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be

verb [+ to infinitive] (ALLOW)
 
 
strong /biː/ weak /bi/ // (being, was, were, been)

Definition

used to say that someone should or must do something: You're to sit in the corner and keep quiet. Their mother said they were not to (= not allowed to) play near the river. There's no money left - what are we to do?Duty, obligation and responsibility
(Definition of be verb (ALLOW) from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

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