1250.  Owl & Night., 566. Thu gredest suich thu bo wod.

1340.  Ayenb., 219. By hit to þe bodie, by hit to þe zaule.

1372.  Langl., P. Pl., B. VI. 207. Be þow went, They wil worche ful ille.

1382.  Wyclif, Gen. xxvii. 21. Whethir thow be [v.r. art] my sone Esau, or noon [1611 Whether thou bee my very sonne Esau, or not].

c. 1385.  Chaucer, L. G. W., 1848. ‘Be as be may,’ quod she.

1582.  Bentley, Mon. Matrones, ii. 7. If thou be my father.

1611.  Bible, Jer. xvii. 5. Cursed be the man that trusteth in man.

1716.  Addison, Drummer, V. i. Look you if he ben’t with my lady.

1830.  Tennyson, Dream Fair Wom., 251. I am that Rosamond, whom men call fair, If what I was I be.

Mod.  Be he who he may, he has no right here.

  b.  In the 2nd sing., after if, though, etc., beest, properly an indicative form, was common in 16th and 17th c., and is regularly used by Shakespeare.

c. 1600.  Rob. Hood (Ritson), II. ii. 38. Although thou beest in haste.

1606.  Shaks., Ant. & Cl., I. v. 59. Bee’st thou sad, or merrie, The violence of either thee becomes.

1667.  Milton, P. L., I. 84. If thou beest he; But O how fall’n!

1678.  Cudworth, Intell. Syst., 462. Whether thou beest a certain Divine Force and Soul.

  c.  In the 3rd sing., beis was formerly used in Sc.

1513.  Douglas, Æneis, XII. iv. 70. Bot gif so beis, Mars … The victory … grantis ws.

1609.  Skene, Reg. Maj., 79. Gif it beis within borgh.

1641.  Kirkcudbr. War-Comm. Min. Bk. (1855), 62. Gif neid beis, to assist thame.

  plural. be. Forms: 1–3 beon, 2–5 ben, 2– be.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 73. Þeh alle men beon of hore sunnen iclensed.

c. 1205.  Lay., 938. Þæt we beon iquemed.

c. 1340.  Cursor M. (Trin.). 14784. But of o þing in were be we.

1362.  Langl., P. Pl., A. V. 418. Tyl matynes and masse be do.

c. 1450.  Merlin, x. 150. Loke now that ye be larger.

1611.  Bible, 1 Sam. xxiii. 21. Blessed be yee of the Lord.

1632.  Sanderson, 12 Serm., 96. If we be of the Spiritualtie.

1728.  T. Sheridan, Persius (1739), Ded. 5. Although you be now removed to another Soil.

Mod.  If we be in time, we shall find him at home.

  ¶ For these the indicative forms have been occasionally substituted since the 15th c., and are now chiefly used after if, though, unless, etc.

1483.  Caxton, G. de la Tour, B vij. Thus oughte euery good woman … to do his commandment, is it right or wrong.

1611.  Bible, 1 John iv. 1. Try the spirits whether they are of God.

1667.  Marvell, Corr., II. xxxvi. 81. I can not be wanted though I am missing.

Mod.  I never go unless I am specially invited. Tell me if they are in sight.

  II.  Inflexions of stem wes-; now replaced by be.

  3.  Present Imperative.

  a.  from wes-: † OE. wes, pl. wesað. Obs. [= OS. wes, wesað, OFris. wese, wesath, OHG. wis, wesat, ON. ver, verið.] Forms: sing. 1 wes, (north. wæs), 2 wæsse, 3 wæs. pl. 1 wesað, wese(ʓe), (north. wosas), 2 wese(ȝe). (After 1200 only in phrase wæs hail! in Layamon. See WASSAIL.)

a. 1000.  Andreas (Gr.), 540. Wes þu ʓebletsod!

c. 1000.  Ags. Ps. cxiii. 23. Wesað ʓe ʓebletsade.

c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., Luke i. 28. Hal wes ðú!

c. 1160.  Hatton G., ibid., Hal wasse þu. Ibid., Matt. xxviii. 9. Hale wese ȝe [Lindisf. Wosað ȝie hal; Rushw. Beoþ hale].

c. 1205.  Lay., 14970. Lauerd king, wæs hail! [1250 Louerd king, wassail!].

  b.  from be: sing. and pl. be. Forms: sing. 1–3 béo, (2 ibeo, 3 bo, bi), 4– be, (6–7 bee). pl. 1–3 béoð, béo(ʓe), 3–4 buð, 4–5 beoth, beþ, beth(e, north. 4–5 bes, beys (occas. used as sing.), 6 Sc. beis. Negative, dial. beant, baint, mod. Sc. binna, bynna.

a. 1000.  Satan, 733 (Gr.). Lá! béo nu on yfele. Ibid., Andreas, 1611 (Gr.). Ne béoþ ʓe tó forhte.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 49. Buð admode alse duue. Ibid., 256. I-hered ibeo þu swete þing.

c. 1205.  Lay., 1499. Hal beo þu Brutus! Ibid., 19173. Beoð stille! beoð stille! cnihtes inne halle.

a. 1230.  Ancr. R., 174. Ne beo ȝe nout Semei, auh beoð Hester.

a. 1250.  Owl & Night., 262. Bo nu stille, and lat me speke.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 10454. Be still, or ga me heiþen fra. Ibid., 11161. Bi þou ful traist.

a. 1300.  Havelok, 2246. Bes of him ful glad and blithe.

c. 1320.  Seuyn Sag. (W.), 3906. Bese meri, & mase gude chere.

1382.  Wyclif, Isa. i. 16. Be ȝee washen, beth clene [1388 be ȝe clene].

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Milleres T., 392 (Harl.). Beoth [all 6-texts, be] merye, for the flood passeth anon.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, II. 649. Bes wakond and warly.

c. 1440.  Love, Bonavent. Mirr., xxvii. 56 (Sherard MS.). Be þou a man of prayer.

1480.  Caxton, Chron. Eng., cxcvii. 175. Bethe ware sirs.

1610.  Shaks., Temp., I. ii. 38. Obey and be attentiue.

1611.  Bible, Matt. vi. 16. When yee fast, bee not as the hypocrites.

1816.  Scott, Old Mort., 111. She says to him, Binna cast doun, but gird yoursell up to the great task o’ the day.

1839.  Longf., Ps. of Life. Be not like dumb driven cattle, Be a hero in the strife!

  4.  Present Infinitive.

  a.  from wes-: + OE. wes-an. Obs. [= OS., OHG. wesan, OFris. wesa, ON. vera, Goth. wisan.] Forms: 1 wesan, north. wosa, wossa. Replaced in 11th c. by beon.

a. 1000.  Cædmon’s Gen., 283 (Gr.). Ic mæʓ wesan god swá he.

c. 950.  Lindisf. Gosp., Matt. vi. 8. Nallas ʓe ðonne wosa ʓelic him. [c. 975 Rushw. G., Ne scule forþon ʓelice beon him.]

  b.  from be: be. Forms: 1–4 béon (1 north. bían), 2–5 ben, 3– be; also 2 bien, boen, 3–4 buen, 4 byen, bue, by, bi, 4–6 bene, been, 4–7 bee.

975.  [see prec.].

