Dictionary

behave

Etymology

From Middle English behaven, bihabben, from Old English behabban, from Proto-West Germanic *bihabbjan, equivalent to be- + have.

Pronunciation

Verb

behave (behaves, present participle behaving; simple past and past participle behaved)

(reflexive) To conduct (oneself) well, or in a given way; to conform.
You need to behave yourself, young lady.
- 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC ↗, 2 Maccabees 2:21 ↗:
  And the manifest signs that came from heaven unto those that behaved themselves manfully to their honour for Judaism […]
(intransitive) To act, conduct oneself in a specific manner; used with an adverbial of manner.
He behaves like a child whenever she's around.
How did the students behave while I was gone?
My laptop has been behaving erratically ever since you borrowed it.
(obsolete, transitive) To conduct, manage, regulate (something).
- c. 1605–1608, William Shakespeare, “The Life of Tymon of Athens”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act III, scene v], page 88 ↗:
  He did behave his anger ere 'twas spent.
(intransitive) To act in a polite or proper way.
His mother threatened to spank him if he didn't behave.
- 2009, Roger L. Van Ommeren, From Rebellion to Submission, page 48:
  One time when Willie was more set on clowning than on learning about Jesus, Miss Helen ordered, "Willie Mack, you stand up against the wall until you learn to behave."

Conjugation

Conjugation of behave

^†Archaic or obsolete.

Related terms

Translations

Translations

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