prefix
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English be-, bi-; akin to Old English bī by, near, Old High German bi- be-, bī by, near, Gothic bi- be-, bi by, about, at — more at by
1. : on : around : over
be daub
be smear
2. : to a great or greater degree : thoroughly — especially in intensive verbs formed from simple verbs
be cudgel
be fuddle
be smite
be spatter
be rate
3. : excessively : ostentatiously — in intensive verbs formed from simple verbs
be deck
be laud
and in adjectives based on adjectives ending in -ed
be ribboned
be furbelowed
4. : about : to : at : upon : against : across — in transitive verbs formed from intransitive simple verbs
be stride
be speak
be croak
5. : make : cause to be : treat as — in verbs formed from adjectives or nouns
be little
be numb
be fool
be friend
6. : call or dub especially excessively — in verbs formed from nouns
be lady
be rascal
be doctor
7. : affect, afflict, treat, provide, or cover with especially excessively — in verbs formed from nouns
be famine
be devil
be glue
be blood
and sometimes only in the form of a past participle or adjective ending in -ed
be capped
be cobwebbed