1070.  O. E. Chron. (Parker MS.). Hwi hi ðær beon ne mihton. Ibid. (1131), (Laud), an. 1127. Þær mihte wel ben abuton twenti.

c. 1175.  Cott. Hom., 229. Naman ne mai bien ȝehalden.

c. 1200.  Moral Ode, 172, in Lamb. Hom., 171. Bliþe mai he þanne buen.

a. 1300.  K. Horn, 446. Þat schal beon idone: Þu schalt beo dubbed kniȝt.

1280.  Signs bef. Judgem., 33, in E. E. P. (1862), 8. Þe first tokning sal be þusse.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 1154. Þou sal bi halden vile. Ibid. (c. 1340) (Trin.). 4601. Suche defaute shal ben of breed.

c. 1380.  Sir Ferumb., 4137. Þay lete it bene.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Franklin’s T., 36. Love wil nouht buen [v.r. been, ben(e, be] constreyned.

c. 1440.  Morte Arth. (Roxb.), 2. That auntre shall … by spoke of on euery syde.

1485.  Malory, Arthur (1817), II. 378. Wete ye wel he wold ben here.

Mod.  He bids me be quiet.

  c.  Dative Infinitive: 1 to béonne, 2 to bienne, to boen, 3–4 to byenne, to buen, to bue, 3–5 to bene, 4–5 to ben, 4– to be.

c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., Luke ii. 49. Me ʓebyrað to beonne [Lindisf. to wosanne] on þam ðingum ðe mines fæder synt.

c. 1175.  Cott. Hom., 203. To boen moder of swich sune. Ibid., 233. [Hit] áh to bienne.

a. 1200[?].  Solomon & Sat. (1848), 270. Betere were to bue wis.

c. 1300.  Harrow. Hell, 67. Forte buen oure fere.

1340.  Ayenb., 169. Þet wes y-woned to byenne þe ealde manere at rome.

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., I. (1495), 6. He knoweth al thynges present and to be.

c. 1440.  Sir Degrev., 382. He prayd the portere ffor to bene his mesengere.

c. 1440.  Love, Bonavent. Mirr., x. 25 (Gibbs MS.). What tyme þey knewen þe chylde sought to bene [v.r. ben] slayne.

1602.  Shaks., Ham., III. i. 55. To be, or not to be, that is the Question.

  5.  Present Participle.

  a.  from stem wes-: † OE. wesende. Obs. [= OS., OFris. wesand, OHG. wesantêr, ON. vesandi, from 12th c. verandi, Goth. wisands.]

a. 1000.  Beowulf, 750. Ic hine cúðe cniht wesende.

  b.  from be: being. Forms: 1–4 béonde, 4 beende, 4–7 north. beand; 4– being, (4 beoing, 4–6 beyng(e, 6 bying, 7 beinge, 8 beeing).

c. 1050.  in Wülcker, Voc., /398. Existentibus, wesendum, beondum.

a. 1300.  Cursor M. (Gött.), 4080. His breder mast in wildrenes beand. Ibid. (c. 1340) (Laud), 9428. To Adam being in paradice. Ibid. (c. 1340) (Trin.), 15312. In my blisse beonde.

1382.  Wyclif, Rom., Prol. New causes beende, also questiounes to comen aftir.

1475.  Caxton, Jason, 69 b. None of them beyng in the arke.

1535.  Coverdale, 1 Kings xvi. 4. Who so beynge of him dyeth in the felde.

c. 1538.  Starkey, England, II. i. 159. Some Bying to lytyl, some to grete.

1615.  G. Sandys, Trav., 115. The buildings now being, are meane and few.

Mod.  For the time being.

  III.  Parts from stem wes- only.

  6.  Past Indicative.

  1 and 3 sing. was. [= Goth., OHG., OS., OFris. was, ON. var.] Forms: 1–3 wæs, 2–6 wes, 3– was, (3 weos, 4 wass(e, wase, wesse, wees, watz, 5 wys, 6 wes). Negative 1 næs, 3 neas, nes, 3–5 nas, 5 nasse. Until 16th or 17th c., was rhymed with pass, etc. In was’t = was it, it has still the s sound. (For was used in the plural, see below were ¶).

c. 950.  Lindisf. Gosp., John i. 1. In fruma uæs uord.

c. 1000.  Ags. G., ibid., On frymðe wæs word.

c. 1160.  Hatton G., ibid., On anginne ærest wæs word.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 17. He wes iboren of ure lefdi.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 67. Al mankin, þe was … and nu is.

c. 1205.  Lay., 2984. Þat þæt wæs þe olde king. Ibid., 3466. And ich nas na wurdra, þenne ich nes weldinde.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 1074. Wid þe cheke bon of ane asse Men say þat abel slain wasse. Ibid., 12695. Sco was wit barn.

c. 1340.  Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 1. Þe assaut watz sesed at Troye.

c. 1420.  Chron. Vilod., 799. A lytille child ybore þer wys.

c. 1420.  Pallad. on Husb., IV. 886. Gentiler in kynde never nasse.

1475.  Caxton, Jason, 6. Ther was grete nombre of speeres.

1611.  Bible, John i. 1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God.

  ¶ Dialectally were, war occur: hence the negative warn’t, wa’n’t, in 18th-c. dramatists.

1535.  Bury Wills (1850), 126. My rynge whych wher my wyffys.

1633.  Brome, North. Lass, II. ii. He sed I were a deaft Lasse.

1775.  Sheridan, Rivals, I. ii. (1883), 85. It wa’n’t fit for a Christian to read.

1837.  Dickens, Pickw., xxxiv. Was one of those voices Pickwick’s? Yes, it were, sir. Ibid. (1865), Mut. Fr., xii. Warn’t I troubled?

  2 sing. wast, orig. were. [in Goth. wast, ON. vast, vart, OHG., OS. wâri, OFris. wêre.] Forms: 1 wǽre, 2–6 were, (3 wore), 6–7 werst, wart, 6– wert, wast. North. 3– was. Negative 1–3 nære, nere. The modern analogical wast has displaced the etymological were (with grammatical ablaut) chiefly under the influence of Tindale and the Bible; the intermediate wert (Shakespeare’s form) prevailed in literature during the 17th and 18th c., and has been used by many 19th-century writers.

c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., John i. 48. Þa þu wære [Rushw. were] under þam fictréowe.

c. 1300.  Havelok, 684. Cherl, als thou er wore.

c. 1300.  Cursor M. (Cott.), 6248. Ta þat wand Þat þou was wont [Trin. MS. þou were] ber in þi hand.

1382.  Wyclif, John i. 48. Whanne thou were vndir the fyge tree. [1534 Tindale, and all subseq. versions, When thou wast].

a. 1520.  Myrr. Our Ladye, 178. Thou O vyrgyn … that were souerayne delyte to god hymselfe … were ioye to aungels.

1611.  Shaks., Wint. T., II. i. 174. Thou wer’t borne a foole.

1617.  Hieron, Wks. (1628), II. 122. Why did I forget that thou wart an Observer?

1627.  Hakewill, Apologie (1630), 83. Thou, who werst a Christian before.

1738.  Glover, Leonidas, III. 560. Thou, who once wert Lacedæmon’s chief.

1748.  Richardson, Clarissa (1811), II. 204. Wert thou bid to come up?

1820.  Shelley, To Skylark, i. Hail to thee, blithe spirit! Bird thou never wert.

1822.  Hazlitt, Table-t., ser. II. iv. (1869), 91. Thou wert damned.

1875.  Browning, Aristoph. Apol., 232. Thou wast less friendly far than thou didst seem.

  plural. were. [= OFris. wêran, OS. wârun, OHG. wârumes, wârut, wârun, ON. vǫrum, várum, váruð, váru, Goth. wesum, wesuþ, wesun.] Forms: 1 wærun, 1–2 wæron, 2 wæren, 2–5 weren, 3– were; (2 waren, 3–4 weore(n, wore(n, 3–6 ware, 4 warre, wair, quar, 4–6 werne, warn, wer, war, wher, whar, 5 werene, werun, 6 warren, werren.) Also 4– was. Negative 1–3 næron, neoren, nere.

