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View synonyms for

behave

[ bih-heyv ]

verb (used without object)

behaved, behaving.
  1. to act in a particular way; conduct or comport oneself or itself:

    The ship behaves well.

    Synonyms:

  2. to act properly:

    Did the child behave?

  3. to act or react under given circumstances:

    This plastic behaves strangely under extreme heat or cold.



verb (used with object)

behaved, behaving.
  1. to conduct or comport (oneself ) in a proper manner:

    Sit quietly and behave yourself.

behave

/ ɪˈɪ /

verb

  1. intr to act or function in a specified or usual way
  2. to conduct (oneself) in a specified way

    he behaved badly towards her

  3. to conduct (oneself) properly or as desired

    the child behaved himself all day

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Word Forms

  • ܲb·󲹱iԲ adjective
  • ɱ-·󲹱 adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of behave1

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English behaven “to behave oneself”; equivalent to be- + have
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Word History and Origins

Origin of behave1

C15: see be- , have
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

As they walked through arrivals at Manchester Airport, a couple seemed to be behaving oddly towards their baby.

From

And in the Simpsons neuron case, for example, it was just a subset of neurons in the medial temporal lobe that behaved with extreme specificity to enable patients to quickly grasp the relevant concept.

From

The document's key objective "is to ensure that political parties and their supporters behave well... and maintain peace and harmony" during the elections.

From

They are more "about the fact that European institutions are telling US companies how to behave, even if these decisions are limited to have these companies behave on European soil," she added.

From

The report also described the adjudication system as being in "disarray", which would send a message of "if you behave badly here there isn't going to be a consequence", leading to prisoners feeling unsafe.

From

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hard put, bebehavior