was 音标拼音: [w'ɑz] [w'ʌz] [wəz] [w'ɔz]
vbl .
be 的过去式
be 的过去式
Was \
Was \ (
w [
o ^]
z ). [
AS .
w [
ae ]
s ,
2d pers .
w [=
ae ]
re ,
3d pers .
w [
ae ]
s ,
pl .
w [=
ae ]
ron ,
with the inf .
wesan to be ;
akin to D .
wezen ,
imp .
was ,
OHG .
wesan ,
imp .
was ,
G .
wesen ,
n .,
a being ,
essence ,
war was ,
Icel .
vera to be ,
imp .
var ,
Goth .
wisan to be ,
to dwell ,
to remain ,
imp .
was ,
Skr .
vas to remain ,
to dwell . [
root ]
148 .
Cf . {
Vernacular }, {
Wassail }, {
Were },
v .]
The first and third persons singular of the verb be ,
in the indicative mood ,
preterit (
imperfect )
tense ;
as ,
I was ;
he was .
[
1913 Webster ]
Be \
Be \ (
b [=
e ]),
v .
i . [
imp . {
Was } (
w [
o ^]
z );
p .
p . {
Been }
(
b [
i ^]
n );
p .
pr . &
vb .
n . {
Being }.] [
OE .
been ,
beon ,
AS .
be ['
o ]
n to be ,
be ['
o ]
m I am ;
akin to OHG .
bim ,
pim ,
G .
bin ,
I am ,
Gael . &
Ir .
bu was ,
W .
bod to be ,
Lith .
bu -
ti ,
O .
Slav .
by -
ti ,
to be ,
L .
fu -
i I have been ,
fu -
turus about to be ,
fo -
re to be about to be ,
and perh .
to fieri to become ,
Gr .
fy ^
nai to be born ,
to be ,
Skr .
bh [=
u ]
to be .
This verb is defective ,
and the parts lacking are supplied by verbs from other roots ,
is ,
was ,
which have no radical connection with be .
The various forms ,
am ,
are ,
is ,
was ,
were ,
etc .,
are considered grammatically as parts of the verb "
to be ",
which ,
with its conjugational forms ,
is often called the substantive verb . [
root ]
97 .
Cf . {
Future }, {
Physic }.]
1 .
To exist actually ,
or in the world of fact ;
to have existence .
[
1913 Webster ]
To be contents his natural desire . --
Pope .
[
1913 Webster ]
To be ,
or not to be :
that is the question . --
Shak .
[
1913 Webster ]
2 .
To exist in a certain manner or relation , --
whether as a reality or as a product of thought ;
to exist as the subject of a certain predicate ,
that is ,
as having a certain attribute ,
or as belonging to a certain sort ,
or as identical with what is specified , --
a word or words for the predicate being annexed ;
as ,
to be happy ;
to be here ;
to be large ,
or strong ;
to be an animal ;
to be a hero ;
to be a nonentity ;
three and two are five ;
annihilation is the cessation of existence ;
that is the man .
[
1913 Webster ]
3 .
To take place ;
to happen ;
as ,
the meeting was on Thursday .
[
1913 Webster ]
4 .
To signify ;
to represent or symbolize ;
to answer to .
[
1913 Webster ]
The field is the world . --
Matt .
xiii .
38 .
[
1913 Webster ]
The seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches . --
Rev .
i .
20 .
[
1913 Webster ]
Note :
The verb to be (
including the forms is ,
was ,
etc .)
is used in forming the passive voice of other verbs ;
as ,
John has been struck by James .
It is also used with the past participle of many intransitive verbs to express a state of the subject .
But have is now more commonly used as the auxiliary ,
though expressing a different sense ;
as , "
Ye have come too late --
but ye are come . "
"
The minstrel boy to the war is gone ."
The present and imperfect tenses form ,
with the infinitive ,
a particular future tense ,
which expresses necessity ,
duty ,
or purpose ;
as ,
government is to be supported ;
we are to pay our just debts ;
the deed is to be signed to -
morrow .