  (For were used in the sing. see above, was ¶).

c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., John i. 24. Þá wǽron of sundor-halʓan.

1160.  Hatton G., ibid., Þa wǽren.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 15. Þas laȝen weren from Moyses.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 31. Hie waren swiðe … ofdredde. Ibid., 143. Seuen awerȝede gostes ware on hire.

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 2446. Swilc woren egipte laȝes.

a. 1300.  Havelok, 717. Hise two doutres, that faire wore.

a. 1300.  Cursor M. (Gött.). 11490. Þar iesu and his moder warn [v.r. wern, werne]. Ibid. (c. 1340) (Trin.). 388. Boþe were [v.r. war, ware, was] made sonne and mone.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Prol., 28. And wel we weren esed atte beste. Ibid., 41. And eek in what array that they were inne.

c. 1410.  Love, Bonavent. Mirr., x. (Gibbs MS.). Þei þat werene so noble.

1462.  Paston Lett., 453, II. 104. Your brother and Debenham were at words.

1557.  Barclay (Paynell), Jugurth, 5 b. What tyme ye warre without riches.

1611.  Bible, Num. xiii. 33. Wee were in our owne sight as grashoppers, and so we were in their sight.

  ¶ The plural had formerly also was; almost universally so in 16–18th c. with you when used as a singular. Still dial. in all persons.

c. 1340.  Cursor M. (Trin.), 944. Into þe world þere þei made was.

c. 1430.  Syr Gener., 5674. Traitoures was him euer loothe.

c. 1460.  Fortescue, Abs. & Lim. Mon., 108. Whan thay came togeders, thay was … occupyyd with their own maters.

1588.  Shaks., Tit. A., IV. i. 38. There was more then one … I, more there was.

1677.  Wilkins, in Grew, Anat. Plants, Pref. You was very happy in the choice of this Subject.

1684.  Bunyan, Pilg., II. 76. I suppose you was in a dream.

1735.  Walpole, Corr. (1820), I. 3. When you was at Eton.

1749.  Fielding, Tom Jones, VI. v. What was you reading when I came in?

1811.  Miss Austen, Sense & Sens. (1870), II. i. 122. I felt sure that you was angry with me.

1837.  Dickens, Pickw., xxxiii. You was to come to him at six o’clock.

Mod. dial.  They was here.

  7.  Past Subjunctive.

  1 and 3 sing. were. [= OFris. wêre, ON. væri, OS. and OHG. wâri, Goth. 1 wesjau, 3 wesi.] Forms: 1–2 wǽre, 2– were, (2–3 weore, 3–4 wor(e, 4–5 ware, war, 6 weare.)

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 5. Er þis were.

a. 1250.  Owl & Night., 1312. Ȝif ich were a bisimere.

a. 1300.  Havelok, 1938. Me wore leuere I wore lame.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 1599. Þou he war [v.r. were] wrath it was na wrang.

c. 1440.  Love, Bonavent. Mirr., x. 25. (Gibbs MS.). As he were a pore man.

1486.  Bk. St. Albans, A iiij. As it ware the mawe of a pegeon.

1529.  More, in Four C. Eng. Lett., 12. What way wer best to take.

1788.  Burns, Oh, were I on Parnassus’ Hill!

1852.  Miss Yonge, Cameos, I. vi. 42. By my faith it were treason.

1863.  Geo. Eliot, Romola, x. If I were only a Theocritus.

Mod.  Would I were there!

  2 sing. wert, formerly were. [= OFris. wêre, ON. værir, OS. and OHG. wârîs, Goth. weseis. The final -t in Eng., formerly -est, -st, is on the analogy of the indic.] Forms: 1–2 wǽre, 2–6 were; 6–7 werest, werst; 6– wert.

c. 1300.  Harrow. Hell, 131. Were thou among men.

1535.  Coverdale, 2 Esdras v. 30. Though thou werest enemye. Ibid., Ezek. xxviii. 6. As though thou werst God.

1611.  Bible, Rev. iii. 15. I would thou wert cold or hote [Wyclif, Coverd., Cranmer, Rhem. were, Genev. werest].

a. 1796.  Burns, Oh, wert thou in the cauld blast.

  plural. were with grammatical ablaut. [= OFris. wêre, ON. værim, -ið, -i, OS. wârin, OHG. wârîmês, -ît, -în, Goth. weseima, -eiþ, -eina.] Forms: 1–2 wǽren, 2–4 weren, (3 weoren, 3–4 woren, waren), 3– were, (3 weore, 4 wore, weere, 4–6 war(e, 6 wer.)

c. 1205.  Lay., 50. Out of þeowedome, freo þat heo weoren [1250 were].

c. 1300.  Havelok, 2661. And fouhten so thei woren wode.

1480.  Robt. Devyll, 10. Ye were better lette me a lone.

1571.  Lyndesay, MS. Collect. Swownand, lyk as thai war bot life.

1611.  Bible, John xv. 19. If ye were of the world, the world would loue his owne [So Tindale, etc.].

1766.  Fordyce, Serm. Yng. Wom., II. viii. 4. Were these extinguished, what were this world?

1868.  Browning, Ring & Bk., II. 1153. Were they verily the lady’s own … she must be the fondest of the frail.

  ¶ For the singular, the indicative form was was common in 17–18th c.; it was even used for the plural by writers who used was in the plural indicative.

1684.  Bunyan, Pilg., II. 77. As if one was awake.

1713.  Beveridge, Private Th., II. (1730), 46. Which certainly would be the greatest Absurdity … was not they God as well as He.

1760.  Sterne, Serm., Yorick, viii. (1773), 88. A man, of whom, was you to form a conjecture [etc.]. Ibid. (1768), Sent. Journ. (1778), I. 85. Was I in a desert, I would find out [etc.].

1787.  G. White, Selborne, v. (1789), 11. The manor of Selborne, was it strictly looked after … would swarm with game.

  IV.  Parts from be only.

  8.  Past Participle: been. Forms: Southern ? 1–2 ʓebéon, 2–3 ibeon, ibon, iben, ibi, 3–4 ibeo, beo, 3–5 ibe, ybe, 4 yben, by, 4–6 be. Northern ? 2–3 beon, 3–7 ben, 4 beyn, buen, 4–7 bene, 5–6 byn(ne, 6–8 bin, 7– beene, 5– been. Not known in OE., where no pa. pple. of any of these verbs (am, was, be) appears. The common literary form in 14–15th c. was be, before the general acceptance of the northern ben, bene. South-western dialects have still a-be = ibe. (In U.S. often pronounced ben.)

a. 1107.  O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 1096. He heafde ʓebeon on þes cynges swicdome.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 159. Wel longe ich habbe child ibon [v.r. iben, ibeo].

c. 1175.  Cott. Hom., 239. Þus hit hað ibi and is.

c. 1200.  Ormin, 8399. Haffde he beon. Ibid., 2311. Hafde ben.

c. 1205.  Lay., 8325. Þu hafuest ibeon [1250 beon] ouer-cumen.

a. 1230.  Ancr. R., 316. Ich habbe ibeon fol.

a. 1300.  Cursor M. (Cott.) 14638. War yemed haf I ben [Gött. bene].

c. 1300.  Beket, 133. Lute we habbeth to-gadere I-beo.

c. 1300.  Harrow. Hell, 173. So longe we haveth buen herynne.

