be-

be- [bē, bi, bə]

[ME bi-, be- < OE (akin to Goth bi-, Ger be-), at, near < Gmc base of BY] prefix

1. forming verbs

a) around [besprinkle, beset]

b) completely, thoroughly, excessively: used as an intensifier [bedeck, besmear]

c) away: used as a privative [bereave, betake]

d) about: used as a transitive prefix [bethink, bemoan]: added to other verbs

2. forming transitive verbs

a) make [besot, bedim]

b) furnish with, cover with, affect by, treat as [befriend, bedizen, becloud]: added to nouns and, sometimes, adjectives

3. forming adjectives covered with, furnished with, furnished with to excess: added to past participles in -ED [bemedaled, bewhiskered]