[
1913 Webster ]
Note :
Have or had been ,
followed by to ,
implies movement . "
I have been to Paris ." --
Sydney Smith . "
Have you been to Franchard ?" --
R .
L .
Stevenson .
[
1913 Webster ]
Note :
Been ,
or ben ,
was anciently the plural of the indicative present . "
Ye ben light of the world ."
--
Wyclif ,
Matt .
v .
14 .
Afterwards be was used ,
as in our Bible : "
They that be with us are more than they that be with them ." --
2 Kings vi .
16 .
Ben was also the old infinitive : "
To ben of such power ." --
R .
of Gloucester .
Be is used as a form of the present subjunctive : "
But if it be a question of words and names ." --
Acts xviii .
15 .
But the indicative forms ,
is and are ,
with if ,
are more commonly used .
[
1913 Webster ]
{
Be it so },
a phrase of supposition ,
equivalent to suppose it to be so ;
or of permission ,
signifying let it be so .
--
Shak .
{
If so be },
in case .
{
To be from },
to have come from ;
as ,
from what place are you ?
I am from Chicago .
{
To let be },
to omit ,
or leave untouched ;
to let alone . "
Let be ,
therefore ,
my vengeance to dissuade ." --
Spenser .
[
1913 Webster ]
Syn : {
To be }, {
Exist }.
Usage :
The verb to be ,
except in a few rare cases ,
like that of Shakespeare '
s "
To be ,
or not to be ",
is used simply as a copula ,
to connect a subject with its predicate ;
as ,
man is mortal ;
the soul is immortal .
The verb to exist is never properly used as a mere copula ,
but points to things that stand forth ,
or have a substantive being ;
as ,
when the soul is freed from all corporeal alliance ,
then it truly exists .
It is not ,
therefore ,
properly synonymous with to be when used as a copula ,
though occasionally made so by some writers for the sake of variety ;
as in the phrase "
there exists [
is ]
no reason for laying new taxes ."
We may ,
indeed ,
say , "
a friendship has long existed between them ,"
instead of saying , "
there has long been a friendship between them ;"
but in this case ,
exist is not a mere copula .
It is used in its appropriate sense to mark the friendship as having been long in existence .
[
1913 Webster ]
安装中文字典英文字典查询工具!
中文字典英文字典工具:
复制到剪贴板
英文字典中文字典相关资料:
On This Day - Today in History, Film, Music and Sport Find out what happened on any date or day in history with On This Day Explore historical events, birthdays, deaths and famous people, from 4000 BC to today
Todays Famous Birthdays - On This Day Important and famous people from throughout history born on this day Search thousands of historical, noteworthy and celebrity birthdays in our archives
Today in History - On This Day Learn about important and interesting historical events that happened on today in history Hundreds of events and facts from history, film, music and sport
Today in American History - On This Day Explore key events in United States history, celebrate the birthdays of Americans born today and remember those who passed away on this day in US history
Who Died Today in History? - On This Day Today's deaths of important, famous and notable people from throughout history Search over 40,000 famous deaths in our today in history database
Celebrity Birthdays Today - On This Day Find out which celebrities are celebrating birthdays today and which celebs were born on this day in history including famous actors, musicians and sports stars
Today in Canadian History - On This Day Explore key events in Canada's history, celebrate the birthdays of Canadians born today and remember those who passed away on this day in Canadian history
Todays Events in Sports History - On This Day Important and famous sporting events from the long and illustrious history of sport Sports include baseball, boxing, cricket, football, golf, and tennis
Today in British History - On This Day Explore key events in Britain's history, celebrate the birthdays of Brits born today and remember those who passed away on this day in UK history
Today in Movie and TV History - On This Day Events, birthdays and deaths on this day in film and television history Our archives are fully searchable and contain thousands of film and TV entries