1375.  Barbour, Bruce, I. 527. Thai mycht nocht haiff beyn tane.

c. 1375.  Wyclif, Serm., xliii. Sel. Wks. 1871, II. 346. Trespassours, þat wolden … have be ever wantoun.

1377.  Langl., P. Pl., B. XIV. 95. As it neuere had ybe.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Prol., 60. At mortal batailles hadde he be [v.r. ben, been] fiftene. Ibid., Merch. T., 1157. A man that longe hath blynd ybe [v.r. ibe, blynde be].

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, XII. 8913. Þat any dede has be don.

c. 1420.  Sir Amadace, xxxix. A mon that hase alle way bynne kynde.

c. 1450.  Merlin, xv. 239. Where the battle had I-be.

1455.  E. Clere, in Four C. Eng. Lett., 5. Nor wist not where he had be, whils he had be seke til now.

1483.  Act 1 Rich. III., i. § 1. As … if this Act had not be made.

1526.  Tindale, John v. 5. Which had bene [1582 Rhem. been] diseased. Ibid., xiv. 9. Haue I bene [1611 bin] so long tyme with you?

1575.  J. Still, Gamm. Gurton, V. ii. Had my hens be stolne eche one.

1579.  Lyly, Euphues (1636), E iij b. Had it not bin better for thee?

1560.  Jewel, Serm. Matt. ix. 37–8. As if they had byn a flock of sheepe.

c. 1645.  Howell, Lett. (1726), 23. Having bin so rocked and shaken at Sea.

1864.  Tennyson, En. Ard., 420. You have been as God’s good angel in our house.

  B.  Signification and uses.

  [The primary sense appears to have been that of branch II below, ‘to occupy a place’ (i.e., to sit, stand, lie, etc.) in some specified place; thence the more abstract branch I was derived by abstracting the notion of particular place, so as to emphasize that of actual existence, ‘to be somewhere, no matter where, to be in the universe, or realm of fact, to have a place among existing things, to exist.’ Branch III was derived from II by weakening the idea of actual presence, into the merely intellectual conception of ‘having a place’ in a class of notions, or ‘being identical with’ another notion: ‘centaurs are imaginary creatures’ = ‘centaurs have their place in the class of creatures of the imagination.’ Branch IV is an obvious extension of III: cf. ‘it was annoying to me,’ with ‘it was annoying me.’]

  I.  absolutely: To have or take place in the world of fact, to exist, occur, happen.

  1.  To have place in the objective universe or realm of fact, to exist; also, to exist in life, to live.

c. 1000.  Ælfric, Exod. iii. 14. Ic eom se þe eom cwæþ he … se ðe ys me sende to eow.

c. 1340.  Cursor M. (Fairf.), 9732. This world … hast þou made fadir þorogh me to bene.

1548.  Udall, Erasm. Par. Matt. xxii. 105. They beleue … nothyng to be but that whiche they see.

1587.  Golding, De Mornay, iii. 26. All things that are, or euer were, or shall hereafter bee.

1611.  Bible, Gen. v. 24. Enoch walked with God: and hee was not, for God tooke him.

1698.  Dryden, Æneid, II. 438. Troy is no more, and Ilium was a Town.

1732.  Pope, Ess. Man, I. 109. To Be, contents his natural desire.

1810.  Scott, Lady of L., III. i. How are they blotted from the things that be.

1823.  Byron, Juan, IX. xxiv. Tyrants and sycophants have been and are.

1827.  Carlyle, Misc. (1857), I. 61. God is, nay alone is. Ibid. (1837), Fr. Rev., I. i. 6. So much that was not is beginning to be.

  b.  with there. [See THERE, for its use with verbs.]

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 10783. There bene reasons wretyn sere That god wold she spousid were.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Pers. T., ¶ 21. Ther ben thre acciouns of penitence.

1426.  Audelay, Poems, 16. Ther bene bot feu truly.

1562.  J. Heywood, Prov. & Epigr. (1867), 86. Thers no redempcion.

a. 1586.  Answ. Cartwright, 79. There were of the princes that tooke his parte.

1650.  Baxter, Saints’ R., I. i. (1662), 3. There’s few will deny, that God knows.

1711.  Pope, Rape Lock, 79. Some nymphs there are, too conscious of their face.

Mod.  There are photographs and photographs.

  2.  To come into existence, come about, happen, occur, take place, be acted or done.

  (To become, come about, was the OE. and early ME. sense of béon, while still a distinct vb., before it became blended with am, was.)

c. 950.  Lindisf. Gosp., Matt. xxiv. 3. Cueð us, hoenne ðas biðon.

c. 975.  Rushw. G., ibid., Sæʓe us hwænne þas beoþ.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 177. Hu scal þat bon?

c. 1350.  Will. Palerne, 1930. Manly on þe morwe þat mariage schuld bene.

1530.  Palsgr., 421/1. Be as be may, vaille que vaille.

1562.  J. Heywood, Prov. & Epigr. (1867), 43. Be as be maie is no bannyng.

1775.  Sheridan, Rivals, in Casquet. Lit. (1877), IV. 37/2. Your husband that shall be.

a. 1804.  Nelson, in Nicolas, Disp., II. 457. Marry … speedily, or the to be Mrs. Berry will have very little of your company.

Mod.  When is the wedding to be? The flower-show was last week.

  3.  To be the case or the fact, esp. in the phrases So be, Be it that = if it be the case that, suppose that, and the arch. or dial. Being, Being that = it being the case that, seeing that, since. Hence the adverb HOWBEIT.

c. 1314.  Guy Warw., 203. Bi so that he wille kisse me, Euer eft we schul frendes be.

c. 1400.  Maundev., v. 40. Beso it be not aȝenst his Lawe.

1547.  Brende, Lett., in Tytler, Hist. Scot. (1864), III. 380. If so be he will stand.

1549.  Latimer, Serm. bef. Edw. VI., vi. I. 178. Be it so, the Corinthians had no such contentions among them.

1611.  Bible, Job xix. 4. And be it indeed that I haue erred.

1851.  J. Hume, Repent., iv. Poems 96. So-be the haunting sense of wrong … Were loosen’d from his breast.

1528.  T. More, Heresyes, III. Wks. 214/2. Beyng though they wer but men.

1597.  Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., II. i. 199. You loyter heere too long, being you are to take Souldiers vp.

1641.  Best, Farm. Bks. (1856), 120. They went all for halfe gates, beinge that they coulde not bee discerned.

1641.  Milton, Ch. Discip., II. Wks. (1851), 61. Being they are Church-men, we may rather suspect [etc.].

1659.  Pearson, Creed, To Rdr. Being the Creed comprehendeth the principles of our religion, it must [etc.].

1692.  Lady Russell, Lett., 26 May. I believe your newspapers … tell you all, but being there is nothing newer, I would do it too.

