Definition of be:

part of speech: verb

A prefix, signifying to make. When be is prefixed to a noun, the noun becomes a verb- thus, calm and friend are nouns, but becalm and befriend are verbs: be prefixed to a verb signifies about, over, for- thus, speak and think become bespeak and bethink: be in a preposition, an adverb, or a conjunction, has the force of by or in- thus.

part of speech: verb

Infin. of the verb am, denoting to exist, to become, to remain; used in hypothetical and secondary propositions- as " If I be," " If thou be:".