"been" meaning in English

See been in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /biːn/
Etymology: From Middle English been, bene, ben, beon, from Old English bēon (“bees”), equivalent to bee + -en (plural ending). Etymology templates: {{inh|en|enm|been}} Middle English been, {{inh|en|ang|bēon|t=bees}} Old English bēon (“bees”), {{suf|en|bee|-en|id2=plural noun|pos2=plural ending}} bee + -en (plural ending) Head templates: {{head|en|noun form}} been
  1. (UK dialectal) plural of bee Tags: UK, dialectal, form-of, plural Form of: bee
    Sense id: en-been-en-noun-kXtv1WS3 Categories (other): British English, English plurals in -n, English terms suffixed with -en (plural noun) Disambiguation of English terms suffixed with -en (plural noun): 36 3 6 11 44
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Etymology number: 4

Verb

IPA: /biːn/ [Canada, Received-Pronunciation], /bɪn/ [Canada, Received-Pronunciation], /bɪn/ [General-American], /bɛn/ (note: General American, particularly common in the Great Lakes, Midwest), /biːn/ [US, dialectal] Audio: En-uk-been.ogg , en-us-been.ogg
Rhymes: -iːn, -ɪn, -ɪn, -ɛn, -iːn Etymology: From Middle English been (past participle), from Old English (ġe)bēon. By surface analysis, be + -en. Etymology templates: {{inh|en|enm|been|pos=past participle}} Middle English been (past participle), {{inh|en|ang|bēon|(ġe)bēon}} Old English (ġe)bēon, {{surf|+suf|en|be|en<id:past participle>}} By surface analysis, be + -en Head templates: {{head|en|verb form}} been
  1. past participle of be. Tags: form-of, participle, past Form of: be
    Sense id: en-been-en-verb-9giek-WH Categories (other): English terms suffixed with -en (past participle) Disambiguation of English terms suffixed with -en (past participle): 82 18
  2. (Southern US or African-American Vernacular) remote past form of be.
    Sense id: en-been-en-verb-3Kkq51hM Categories (other): African-American Vernacular English, Southern US English
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Etymology number: 1

Verb

Etymology: Either from Middle English been (“to be”, infinitive) (from Old English bēon, equivalent to be + -en (infinitive ending)), or from a dialectal use of the preceding past tense form as an infinitive form (compare dialectal use of (I)'s, (I) is in the first person, (he) am in the third person, etc). Etymology templates: {{inh|en|enm|been||to be|pos=infinitive}} Middle English been (“to be”, infinitive), {{inh|en|ang|bēon}} Old English bēon, {{suffix|en|be|en<id:infinitive><pos:infinitive ending>}} be + -en (infinitive ending) Head templates: {{head|en|verb}} been
  1. (Southern US or African-American Vernacular, rare) Synonym of be (infinitival sense). Tags: rare Synonyms: be [synonym, synonym-of]
    Sense id: en-been-en-verb-uSpzPIOc Categories (other): African-American Vernacular English, Southern US English, English terms suffixed with -en (plural noun), English terms suffixed with -en (infinitive) Disambiguation of English terms suffixed with -en (plural noun): 36 3 6 11 44
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Etymology number: 2

Verb

Etymology: From Middle English been (plural indicative form); equivalent to be + -en (plural present ending). Etymology templates: {{inh|en|enm|been|pos=plural indicative form}} Middle English been (plural indicative form), {{suffix|en|be|en|id2=plural present|pos2=plural present ending}} be + -en (plural present ending) Head templates: {{head|en|verb form}} been
  1. (obsolete) plural simple present of be. Tags: form-of, obsolete, plural, present Form of: be
    Sense id: en-been-en-verb-FKkGKeF- Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English terms suffixed with -en (plural noun), English terms suffixed with -en (plural present) Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 15 2 16 19 48 Disambiguation of English terms suffixed with -en (plural noun): 36 3 6 11 44
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Etymology number: 3