1815.  Scott, Guy M., ix. With whom he himself had no delight in associating, ‘being that he was addicted unto profane and scurrilous jests.’

  4.  To remain or go on in its existing condition; in the archaic phrase let be = let alone, leave as it is; leave off, cease; Sc. omit, leave out.

1297.  R. Glouc., 153. Uter let al this be.

c. 1380.  Sir Ferumb., 281. Al ȝour mornyng leteþ now ben.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Frere’s Prol., 25. Telleth your tale, and let the sompnour be.

1393.  Langl., P. Pl., C. V. 174. Let be al ȝoure ianglyng.

c. 1450.  Merlin, i. 16. Let me be, and beth in pes.

1513.  Douglas, Æneis, IV. vi. 159. With thi complayntis … Lat be to vex me. Ibid., IX. Prol. 25. All lous langage and lychtnes lattand be.

1530.  Palsgr., 607/1. Let be this nycenesse, my frende.

1596.  Spenser, F. Q., II. vii. 18. Lett be thy bitter scorne.

1611.  Bible, Matt. xxvii. 49. Let be, let vs see whether Elias will.

1775.  H. Baillie, Lett., I. 51 (Jam.). Morton, Roxburgh, let be Haddington or Stirling, were not of sufficient shoulder. Ibid., I. 170. He had never any such resolution, let be plot.

1869.  Blackmore, Lorna D., xv. (1872), 89. I thank you; let me be.

  b.  Here may be included an idiom in which be is practically = ‘continue, remain,’ though the analysis is not clear, and there is apparently confusion of structure.

1601.  Shaks., All’s Well, II. i. 94. Ile fit you, And not be all day neither.

1865.  Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., IV. XII. iv. 151. Town-Officer is some considerable time before he can return [? = It is some considerable time before Town Officer can return.

  But cf. the following, which have various relations with other senses:

1570.  Ascham, Scholem., I. (Arb.), 35. I haue bene longer in describing the nature … of the quicke and hard witte than … the matter doth require.

1600.  Shaks., A. Y. L., II. v. 34. He hath bin all this day to looke you.

1628.  Digby, Voy. Medit. (1868), 7. And they having bin a long time from any port.

Mod.  I was a long while unable to arise; I was [also, it was] a long while before I could rise. You have been rather long about it. Go, but don’t be long! [Cf. also such phrases as ‘We are ten miles, an hour’s drive, two hours, from the nearest railway station,’ which come under 5.]

  II.  With adverb or prepositional phrase: stating where or how, i.e., in what place or state a thing is. [= Sp., Pg. estar as distinct from ser.]

  5.  To have or occupy a place (i.e., to sit, stand, lie, hang, etc.—the posture not being specified or regarded) somewhere, the ‘where’ being expressed either by an adverb or a preposition with object. Expressing the most general relation of a thing to its place: To have one’s personality, substance, or presence, to be present, so as to find oneself, or be to be found (in, at, or near a place, with an object, etc.).

a. 1000.  Sax. Leechd., II. 298. On swa hwilcum huse swa he biþ.

c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., Matt. xxviii. 20. Ic béo mid eow ealle daʓas.

1297.  R. Glouc., 374. Hou mony plou lond, & hou mony hyden al so, Were in eueryche ssyre.

c. 1300.  Harrow. Hell, 82. Alle tho that bueth heryne.

c. 1400.  Maundev., ii. 10. Some men trowen that half the Cros … be in Cipres.

1465.  Marg. Paston, in Lett., 505, II. 194. Ryght glad that we err ther a mongs hem.

1674.  Brevint, Saul at Endor, 164. He having bin in his Coffin the greatest part of the night after his death.

1722.  De Foe, Hist. Plague (1754), 6. Terrible Apprehensions were among the People.

1771.  Fletcher, Check, Wks. 1795, II. 194. You are just where you was.

1821.  Byron, Sardan., III. i. 401. Again the love-fit’s on him.

1861.  Thackeray, Georges, iii. 120. Where be the sentries who used to salute?

Mod.  Your book is here, under the table.

  b.  Often used with there, esp. when the subject is introduced to notice: cf. ‘your brother (about whom you ask) is in the garden,’ with ‘there is a cow (something not previously present to the mind) in the garden.’

[1475.  Caxton, Jason, 8 b. And were no more on their side but they two only.]

1594.  Hooker, Eccl. Pol., Pref. i. § 2. If there be in you that gracious humility.

1675.  Evelyn, Mem. (1857), II. 103. There was not his equal in the whole world.

1821.  Byron, Sardan., I. i. There be bright faces in the hall.

  6.  Idiomatically, in past, now only in perfect and pluperfect tenses, with to, and a substantive, or infinitive of purpose: To have been (at the proper place) in order to, or for the purpose of. Cf. Sp. and Pg. fué ‘I was’ in sense of ‘I went.’

c. 1645.  Howell, Lett. (1678), 24. I was yesterday to wait upon Sir Herbert Croft.

1747.  Lady Shaftesb. in Priv. Lett. Ld. Malmesbury, I. 51. I was to see the new farce.

1760.  Goldsm., Cit. W. (1840), 158. I was this morning to buy silk for a nightcap.

Mod.  Have you been to the Crystal Palace? I had been to see Irving that night.

  b.  To be off, be away: a graphic expression for ‘to go at once, take oneself off.’

1826.  Disraeli, Viv. Grey, VI. vi. 352. We had better order our horses and be off.

1873.  Black, Pr. Thule, xii. 186. The stag … was away like lightning down the bed of the stream.

1884.  W. C. Smith, Kildrostan, 65. I must be off into the woods.

  7.  To sit, stand, remain, etc., in a defined circumstantial position, e.g., to be in debt, at one’s ease; to have one’s existence in a certain state or condition. a. with prep. phrase.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 7. Ȝef we beoð under soð scrifte.

c. 1340.  Cursor M. (Laud MS.), 942. Therfor ye bene in wo and stryfe. Ibid., 10446. When þou shuldist be best at ease.

c. 1430.  Syr Gener. (1865), 41. Al men that on live bene.

1531–2.  Act 23 Hen. VIII., xvi. One halfe of the price … shalbe to the use of the seysour.

1535.  Coverdale, Zech. viii. 2. I was in a greate gelousy ouer Sion.

1540.  Hyrde, Vives’ Instr. Chr. Wom. (1592), E ij. To bee at the lust of the Judge.

1611.  Bible, Ex. v. 19. They were in euill case.

1666.  Marvell, Corr., liv. Wks. 1872–5, II. 191. Proposalls that have bin undir deliberation.

1712.  Addison, Spect., No. 369, ¶ 14. Any one … who will be at the pains of examining it.

1866.  Kingsley, Herew., xvii. 214. The battle … is more in my way.

  b.  with adverb.

c. 1350.  Will. Palerne, 547. Nay best beþ it nouȝt so.

1463.  Plumpton Corr., 8. I trust all shalbe well.

1611.  Bible, Gen. xliii. 27. Is your father well? [Wyclif saaf; Coverd., Geneva in good health].

1807.  Crabbe, Par. Reg., III. 717. Content to be and to be well.

1849.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., II. 171. Asking how his Highness was.

  8.  To belong pertain. befall: with dat. or to, = have. Cf. L. est mihi, Fr. c’est à moi. Now only in exclamations or wishes (where, also, be is often omitted), as Wo is me! Wo be to the transgressor! Success (be) to your efforts!

a. 1300.  E. E. Psalter cxxviii. 2. Wele bes to þe nou.

