be-

be- Definition

be- (bē, bi, bə)

: added to other verbs
1. around besprinkle, beset
2. completely, thoroughly, excessively: used as an intensifier bedeck, besmear
3. away: used as a privative bereave, betake
4. about: used as a transitive prefix bethink, bemoan
: added to nouns and, sometimes, adjectives
1. make besot, bedim
2. furnish with, cover with, affect by, treat as befriend, bedizen, becloud
covered with, furnished with, furnished with to excess: added to past participles in -ed bemedaled, bewhiskered

Etymology: ME bi-, be- < OE (akin to Goth bi-, Ger be-), at, near < Gmc base of by

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