Alternative forms

{
  "etymology_number": 1,
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "been",
        "pos": "past participle"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English been (past participle)",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "bēon",
        "4": "(ġe)bēon"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English (ġe)bēon",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "+suf",
        "2": "en",
        "3": "be",
        "4": "en<id:past participle>"
      },
      "expansion": "By surface analysis, be + -en",
      "name": "surf"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English been (past participle), from Old English (ġe)bēon. By surface analysis, be + -en.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "verb form"
      },
      "expansion": "been",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "82 18",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms suffixed with -en (past participle)",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              19,
              23
            ]
          ],
          "text": "All the fries have been eaten.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              8,
              12
            ]
          ],
          "text": "Postman been?",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              5,
              9
            ]
          ],
          "raw_tags": [
            "dialectal, e.g. AAVE, omitting have"
          ],
          "text": "They been here since yesterday. (dialectal, e.g. AAVE, omitting have)",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "form_of": [
        {
          "word": "be"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "past participle of be."
      ],
      "id": "en-been-en-verb-9giek-WH",
      "links": [
        [
          "be",
          "be#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "form-of",
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "African-American Vernacular English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Southern US English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              3,
              7
            ]
          ],
          "text": "He been had that job.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              3,
              7
            ]
          ],
          "text": "We been knew they was doing this.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2013, DayQuan Miller, Back Blocks, StealthMode Entertainment, page 147",
          "text": "She was disloyal, Casper was disloyal, so them muthafuckas gotta go. Like you said[,] we been knew we was going to have to kill Frost, so let's do it and Light too.” Star said. “Say no more. I'ma handle Kisha myself.” Max said walking to the door."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "remote past form of be."
      ],
      "id": "en-been-en-verb-3Kkq51hM",
      "links": [
        [
          "be",
          "be#English"
        ]
      ],
      "qualifier": "Southern US or African-American Vernacular",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(Southern US or African-American Vernacular) remote past form of be."
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/biːn/",
      "tags": [
        "Canada",
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/bɪn/",
      "tags": [
        "Canada",
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-uk-been.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/9b/En-uk-been.ogg/En-uk-been.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/En-uk-been.ogg"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "bean"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-iːn"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "bin"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɪn"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/bɪn/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-been.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/08/En-us-been.ogg/En-us-been.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/En-us-been.ogg"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "bin"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɪn"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/bɛn/",
      "note": "General American, particularly common in the Great Lakes, Midwest"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "Ben"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɛn"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/biːn/",
      "tags": [
        "US",
        "dialectal"
      ]
    },
    {
      "homophone": "bean"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-iːn"
    }
  ],
  "word": "been"
}

{
  "etymology_number": 2,
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "been",
        "4": "",
        "5": "to be",
        "pos": "infinitive"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English been (“to be”, infinitive)",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "bēon"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English bēon",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "be",
        "3": "en<id:infinitive><pos:infinitive ending>"
      },
      "expansion": "be + -en (infinitive ending)",
      "name": "suffix"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Either from Middle English been (“to be”, infinitive) (from Old English bēon, equivalent to be + -en (infinitive ending)), or from a dialectal use of the preceding past tense form as an infinitive form (compare dialectal use of (I)'s, (I) is in the first person, (he) am in the third person, etc).",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "verb"
      },
      "expansion": "been",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "African-American Vernacular English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Southern US English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "36 3 6 11 44",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms suffixed with -en (plural noun)",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms suffixed with -en (infinitive)",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              9,
              13
            ]
          ],
          "text": "It useta been five foot long.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              43,
              47
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "1875, Minstrel Gags and End Men's Hand-book, New York: Dick and Fitzgerald, page 83; republished New York: Literature House, 1969:",
          "text": "\"Bones\", says he, \"I tink dey's a-goin' to been a war ober de Alabamy question[…]",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              96,
              100
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "1888, Mary Augusta Ward, “Book I”, in Robert Elsmere, London: Macmillan and Company, page 20:",
          "text": "Yur a boald 'un to tell the missus theer to hur feeace as how ya wur 'tossicatit whan ya owt to been duing yur larful business.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              27,
              31
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "1966, DARE Tape SC10, quotee, “be v”, in Frederic G. Cassidy, Joan Houston Hall, editors, Dictionary of American Regional English, volume 1, Harvard University Press, published 1985, page 178:",
          "text": "[…]But one time it use' to been so cold right first of the winter.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Synonym of be (infinitival sense)."
      ],
      "id": "en-been-en-verb-uSpzPIOc",
      "links": [
        [
          "be",
          "be#English"
        ]
      ],
      "qualifier": "Southern US or African-American Vernacular",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(Southern US or African-American Vernacular, rare) Synonym of be (infinitival sense)."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "extra": "infinitival sense",
          "tags": [
            "synonym",
            "synonym-of"
          ],
          "word": "be"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "rare"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "been"
}

