Dictionary

there be en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

The expletive there, from Old English þær, to fill the first position in English's historic V2 word order.

Meanings

1. Of the specified thing: to exist, physically or abstractly.
   • There is no way to do it. [=No way to do it exists.]
   • There have to be two people at the post.
   • Unless there be some lesion of the stomach, there is no blood, either microscopic or occult. 1907, Southern Society for Clinical Investigation, The American Journal of the Medical Sciences, J.B. Lippincott, Co., page 627
   • There seems to be some difficulty with the papers. [=It seems that there is some difficulty with the papers.]
   • Is there an answer? [=Does an answer exist?]
   • There may be people with drug or alcohol problems who may go into withdrawal. 1996, Diane Meyers, Disaster Response and Recovery: A Handbook for Mental Health Professionals, →ISBN, page 75:
   • I just want to know the truth, you are expressing your concerns, but I also want there to be some candor between us. 1999, Christopher Shays, “Hearing Before the Subcommittee on National Security, Veterans Affairs, and International Relationsof the Committee on Government Reform”, in Anthrax Immunization Program, →ISBN, page 35:
   • If there be any thing ILL in the Univerſe from Deſign, then that which diſpoſes all things, is no one good deſigning Principle. 1749, Anthony Ashley Cooper Shaftesbury, Characteristicks of Men, Manners, Opinions, Times, J. Baskerville, page 8
   • Let there be light.
   • There are two apples on the table. [=Two apples are on the table.]
   • No, there isn't. [=No, one doesn't exist.]
   • I expected there to be a simpler solution. [=I expected that there would be a simpler solution.]
   • There are beginning to be complications. [=It's beginning to be the case that there are complications.]
   • There ought to be representation on the broad basis of population and public discussion with open doors and free debate. . . . Nor should there be any constraint upon the opinions of any of the members of the Diet or upon their right of publishing them, even though such would meet with opposition from without. 1988, John S. Doskey, William Maclure, The European Journals of William Maclure, →ISBN, page 204:

Forms

Relateds

there's no point crying over spilt milk · there is no war in Ba Sing Se · there's a good time coming · there's no use crying over spilt milk · while there's life, there's hope · there is no there · there is reason in the roasting of eggs · there's a sucker born every minute · as if there was no tomorrow · there is no fool like an old fool · there's no business like show business · if ever there was one · in wine there is truth · there are plenty of pebbles on the beach · in unity, there is strength · there is the rub · there is something to be said for · there is no such thing as a free lunch · there is a time and a place for everything · there is no honor among thieves · there's many a slip twixt the cup and the lip · there's a grain of truth in every joke · there is a new sheriff in town · if ever there were some · there are no stupid questions · like there is no tomorrow · if there's grass on the pitch, play ball · like there were no tomorrow · there's one born every minute · there may be snow on the mountaintop but there's fire in the valley · there are many ways to skin a cat · as if there is no tomorrow · in wine, there is truth · there's no I in team · there's more than one way to cook an egg · there is no Planet B · where there is a will · there's no shame in my game · there is no such thing as bad publicity · there's no fool like an old fool · there is strength in numbers · there's no place like home · where there is a will there is a way · there is a time and place for everything · there is no replacement for displacement · there are plenty more fish in the sea · there's no smoke without fire · that's all there is to it · there's no such thing as a free lunch · where there is smoke, there is fire · where there's muck there's brass · there's no accounting for taste · there's a first time for everything · there's nothing to it · like there was no tomorrow · there's a time and a place for everything · there's been an accident · if ever there were one · where there's a will · there may be snow on the rooftop but there is fire in the furnace · there's more than one way to peel an orange · there's none so blind as those who will not see · there is no free lunch · there's a place and time for everything · where there's a will there's a way · as if there's no tomorrow · there are no atheists in foxholes · there are plenty of fish in the sea · there's a rotten apple in every barrel · there is no there there · there may be snow on the rooftop but there's fire in the furnace · there's more than one way to feed a cat · where there is a will, there is a way · there's life in the old dog yet · there are bad apples in every orchard · there are two sides to every story · there's more where that came from · there's many a slip between the cup and the lip · there's a time and place for everything · there is safety in numbers · there's more than one way to fuck a cat · there's many a good tune played on an old fiddle · if there's grass on the field, play ball · there is something rotten in the state of Denmark · there is no such thing as bad press · there's more than one way to skin a cat · where there's no sense there's no feeling · there's no there · like there's no tomorrow · there is a lid for every pot · there is a place and time for everything · there's always a bigger fish · there are more horses' asses than horses · there's an exception to every rule · there are many ways to skin cats · there's more than one way to crack an egg · there's nowt so queer as folk · there's no there there · there are plenty more pebbles on the beach · there are two sides to every question · let there be light · where there's smoke, there's fire · there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing · there is no spoon · there's no such thing as a stupid question · there's a lid for every pot · there's plenty more fish in the sea · there is nothing new under the sun · there is truth in wine · there's many a slip twixt cup and lip · there's no time like the present · there's no use · there is an exception to every rule · there are none so blind as those who will not see · as if there were no tomorrow

Synonyms

there exist

Translations (85)

bg имам (to exist) · tl may (to exist) · mnc ᠪᡳᠮᠪᡳ (to exist) · no det er (to exist) · ca haver-hi (to exist) · tr var (affimative) (to exist) · pt haver (to exist) · nn det finnast (to exist) · uk бу́ти (to exist) · nb det finnes (to exist) · sq kam (to exist) · tyv бар турар (to exist) · ru име́ться (to exist) · mnc ᠪᡳ (to exist) · rom si (to exist) · mn ᠪᠤᠢ ᠪᠠᠶᠢᠬᠤ (to exist) · hy կամ (to exist) · th มี (to exist) · kjh пар (to exist) · be ме́цца (to exist) · af daar's (to exist) · ko 있다 (to exist) · cy bod (to exist) · yue 有 (to exist) · uk є (to exist) · cmn 有 (to exist) · bua бии байха (to exist) · el είμαι (to exist) · be быць (to exist) · nl liggen (to exist) · is vera (to exist) · fi olla (to exist) · sah баар (to exist) · vi có (to exist) · pl być (to exist) · tl mayroon (to exist) · yi איז דאָ (to exist) · hu van (to exist) · nl bestaan (to exist) · nl zitten (to exist) · ky бар (to exist) · eo esti (to exist) · nap nce stà (to exist) · lo ມີ (to exist) · it esserci (to exist) · ja いる (to exist) · es haber (to exist) · ga bí ann (to exist) · sv det finnas (to exist) · dlg баар (to exist) · la sum (to exist) · gsw haa (to exist) · kk бар (to exist) · eo ekzisti (to exist) · uk ма́тися (to exist) · nl staan (to exist) · de geben (es gibt) (to exist) · be ёсць (to exist) · mn бий байх (to exist) · an haber-bi (to exist) · lmo vessegh (to exist) · ru быть (to exist) · fr y avoir (il y a) (to exist) · ja ある (to exist) · ms ada (to exist) · evn бимӣ (to exist) · tr yok (to exist) · gsw gee (to exist) · id ada (to exist) · tyv бар болур (to exist) · hy լինել (to exist) · an haber-ie (to exist) · atv пар (to exist) · mn ᠪᠠᠶᠢᠬᠤ (to exist) · lt va būti (to exist) · ar وُجِدَ (to exist) · khb ᦙᦲ (to exist) · he יש (to exist) · km មាន (to exist) · mn байх (to exist) · ru есть (to exist) · pt ter (to exist) · gl haber (to exist) · el υπάρχω (to exist) · bua байха (to exist)