1382.  Wyclif, Luke i. 7. A sone was not to hem.

c. 1400.  Maundev., 36. The kyngdom of Arabye that was to on of the 3 kynges.

1535.  Coverdale, Ps. cxxvii. 2. O well is the, happie art thou.

1602.  Shaks., Ham., II. ii. 124. Whilst this Machine is to him. Ibid. (1605), Lear, I. i. 68. To thine and Albanies issues be this perpetuall.

1611.  Bible, Ecclus. xxv. 9. Well is him that hath found prudence. Ibid., Eph. vi. 23. Peace be to the brethren. Ibid., Rev. i. 4. Grace be vnto you, and peace, from him which is.

  † b.  To pertain as a misfortune, to have befallen to; to be amiss, be the matter with, ail. Obs.

1297.  R. Glouc., 128. Merlyn wat ys the?

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 4395. Leuedi, quat es at ȝou? [v.r. what is ȝou? what ayles ȝou?]

a. 1300.  Floriz & Bl., 467. [Thei] axede hire what hire were.

a. 1300.  Havelok, 2704. Godrich, wat is þe, þat þou fare þus with me?

  III.  With adjective, substantive, or adjective phrase; acting as simple copula: stating of what sort or what a thing is. [= Sp., Pg. ser, as distinct from estar.]

  9.  To exist as the subject of some predicate, i.e., to have a place among the things distinguished by a specified quality or name. a. with adj.

c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., Matt. xi. 30. Min ʓeoc is wynsum and min byrðyn ys leoht.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 197. Ne beo ich neuer bliðe.

c. 1340.  Cursor M. (Trin.), 3109. Þe folke was gode, þe world was clene. Ibid., 12578. Ar he were tuelue ȝeer olde.

1387.  Trevisa, Higden (1865), I. 9. Now men beþ al sad.

c. 1440.  Morte Arth. (Roxb.), 74. Wemen are frele.

c. 1440.  Hylton, Scala Perf. (W. de W., 1494), xx. Ful drye & ful colde arn her hertes.

1534.  Tindale, John xiii. 11. Ye are not all clene.

1579.  Lyly, Euphues (1636), D viij. Neither haue I bin curious to inquire of his Progenitors.

1611.  Bible, Ps. cviii. 30. Then are they glad because they be quiet.

1652.  Needham, Selden’s Mare Cl., 171. Whose name is very frequent in the mouths of men.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 144. Gaunt are his Sides, and sullen is his Face.

1830.  Tennyson, Mariana. I am aweary, aweary, I would that I were dead.

  b.  with phrase = adj. (closely allied to 7).

c. 1200.  Ormin, 2455. Þu best wiþþ childe.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 10303. Fastinge he was in wille to be. Ibid., 10572. Anna wit child was of a mai.

c. 1400.  Partonope, 874. Beth of goode comfort.

1592.  West, Symbol., I. I. § 9. Of which sort bin all naturall Obligations.

1734.  trans. Rollin’s Anc. Hist. (1827), I. III. 260. He was of Memphis.

1748.  Hartley, Observ. Man, I. § 1 ¶ 46. The Instance above noted is most to this Purpose.

1828.  Scott, F. M. Perth, II. 67. Be of good courage.

1837.  Newman, Par. Serm., I. xxiv. 365. Religion is said to be against nature.

1867.  Times, 18 Nov., 7/2. The advices from Adelaide, South Australia, by the present mail are to the 28th of September.

  c.  with sb. (used connotatively).

c. 950.  Lindisf. Gosp., Matt. viii. 9. Forðon and ic monn amm under mæht.

c. 1175.  Cott. Hom., 219. Hi bæð alle gastes.

c. 1325.  E. E. Allit. P., A. 458. Al arn we membrez of Ihesu kryst.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Sel. Wks. (1871), III. 442. Þese freres bene men of holy Chirche.

1570.  Ascham, Scholem., I. (Arb.), 68. You be indeed makers or marrers.

1626.  R. Bernard, Isle of Man (1627), 155. I haue alwayes bin a free man.

1678.  Bunyan, Pilg., I. 14. Though I have bin An undeserving rebel.

1817.  Byron, Manfred, II. iv. 133. I feel but what thou art—and what I am.

1850.  Lynch, Theo. Trin., x. 200. Only by being man can we know man.

  10.  with sb. To exist as the thing known by a certain name; to be identical with.

c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., John xix. 21. Ic eom iudea cyning.

c. 1160.  Hatt. G., ibid., Ich ém iudea kyning.

c. 1340.  Hampole, Pr. Consc., 946. God … es maker of althynge, And of alle creatures þe bygynnynge.

c. 1400.  Gamelyn, 583. Hit ben þe Shirreues men.

1486.  Plumpton Corr., 49. These bent the tydings that I know.

c. 1530.  Redforde, Play Wyt & Sc. (1848), 3. Ah! syr, what tyme of day yst?

1590.  Shaks., Com. Err., III. ii. 73. Am I Dromio? Am I your man? Am I my selfe? Ibid. (1610), Temp., I. ii. 434. My selfe am Naples.

1630.  Wadsworth, Sp. Pilgr., i. 4. ’Twas clear it was not gaine was his marke.

1805.  Foster, Ess., II. vi. 204. Let thinking be reasoning.

1872.  Yeats, Tech. Hist. Comm., 212. The earth and the atmosphere are the two sources.

  11.  To be the same in purport as; to signify, amount to, mean.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 5. Vigilate, þat is beð wakiende.

c. 1220.  Hali Meid., 3. Him ȝeme hwat euch word bee sunderliche to seggen.

a. 1230.  Ancr. R., 58. Best is þe bestliche mon þæt ne þencheð nout of God.

1302.  Wyclif, Gen. xli. 26. Seuen oxen fayr, and seuen eerys fulle, seuen ȝeris of plentith ben.

1611.  Bible, ibid., The seuen good kine are seuen yeares.

1597.  Bacon, Coulers Good & Evill, Ess. (Arb.), 153. The burning of that had bin gradus privationis.

1884.  Royal Cornwall Gaz., 7 March, 7/4. Lieutenant Freeman, 19th Hussars, also fell in this struggle and to fall was to die.

Mod.  I’ll tell you what it is, you must leave.

  12.  To amount to (something) of moment or importance, to ‘signify’ to a person; to concern.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 13383. Quat es þat to me and þe? Ibid., 16487. What is that to vs?

1526.  Tindale, Matt. xxvii. 4. What is that to vs? Se thou to that.

1611.  Bible, Lam. i. 12. Is it nothing to you, all ye that passe by?

Mod.  Is it nothing to you, that you have alienated your friends?

  13.  ellipt. To be good for, to be at the expense of, ‘stand.’ Obs. or dial.

1749.  Fielding, Tom Jones, VIII. v. The wine being now at an end, the barber pressed very eagerly to be his bottle. Ibid., XV. xii. I said I would be my pot too.

1765.  Goldsm., Strolling Player, Ess., vi. If I have threepence in my pocket I never refuse to be my three halfpence.

Mod. Colloq.  He was asked to be his share in the expense and refused.