{
  "etymology_number": 3,
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "been",
        "pos": "plural indicative form"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English been (plural indicative form)",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "be",
        "3": "en",
        "id2": "plural present",
        "pos2": "plural present ending"
      },
      "expansion": "be + -en (plural present ending)",
      "name": "suffix"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English been (plural indicative form); equivalent to be + -en (plural present ending).",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "verb form"
      },
      "expansion": "been",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "15 2 16 19 48",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "36 3 6 11 44",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms suffixed with -en (plural noun)",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms suffixed with -en (plural present)",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              47,
              51
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "1584, George Peele, The Arraignment of Paris, I, ii:",
          "text": "My love is fair, my love is gay, / As fresh as been the flowers in May;",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              14,
              18
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "1606, N[athaniel] B[axter], Sir Philip Sydneys Ouránia, That Is, Endimions Song and Tragedie, Containing All Philosophie, London: […] Ed. Allde, for Edward White, […], →OCLC, signature G, recto:",
          "text": "Theſe Beaſtes been of higheſt Regard and Price / To pleaſure Princes and to murder vice.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              15,
              19
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "c. 1607–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, [George Wilkins?], The Late, and Much Admired Play, Called Pericles, Prince of Tyre. […], London: […] [William White and Thomas Creede] for Henry Gosson, […], published 1609, →OCLC, [Act II, prologue]:",
          "text": "Where when men been, there's ſeldome eaſe,",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              79,
              83
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "1641, Ben Jonson, The Sad Shepherd, I, iii:",
          "text": "O Friar, those are faults that are not seen, / Ours open, and of worse example been.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              152,
              156
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "1686, Edward Fairfax, transl., Godfrey of Bulloigne: Or, The Recovery of Jerusalem, section 20, page 8:",
          "text": "Some of green Boughs their slender Cabbins frame, / Some lodged were Tortoſa's streets about, / Of all the Hoſt the Chief of Worth and Name / Aſſembled been, a Senate grave and ſtout;",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "form_of": [
        {
          "word": "be"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "plural simple present of be."
      ],
      "id": "en-been-en-verb-FKkGKeF-",
      "links": [
        [
          "be",
          "be#English"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(obsolete) plural simple present of be."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "form-of",
        "obsolete",
        "plural",
        "present"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "been"
}

