Adjacent Words

be- definitions

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Merriam Webster's

prefix Etymology: Middle English, from Old English bi-, be-; akin to Old English b? by, near — more at by 1. on ; around ; over <bedaub> <besmear> 2. to a great or greater degree ; thoroughly <befuddle> <berate> 3. excessively ; ostentatiously — in intensive verbs formed from simple verbs <bedeck> and in adjectives based on adjectives ending in -ed <beribboned> 4. about ; to ; at ; upon ; against ; across <bestride> <bespeak> 5. make ; cause to be ; treat as <belittle> <befool> <befriend> 6. call or dub especially excessively <bedoctor> 7. affect, afflict, treat, provide, or cover with especially excessively <bedevil> <befog>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

prefix forming verbs: 1 (from transitive verbs) a all over; all round (beset; besmear). b thoroughly, excessively (begrudge; belabour). 2 (from intransitive verbs) expressing transitive action (bemoan; bestride). 3 (from adjectives and nouns) expressing transitive action (befool; befoul). 4 (from nouns) a affect with (befog). b treat as (befriend). c (forming adjectives in -ed) having; covered with (bejewelled; bespectacled). Etymology: OE be-, weak form of bi BY as in bygone, byword, etc.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

Be- can be added to a noun followed by an '-ed' suffix to form an adjective that indicates that a person is covered with or wearing the thing named. ...besuited men and bejewelled ladies. ...a bespectacled librarian. PREFIX