different between behavior vs rascalry

English

Alternative forms

• behaviour (British)
• behavoure, behavier, behavor, behavour (all obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English behavoure, behaver, equivalent to behave +? -ior, apparently in imitation of English havior, haviour, havour. Compare Scots havings (“behavior”), from have (“to behave”).

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /b??he?vj?/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /b??he?vj?/
• Rhymes: -e?vj?(?)
• Hyphenation: be?ha?vior

Noun

behavior (usually uncountable, plural behaviors) (American spelling)

1. (uncountable) Human conduct relative to social norms.
   • 2014, A teacher, "Choosing a primary school: a teacher's guide for parents", The Guardian, 23 September 2014:

     Teachers will probably be on their best behaviour for your visit – but don't be upset if they don't even notice you; they've got enough going on.

2. (uncountable) The way a living creature behaves or acts generally.
3. (uncountable, informal) A state of probation about one's conduct.

   He was on his best behavior when her family visited.

4. (countable) An instance of the way a living creature behaves.
5. (countable, uncountable, biology, psychology) Observable response produced by an organism.
6. (uncountable) The way a device or system operates.

Usage notes

• Adjectives often applied to "behavior": human, animal, physical, chemical, mechanical, electrical, organizational, corporate, social, collective, parental, interpersonal, sexual, criminal, appropriate, inappropriate, correct, incorrect, right, wrong, good, bad, acceptable, unacceptable, poor, ethical, unethical, moral, immoral, responsible, irresponsible, normal, odd, deviant, abnormal, violent, abusive, aggressive, offensive, defensive, rude, stupid, undesirable, verbal, nonverbal, learned, professional, unprofessional, adaptive, compulsive, questionable, assertive, disgusting, self-destructive.

Derived terms

Related terms

• behave

Translations

Further reading

• "behavior" in Raymond Williams, Keywords (revised), 1983, Fontana Press, page 43.
• behavior in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• behavior in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

English

Etymology

rascal +? -ry

Noun

rascalry (plural rascalries)

1. Rascally behavior.
   • 1870, "Review of Tracts written in the Controversy respecting the Legitimacy of Amicia, daughter of Hugh Cyveliok, Earl of Chester, A.D. 1673-1679," The Antheneum, 1 Oct., p. 427:

     The Dutch war, the rights of election, contests between king and parliament on questions of vital importance, the plots, rascalries, the shame and humiliation of the time, must have been in men's thoughts.

   • 1965, Raja Rao, The Cat and Shakespeare: A Tale of India, Macmillan, p. 90:

     Can a rascal see his rascalry? How could he, poor man?

2. (collectively, uncountable) Rascals.
   • 1878, John Doran, Memories of Our Great Towns, Chatto & Windus (London), p. 108:

     All the rascalry of the town, under the slogan of 'Church and King! and d--- all Presbyterians!' took advantage of the opportunity to burn, destroy, and plunder.

   • 1978, Robert G. Wesson, State Systems: International Pluralism, Politics, and Culture, Free Press, p. 167:

     Once-productive fields were deserted, as magnates surrounded themselves with hired rascalry, and banditry took over large areas of the countryside.

Synonyms

• rascality