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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

be-

a native English prefix formerly used in the formation of verbs: become, besiege, bedaub, befriend.

[Origin: ME, OE, unstressed form of bī by

]

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Be-

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

be-
pref.

Completely; thoroughly; excessively. Used as an intensive: bemuse.
On; around; over: besmear.
About; to: bespeak.
Used to form transitive verbs from nouns, adjectives, and intransitive verbs, as:
1. To make; cause to become: bedim.
2. To affect, cover, or provide: bespectacled.

[Middle English bi-, be-, from Old English be-, bi-; see ambhi in Indo-European roots.]

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
be-

weak form of O.E. bi "by," probably cognate with second syllable of Gk. amphi, L. ambi and originally meaning "about." This sense naturally drifted into intensive (cf. bespatter "spatter about," therefore "spatter very much"). Be- can also be privative (cf. behead), causative, or have just about any sense required. The prefix was productive 16c.-17c. in forming useful words, many of which have not survived, e.g. bethwack "to thrash soundly" (1555), betongue "to assail in speech, to scold" (1639).

U.S. Gazetteer - Cite This Source - Share This

Indian Harbor Be, FL Zip code(s): 32937

U.S. Gazetteer, U.S. Census Bureau

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Be-

Be-\ [AS. be, and in accented form b[=i], akin to OS. be and b[=i], OHG. bi, pi, and p[=i], MHG. be and b[=i], G. be and bei, Goth. bi, and perh. Gr. ? about (cf. AS. bese['o]n to look about). [root]203. Cf. By, Amb-.] A prefix, originally the same word as by; joined with verbs, it serves: (a) To intensify the meaning; as, bespatter, bestir. (b) To render an intransitive verb transitive; as, befall (to fall upon); bespeak (to speak for). (c) To make the action of a verb particular or definite; as, beget (to get as offspring); beset (to set around).

Note: It is joined with certain substantives, and a few adjectives, to form verbs; as, bedew, befriend, benight, besot; belate (to make late); belittle (to make little). It also occurs in certain nouns, adverbs, and prepositions, often with something of the force of the preposition by, or about; as, belief (believe), behalf, bequest (bequeath); because, before, beneath, beside, between. In some words the original force of be is obscured or lost; as, in become, begin, behave, behoove, belong.

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