been, bene, ben

[A.S. be on = to be, to exist, to become.] 1. Past participle of the verb to be. "... thou hast been faithful over a few things,..." Matt. xxv. 23. *2. The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd persons plural indicative of the verb to be. "Some aren as seneschals and serven other lordes, And ben in stede of stywardes." Piers Plowman , p. 5. thay be desceyved that say thay ben not tempted in here body." Chaucer: The Per sones Tale.