{
  "etymology_number": 4,
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "been"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English been",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "bēon",
        "t": "bees"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English bēon (“bees”)",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "bee",
        "3": "-en",
        "id2": "plural noun",
        "pos2": "plural ending"
      },
      "expansion": "bee + -en (plural ending)",
      "name": "suf"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English been, bene, ben, beon, from Old English bēon (“bees”), equivalent to bee + -en (plural ending).",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "noun form"
      },
      "expansion": "been",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "British English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English plurals in -n",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "36 3 6 11 44",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms suffixed with -en (plural noun)",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "form_of": [
        {
          "word": "bee"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "plural of bee"
      ],
      "id": "en-been-en-noun-kXtv1WS3",
      "links": [
        [
          "bee",
          "bee#English"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(UK dialectal) plural of bee"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "UK",
        "dialectal",
        "form-of",
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/biːn/"
    }
  ],
  "word": "been"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English auxiliary verb forms",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English irregular past participles",
    "English non-lemma forms",
    "English noun forms",
    "English terms derived from Middle English",
    "English terms derived from Old English",
    "English terms inherited from Middle English",
    "English terms inherited from Old English",
    "English terms suffixed with -en (past participle)",
    "English terms suffixed with -en (plural noun)",
    "English terms with homophones",
    "English verb forms",
    "Pages with 11 entries",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Rhymes:English/iːn",
    "Rhymes:English/iːn/1 syllable",
    "Rhymes:English/ɛn",
    "Rhymes:English/ɛn/1 syllable",
    "Rhymes:English/ɪn",
    "Rhymes:English/ɪn/1 syllable"
  ],
  "etymology_number": 1,
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "been",
        "pos": "past participle"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English been (past participle)",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "bēon",
        "4": "(ġe)bēon"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English (ġe)bēon",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "+suf",
        "2": "en",
        "3": "be",
        "4": "en<id:past participle>"
      },
      "expansion": "By surface analysis, be + -en",
      "name": "surf"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English been (past participle), from Old English (ġe)bēon. By surface analysis, be + -en.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "verb form"
      },
      "expansion": "been",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              19,
              23
            ]
          ],
          "text": "All the fries have been eaten.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              8,
              12
            ]
          ],
          "text": "Postman been?",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              5,
              9
            ]
          ],
          "raw_tags": [
            "dialectal, e.g. AAVE, omitting have"
          ],
          "text": "They been here since yesterday. (dialectal, e.g. AAVE, omitting have)",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "form_of": [
        {
          "word": "be"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "past participle of be."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "be",
          "be#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "form-of",
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "African-American Vernacular English",
        "English terms with usage examples",
        "Southern US English"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              3,
              7
            ]
          ],
          "text": "He been had that job.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              3,
              7
            ]
          ],
          "text": "We been knew they was doing this.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2013, DayQuan Miller, Back Blocks, StealthMode Entertainment, page 147",
          "text": "She was disloyal, Casper was disloyal, so them muthafuckas gotta go. Like you said[,] we been knew we was going to have to kill Frost, so let's do it and Light too.” Star said. “Say no more. I'ma handle Kisha myself.” Max said walking to the door."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "remote past form of be."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "be",
          "be#English"
        ]
      ],
      "qualifier": "Southern US or African-American Vernacular",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(Southern US or African-American Vernacular) remote past form of be."
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/biːn/",
      "tags": [
        "Canada",
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/bɪn/",
      "tags": [
        "Canada",
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-uk-been.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/9b/En-uk-been.ogg/En-uk-been.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/En-uk-been.ogg"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "bean"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-iːn"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "bin"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɪn"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/bɪn/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-been.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/08/En-us-been.ogg/En-us-been.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/En-us-been.ogg"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "bin"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɪn"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/bɛn/",
      "note": "General American, particularly common in the Great Lakes, Midwest"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "Ben"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɛn"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/biːn/",
      "tags": [
        "US",
        "dialectal"
      ]
    },
    {
      "homophone": "bean"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-iːn"
    }
  ],
  "word": "been"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English auxiliary verb forms",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English irregular past participles",
    "English lemmas",
    "English non-lemma forms",
    "English noun forms",
    "English terms derived from Middle English",
    "English terms derived from Old English",
    "English terms inherited from Middle English",
    "English terms inherited from Old English",
    "English terms suffixed with -en (infinitive)",
    "English terms suffixed with -en (plural noun)",
    "English verbs",
    "Pages with 11 entries",
    "Pages with entries"
  ],
  "etymology_number": 2,
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "been",
        "4": "",
        "5": "to be",
        "pos": "infinitive"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English been (“to be”, infinitive)",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "bēon"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English bēon",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "be",
        "3": "en<id:infinitive><pos:infinitive ending>"
      },
      "expansion": "be + -en (infinitive ending)",
      "name": "suffix"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Either from Middle English been (“to be”, infinitive) (from Old English bēon, equivalent to be + -en (infinitive ending)), or from a dialectal use of the preceding past tense form as an infinitive form (compare dialectal use of (I)'s, (I) is in the first person, (he) am in the third person, etc).",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "verb"
