present pl. indicative of
be, from O.E.
earun (Mercian),
aron (Northumbrian), see
be. Also from O.N. cognates. In 17c., began to replace
be, ben as first person plural present indicative in standard English. The only non-dialectal survival of
be in this sense is
the powers that be. But in southwest England,
we be (in Devonshire
us be) remains non-standard idiom as a contradictory positive ("You people aren't speaking correct English." "Oh, yes we be!").
Aren't, contraction of
are not, is first recorded 1794.