Emily Dickinson Lexicon

BE, v.i. [substantive verb; ppr. being; pp. been. Sax. beon, to be. G. bin, bist; D. ben; Pers. نُوَدْن bodan, to be, San. bhu; and W. bôd, byzu, bydiaw. The sense is, to stand, remain or be fixed; hence, to continue. This verb is defective, and its defects are supplied by verbs from other roots, am, is, was, were, which have no radical connection with be. The case is the same with the substantive verb in most languages.]

1. To be fixed; to exist; to have a real state or existence, for a longer or shorter time. Let this mind be in you, which was in Christ Jesus. – Phil. ii. To be, contents his natural desire. – Pope.
2. To be made to be; to become. And they twain shall be one flesh. – Matth. xix. Jer. xxxii.
3. To remain. Let the garment be as it was made.
4. To be present in a place. Where was I at the time? When will you be at my house?
5. To have a particular manner of being or happening; as, how is this affair? how was it? what were the circumstances? This verb is used as an auxiliary in forming the tenses of other verbs, and particularly in giving to them the passive form; as, he has been disturbed. It forms, with the infinitive, a particular future tense, which often expresses duty, necessity or purpose; as, government is to be supported; we are to pay our just debts. Let be is to omit, or leave untouched; to let alone. Let be, said he, my prey. – Dryden.