beo1, m. (gs. & pl. ~). 1. Living being. An ~, the living. Ag guí ar son na m~ agus na marbh, praying for the living and the dead. Ní raibh ~ ná ceo le feiceáil, there was not a person or thing to be seen. 2. Life. Le mo bheo, as long as I live, have lived. ~ duine a shábháil, a chur i gcontúirt, to save, endanger, s.o.’s life. Ligeadh a bheo leis, his life was spared. D’imigh sé lena bheo orthu, he escaped with his life from them. Ní bheadh ~ orm gan é, san áit seo, I couldn’t live without it, in this place. Níl ~ orthu ach ag caint, they can’t stop talking. Ní ~ liom, ní ~ dom, mo bheo, my life is not worth living. Más milis leat do bheo, if you value your life. Is cuma liom ~ nó éag, mo bheo nó mo mharbh, I care not whether I live or die. Ní fheicfidh tú é lena bheo ná lena mharbh; ní fheicfidh tú a bheo ná a mharbh, you will not see him alive or dead. F:Dá mbeadh a bheo chomh díreach lena mharbh, if he were as straight in life as in death. 3. Livelihood. Tá ~ bocht orthu, they are living in poverty. An rud a bhfuil do bheo air, what your livelihood depends on. S.a. gléas22. 4. Quick. Chuaigh an dealg, an focal, i m~ ionam, sa bheo agam, the thorn, the statement, pierced me to the quick. Chogain sé a ingne go dtí an ~, he chewed his nails to the quick. Tairne sa bheo, a thorn in the flesh. Chuir sé tairne i m~ sa chapall, sa bheo ag an gcapall, he drove the nail into the horse’s quick.
beo2, a3. 1. Living, alive. Duine ~, dúil bheo, living person, creature. Nuair a bhí sé ~, when he was alive. Má bhím ~; más ~ dom, if I live. Fad is ~ mé, dom, while I live. Tá sé ~ slán, he is alive and well. Níl a fhios agam an ~ nó marbh dó, I don’t know whether he is alive or dead. Níl a fhios agam ~ ná baiste, beirthe ná ~, I haven’t a notion. Ní fhaca mé ~ ná baiste é, I didn’t see a sign of him. Slán ~ leis (cibé áit a bhfuil sé), God keep him (wherever he is). Níl aon fhear ~ (inniu) a dhéanfadh é, there is no man alive (today) who could do it. Ní ~ dó gan a bheith ag caint, he can’t stop talking. Ní ~ duit nó is tú a rinne é, as sure as you are alive you did it. Gach uile lá ~, every day that dawns. Gnás atá ~ go fóill, a custom that still survives. Tá an áit ~ leo, the place is swarming with them. Bheith ~ ar arán, ar obair, to live on bread, by work. Tá siad ~ (go) bocht, they are living in poverty. S.a. béal 1(b), beathach1, feoil. 2. Live, active. Aibhleog bheo, live coal. Bolcán ~, active volcano. Sreang bheo, live wire. S.a. airgead 1, aol1, éasc, fód 4, gaineamh, staighre 1(b).3. Lively. Súil, teanga, bheo, quick eye, tongue. Siúil go ~, walk smartly. Labhair go ~, speak up. Caith ort go ~, get into your clothes at once. Go ~ tapa, with urgent speed. S.a. beir 5.
Chomh ~ is atá tú beo, grian ar an aer, méara ort, cluas ar do leiceann, gob ar phréachán, púdar i nDoire, an Cháisc ar an Domhnach! As sure as anything!