  IV.  With participles and infinitives, serving as an auxiliary and forming periphrastic tenses.

  14.  With past participle: a. in transitive verbs, forming the passive voice. (For present pple. passive, see 15 c.)

c. 825.  Vesp. Psalter, l. 9. Ðu on-striʓdes mec mid ysopan … ðu ðwes mec, & ofer snaw, ic biom ge-whitad [Wyclif, And I shal ben clensid].

c. 885.  K. Ælfred, Boeth., xiii. 40. Ic eom of wundrod.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 59. In þe font we weren eft iboren.

c. 1325.  E. E. Allit. P., A. 571. Mony ben calle[d].

c. 1410.  Love, Bonavent. Mirr., x. 24 (Gibbs MS.). We shulden not by styred to impacyence.

1606.  G. W[oodcocke], Hist. Ivstine, 31 b. Pausanias, being attached for treason, fled.

1637.  Decr. Star Chamb. on Printing, 11 July § 2. That no person … print or cause to bee printed.

1674.  Brevint, Saul at Endor, 140. Vows … were never heard to have bin made to any Saint, but to God alone.

1683.  Col. Rec. Pennsylvania, I. 57. Bee it enacted by the Authority aforesaid that y^e days of y^e week … shall be called as in Scripture.

1874.  Helps, Soc. Press., iii. 57. The political aspect of the subject has not been approached.

  b.  in intransitive verbs, forming perfect tenses, in which use it is now largely displaced by have after the pattern of transitive verbs: be being retained only with come, go, rise, set, fall, arrive, depart, grow, and the like, when we express the condition or state now attained, rather than the action of reaching it, as ‘the sun is set,’ ‘our guests are gone,’ ‘Babylon is fallen,’ ‘the children are all grown up.’

894.  O. E. Chron. Wæs Hæsten þá þǽr cumen mid his herʓe.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 173. Alle þe sinfulle þe forð sende farene.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 14322. Thre dais es gan.

c. 1350.  Will. Palerne, 1457. Þe grete lordes … beþ lenged now here.

c. 1450.  Merlin, x. 165. In euell tyme ben oure enmyes entred.

1523.  Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. cxxix. 156. They are rested in there batayls.

1556.  Veron, Godly Sayings (1846), 145. Aungels, that bene come down from heaven.

1590.  Shaks., Com. Err., V. i. 361. These children, Which accidentally are met together.

1628.  Hobbes, Thucyd. (1822), 62. He gave out they were run away.

1670.  G. H., Hist. Cardinals, I. I. 24. Some there are, who believe that Miracles are not ceas’d.

1671.  Milton, P. R., II. 140. Therefore I am returned.

1685.  Lond. Gaz., No. 2069/4. The Dartmouth is Sailed to the Westward.

1773.  Goldsm., Stoops to Conq., I. i. (1854), 50. He informs me his son is set out.

1852.  Miss Yonge, Cameos, I. ix. 58. His parents were grown old.

  15.  With the present participle, forming continuous varieties of the tenses. a. with active signification. In OE. only wæs was so used, forming a kind of imperfect; the present was in use by the 13th c. In later times this was confused with a formation upon the vbl. sb., of which see examples under A prep.¹ 13; the OE. he wæs feohtende, and ME. ‘he was a-fighting,’ meet in the modern ‘he was fighting.’

885.  O. E. Chron. Æþelwulf ferde to Rome and þær wæs xii monaþ wuniende.

c. 1175.  Cott. Hom., 225. Adam þa wes wuniende on þeses life.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 15665. Bes [v.r. be] wakand ai in orisun.

c. 1400.  Maundev., xxiii. 253. Thei trowen … thei schulle be etynge and drynkynge.

1562.  J. Heywood, Prov. & Epigr. (1867), 37. Leat vs be trudgeing.

1576.  Lambarde, Peramb. Kent. Some fleeting beene in floodes.

1653.  Holcroft, Procopius, 29. The Romans being preparing their dinners.

1684.  Bunyan, Pilg., II. 227. He was talking of thee.

1727.  Vanbrugh, Journ. Lond., I. 1. It’s at the Door, they are getting out.

1750.  Harris, Hermes (1841), 142. Riseth means, is rising; writeth, is writing.

1774.  Burke, Sp. Amer. Tax., Wks. II. 401. I hope I am not going into a narrative troublesome to the house.

1863.  Geo. Eliot, Romola, xlv. The bells were still ringing.

  b.  with passive signification: in such expression as ‘the ark was building,’ the last word was originally the gerund or verbal substantive, and the full expression was ‘the ark was a-building or in building,’ of which see instances under A prep.¹ 12.

1551.  Robinson, trans. More’s Utop. (1869), 64. Whyles a commodye of Plautus is playinge.

1557.  N. T. (Geneva), 1 Pet. iii. 20. While the arcke was [1611 was in] preparing.

1685.  R. Burton, Eng. Emp. Amer., ii. 28. Strong preparations being making for wars.

Mod.  We stayed there while our house was building.

  c.  The ambiguity of the construction ‘is building’ in the two preceding senses has led in modern Eng. to the use in the latter sense of ‘is being built,’ formed upon the present pple. passive ‘being built.’

[1596.  Of Ghostes and Spirits, 14. The noyse of a leafe being mooved so affrighteth him.

1653.  H. More, Antid. Ath., 26. Acting and being acted upon by others.

1754.  Richardson, Grandison, III. 46. To sit up late either reading or being read to.

1769.  Mrs. Harris, in Lett. 1st Ld. Malmesbury (1870), I. 180. There is a good opera of Pugniani’s now being acted.

1779.  J. Harris, ibid., I. 410. Sir Guy Carlton was four hours being examined.]

1795.  Southey, in C. Southey, Life, I. 249. A fellow … whose grinder is being torn out by the roots.

1797.  Coleridge, in Biog. Lit. (1847), II. 317. While my hand was being dressed.

1823.  Lamb, Elia, Inconv. being hanged. A man who is being strangled.

1846.  Newman, Ess. Crit. & Hist., II. 448. At this very moment, souls are being led into the Catholic Church.

a. 1859.  De Quincey, Wks., IV. 7. Not done, not even (according to modern purism) being done.

1873.  Huxley, Crit. & Addresses, 247. The corpuscles enter into the eggs while they are being formed.

  16.  With the dative infinitive, making a future of appointment or arrangement; hence of necessity, obligation or duty; in which sense have is now commonly substituted.

  † a.  with infinitive active. Obs.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 3. Alle þo þe habben ben … and alle þo þe ben to cumen her after.

1382.  Wyclif, Gen. xiii. 17. I am to [1388 Y schal] ȝyue it to thee. Ibid. (1382), Eccles. ii. 18. I knowe not whether wis or fool he be to ben.

1622.  Massinger, Virgin Mart., III. i. A King of Egypt, being to erect The image of Osiris.

1692.  Locke, Educ., § 167. If a Gentleman be to study any Language, it ought to be that of his own Country.

1703.  Rowe, Fair Penit., Ded. If this be not a receiv’d Maxim, yet I am sure I am to wish it were.

1725.  De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 22. Mighty uneasy … about their being to go back again.

1742.  Richardson, Pamela, III. 264. I am to thank you, my dear Miss, for your kind Letter.

1814.  Scott, Wav., I. v. 55. Had he been to chuse between any punishment … and the necessity.

  † b.  Hence, To be to seek: to have to seek, to be obliged to seek, to be in want or at a loss. Obs.

1601.  Holland, Pliny, I. 89. The complete measure of it … that such as are desirous of knowledge be not to seek in any one thing.

