a form of "to be," "to become," "to seem" (always) and "to appear," "to look," and "to feel"(sometimes) -- to name only the most common
Also known as copular verb. One of a class of verbs including the copula be, as well as (among others) appear, feel, look, seem, smell, sound, taste, become, get, grow, prove, and turn, when used as in (1). They { are, appear, became, look, seem, grew, proved } competent. It { feels, looks, smells, sounds, tastes } fine. He { became, got, grew } old. It turned rancid. masculine gender