      },
      "expansion": "been",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "African-American Vernacular English",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English terms with rare senses",
        "English terms with usage examples",
        "Southern US English"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              9,
              13
            ]
          ],
          "text": "It useta been five foot long.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              43,
              47
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "1875, Minstrel Gags and End Men's Hand-book, New York: Dick and Fitzgerald, page 83; republished New York: Literature House, 1969:",
          "text": "\"Bones\", says he, \"I tink dey's a-goin' to been a war ober de Alabamy question[…]",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              96,
              100
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "1888, Mary Augusta Ward, “Book I”, in Robert Elsmere, London: Macmillan and Company, page 20:",
          "text": "Yur a boald 'un to tell the missus theer to hur feeace as how ya wur 'tossicatit whan ya owt to been duing yur larful business.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              27,
              31
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "1966, DARE Tape SC10, quotee, “be v”, in Frederic G. Cassidy, Joan Houston Hall, editors, Dictionary of American Regional English, volume 1, Harvard University Press, published 1985, page 178:",
          "text": "[…]But one time it use' to been so cold right first of the winter.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Synonym of be (infinitival sense)."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "be",
          "be#English"
        ]
      ],
      "qualifier": "Southern US or African-American Vernacular",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(Southern US or African-American Vernacular, rare) Synonym of be (infinitival sense)."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "extra": "infinitival sense",
          "tags": [
            "synonym",
            "synonym-of"
          ],
          "word": "be"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "rare"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "been"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English auxiliary verb forms",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English irregular past participles",
    "English non-lemma forms",
    "English noun forms",
    "English terms derived from Middle English",
    "English terms derived from Old English",
    "English terms inherited from Middle English",
    "English terms inherited from Old English",
    "English terms suffixed with -en (plural noun)",
    "English terms suffixed with -en (plural present)",
    "English verb forms",
    "Pages with 11 entries",
    "Pages with entries"
  ],
  "etymology_number": 3,
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "been",
        "pos": "plural indicative form"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English been (plural indicative form)",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "be",
        "3": "en",
        "id2": "plural present",
        "pos2": "plural present ending"
      },
      "expansion": "be + -en (plural present ending)",
      "name": "suffix"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English been (plural indicative form); equivalent to be + -en (plural present ending).",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "verb form"
      },
      "expansion": "been",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with obsolete senses",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "Quotation templates to be cleaned"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              47,
              51
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "1584, George Peele, The Arraignment of Paris, I, ii:",
          "text": "My love is fair, my love is gay, / As fresh as been the flowers in May;",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              14,
              18
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "1606, N[athaniel] B[axter], Sir Philip Sydneys Ouránia, That Is, Endimions Song and Tragedie, Containing All Philosophie, London: […] Ed. Allde, for Edward White, […], →OCLC, signature G, recto:",
          "text": "Theſe Beaſtes been of higheſt Regard and Price / To pleaſure Princes and to murder vice.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              15,
              19
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "c. 1607–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, [George Wilkins?], The Late, and Much Admired Play, Called Pericles, Prince of Tyre. […], London: […] [William White and Thomas Creede] for Henry Gosson, […], published 1609, →OCLC, [Act II, prologue]:",
          "text": "Where when men been, there's ſeldome eaſe,",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              79,
              83
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "1641, Ben Jonson, The Sad Shepherd, I, iii:",
          "text": "O Friar, those are faults that are not seen, / Ours open, and of worse example been.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              152,
              156
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "1686, Edward Fairfax, transl., Godfrey of Bulloigne: Or, The Recovery of Jerusalem, section 20, page 8:",
          "text": "Some of green Boughs their slender Cabbins frame, / Some lodged were Tortoſa's streets about, / Of all the Hoſt the Chief of Worth and Name / Aſſembled been, a Senate grave and ſtout;",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "form_of": [
        {
          "word": "be"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "plural simple present of be."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "be",
          "be#English"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(obsolete) plural simple present of be."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "form-of",
        "obsolete",
        "plural",
        "present"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "been"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English auxiliary verb forms",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English irregular past participles",
    "English non-lemma forms",
    "English noun forms",
    "English terms derived from Middle English",
    "English terms derived from Old English",
    "English terms inherited from Middle English",
    "English terms inherited from Old English",
    "English terms suffixed with -en (plural noun)",
    "Pages with 11 entries",
    "Pages with entries"
  ],
  "etymology_number": 4,
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "been"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English been",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "bēon",
        "t": "bees"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English bēon (“bees”)",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "bee",
        "3": "-en",
        "id2": "plural noun",
        "pos2": "plural ending"
      },
      "expansion": "bee + -en (plural ending)",
      "name": "suf"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English been, bene, ben, beon, from Old English bēon (“bees”), equivalent to bee + -en (plural ending).",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "noun form"
      },
      "expansion": "been",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "British English",
        "English dialectal terms",
        "English plurals in -n"
      ],
      "form_of": [
        {
          "word": "bee"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "plural of bee"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "bee",
          "bee#English"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(UK dialectal) plural of bee"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "UK",
        "dialectal",
        "form-of",
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/biːn/"
    }
  ],
  "word": "been"
}

Download raw JSONL data for been meaning in English (11.4kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-01-16 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-01-01 using wiktextract (d1270d2 and 9905b1f). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.