been

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Pronunciation

• (America, RP) IPA: /bɪn/
• (America, particularly common in the Great Lakes, Midwest) IPA: /bɛn/
• (RP) IPA: /biːn/
• (unstressed) IPA: /bɨn/, /bɪ̈n/

Verb

1. past participle of be#English|be
2. (obsolete) plural simple present of be#English|be
   • 1584, George Peele, The Arraignment of Paris, I, ii

     My love is fair, my love is gay,

     As fresh as been the flowers in May;

   • circa 1608 William Shakespeare, Pericles, Prince of Tyre, II

     Where when men been, there's seldom ease;

   • 1641, Ben Jonson, The Sad Shepherd, I, iii

     O Friar, those are faults that are not seen,

     Ours open, and of worse example been.

3. (Southern US) infinitive of be#English|be

Noun

1. (UK dialectal) plural form of bee

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