different between behave vs behove

English

Etymology

From Middle English behaven, bihabben (“to restrain, behave”), equivalent to be- +? have. Compare Old English behabban (“to include, hold, surround, comprehend, contain, detain, withhold, restrain”), Middle High German behaben (“to hold, take possession of”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /b??he?v/, /b??he?v/
• Rhymes: -e?v

Verb

behave (third-person singular simple present behaves, present participle behaving, simple past and past participle behaved)

1. (reflexive) To conduct (oneself) well, or in a given way.
2. (intransitive) To act, conduct oneself in a specific manner; used with an adverbial of manner.
3. (obsolete, transitive) To conduct, manage, regulate (something).
4. (intransitive) To act in a polite or proper way.

Derived terms

• behave oneself

Related terms

• behavior, behaviour
• behavioral, behavioural
• behaviorist, behaviourist
• behaviorism, behaviourism

Translations

Further reading

• behave in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• behave in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

English

Etymology

From Middle English behoven, bihoven (“to be necessary, requisite; to be compelled or required (to do something)”), from Old English beh?fian (“to need; to be necessary”), from Proto-Germanic *bih?f?n? (“advantage, behoof, profit; need”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *keh?p- (“to grab, seize”). The word is cognate with Old Frisian bih?via (“to need”), Dutch behoeven (“to need”), obsolete German behufen (cf. Behuf), Danish behøve (“to need”), Norwegian behøve (“to need”), Swedish behöva (“to have use for, to need”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /b??h??v/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /bi?ho?v/
• Rhymes: -??v
• Hyphenation: be?hove

Verb

behove (third-person singular simple present behoves, present participle behoving, simple past and past participle behoved)

1. (transitive, formal) To befit, to suit.
2. (transitive, formal) To be necessary for (someone).
3. (transitive, formal) To be in the best interest of; to benefit.
4. (intransitive, formal) To be needful, meet or becoming.

Alternative forms

• behoove (chiefly US)

Related terms

• behoof
• behoveful
• behovely

Derived terms

• behovable, behoovable

Translations

References

Middle English

Alternative forms

• byhove, bihove, behoove, behoofe, byhufe, beove

Etymology

From Old English beh?fe.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bi?ho?v(?)/

Noun

behove (uncountable)

1. Benefit, advantage.
2. Duty.

Usage notes

This term is typically found as part of a dative phrase beginning with to, unto or at; e.g., “to þy behove” means “to your advantage".

Synonyms

• behofþe

Related terms

References

• “bih??ve, n. (orig. dative).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 4 April 2018.