1625.  Bacon, Usury, Ess. (Arb.), 544. The Merchant wil be to seeke for Money.

1653.  Holcroft, Procopius, I. 4. Being to seek his food he would hunt for it.

1654.  (12 Sept.) Cromwell, Sp. (Carl., 1871), IV. 52. We were exceedingly to seek how to settle things.

a. 1674.  Clarendon, Hist. Reb., I. v. (1702), 454. They were very much to seek, how the Case of Hull could concern Descents and Purchases.

1832.  Fair of May Fair, III. ii. 278. It was excusable that a man having passed so large a portion of those sixty years in a compting house, could be somewhat to seek in the economy of his social system.

  c.  with infinitive passive.

1581.  Fulke, in Confer., III. (1584), O iiij b. He him selfe being to iudge all men, is to bee iudged of no man.

a. 1674.  Clarendon, Hist. Reb., I. II. 118. Being to be made Earl of Strafford.

1869.  Freeman, Norm. Conq., III. xii. 145. Normandy was to be invaded on each side.

  17.  The same construction is used in the sense of ‘to be proper or fit (to).’ a. with infinitive active. arch. and now commonly expressed by b.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 133. Hit is to witene.

c. 1340.  Cursor M. (Fairf.), 12861. Wat is to do.

1340.  Ayenb., 5. Þet is to zigge.

c. 1388.  in Wyclif’s Sel. Wks., 1871, III. 468. Hit ys not to gife dymes to a persoun.

1483.  Caxton, G. de la Tour, E v. Suche … wymmen be to compare to the wyf of Lothe.

1528.  Perkins, Prof. Bk., i. § 36 (1642), 16. Now it is to shew.

1634.  Malory’s Arthur (1816), II. 308. The four … is to understand the four evangelists.

Mod.  Is this house to let? They are not to compare with these.

  b.  with infinitive passive.

1303.  R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 1545. Þey beþ to be blamede eft.

1588.  J. Udall, Demonstr. Discip. (Arb.), 54. If the whole … be to bee obserued vntill the ende.

1679.  Penn, Addr. Prot., II. § 2 (1692), 76. Not a Good Samaritan being to be found.

1798.  Malthus, Popul. (1817), II. 194. It must be to be depended upon.

  18.  The past subjunctive were with the infinitive makes an emphatically hypothetical condition: cf. the degrees of uncertainty in If I went, If I should go, If I were to go.

1596.  Raleigh, in Four C. Eng. Lett., 37. If I weare … to advize my sealf.

Mod.  If I were to propose, would you accept? Were he to ask me, it would be different.

  V.  Phraseological combinations.

  19.  In I were better (best, as good), the nominative pronoun took catachrestically the place of an earlier dative (me were better = it were better to or for me): modern usage substitutes had better, after the analogy of had liefer, rather, etc. Cf. HAVE, LIEF, RATHER.

  (See F. Hall, ‘Had Rather’ in Amer. Jrnl. Philol., II. No. 7. 1881.)

c. 1300.  St. Marg., 180. Þe were betere habbe [= it were better for thee to have] bileued atom, þan icome me to fonde.

c. 1430.  Syr Tryam., 399. Sche wyste not whedur-warde … Sche was best to goone.

c. 1590.  Marlowe, Jew of Malta, IV. iv. 1653. I … told him he were best to send it.

1597.  Lyly, Wom. in Moone, III. ii. 185. Sirra, provide the banquet, you are best.

1610.  Shaks., Temp., I. ii. 366. Be quicke thou’rt best. Ibid. (1611), Cymb., III. ii. 79. Madam, you’re best consider.

1612.  Chapman, Widdowes’ T., Plays, 1873, III. 12. Y’are best take you to your stand.

1647.  Ward, Simp. Cobler, 57. They were … better speake plainer English.

1703.  Moxon, Mech. Exerc., 278. You were best to mark the lower Closier in each course.

  20.  In clauses measuring time: as ‘he came here Monday was a week,’ i.e., he came here on the Monday a week before Monday last: the phrase became a mere adjective clause, whence arose remarkable constructions, as ‘on the evening of Saturday was sennight before the day fixed’ = on the evening of the Saturday a week earlier than the Saturday before the day fixed. Was is now generally omitted: I was in London Monday (was) three weeks.

[1449.  Paston Lett., 68, I. 85. And as God wuld, on Fryday last was, we had a gode wynd.]

1678.  Gunpowder-Treas., 11. The Evening of the Saturday was Sennight before the appointed time.

1684.  Baxter, Twelve Argts., Post. M, I have been at no Church since August was Twelvemonth.

1691.  Lond. Gaz., No. 2657/4. Edward Flower … went from his House about last Christmas was 4 years. Ibid. (1725), No. 6447/4. About two or three Days after Holy Rood Day last was Twelve Month.

1859.  Geo. Eliot, A. Bede, 343. Did there come no young woman here … Friday was a fortnight?

  21.  To be about to: see ABOUT A 11, 12.

  22.  What one would be at: what one aims at; what one means, wishes, or would have.

1705.  Vanbrugh, Confeder., I. i. (1759), II. 13. What wou’d he be at? At her—if she’s at leisure.

1749.  Fielding, Tom Jones (1836), I. I. xi. 51. We cannot always discover what the young lady would be at.

1766.  Goldsm., Vic. W., x. (1857), 58. That is very true but not what I would be at.

1848.  Blackw. Mag., LXIV. 373, heading. What would revolutionising Germany be at?

  23.  To be for: † a. to be ready, prepared, or a match for a person (obs.); b. to be bound for, to be making for a place; c. to be ready to act for, to be on the side of, or in favor of, to advocate; d. to be anxious for, to desire, to want (dial.).

  a.  1622.  Middleton, etc., Old Law, III. ii. My young boys, I shall be for you.

1631.  Massinger, Beleeve as You List, III. iii. His angrie forhead … No matter—I am for him.

  b.  1630.  Wadsworth, Sp. Pilgr., ii. 6. I was for St. Sebastians, accompanied with one Mr. Pickford.

Mod.  ‘Where are you for to-day?’

  c.  1636.  Healey, Epictetus’ Man., 147. Like unto beasts, they are all for the belly.

1692.  Locke, Toleration, ii. Wks. 1727, II. 289. You cannot be … for a free and impartial Examination.

1799.  T. Jefferson, Writ. (1859), IV. 268. I am for free commerce with all nations.

1855.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., IV. 511. He was for going straight into the harbour of Brest.

1878.  Bosw. Smith, Carthage, 219. Scipio … was for delay.

  24.  Many parts of the verb and its tenses are used substantively, adjectively or adverbially.

a. 1679.  T. Goodwin, Wks. (1864), VIII. 231. How slender these hopes … which these it may bes do afford.

1739.  Chesterf., Lett., I. xxxv. 115. May be they were drunk.

1802.  G. Colman, Br. Grins, Reckoning with Time, iii. List then, old Is-Was-and-To-Be.

1819.  Byron, Venice, ii. The everlasting to be which hath been.

1837.  Carlyle, Fr. Rev., II. IV. ii. 189. He goes, as Rabelais did when dying, to seek a great Maybe. Ibid., III. I. iv. 36. There is a need-be for removing.

1848.  Clough, Bothie, III. 159. He to the great might-have-been upsoaring … He to the merest it-was restricting, diminishing.

1852.  Tupper, Prov. Philos., 173. This would-be god Thinketh to make mind.