Behove Definition

It is one of the few expressions in modern English that is almost always impersonal. You or I, or even them, usually don`t match. The empty agent It is usually responsible for the verb. Behove can also occur with a negative meaning, for which a common marker word in the UK is sick. Ill behoves implies acting inappropriately or inappropriately, as in this editorial statement of a Sunday newspaper: “Behove”. Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/behove. Retrieved 3 October 2022. This term is usually found as part of a dative sentence that begins with, to or to; For example, “to þy behove” means “to your advantage”. The obligation of such a thing, even if it is set forth in covenants, is therefore incumbent upon us to continue. A columnist for my daily newspaper recently wrote: “My dear Britain, it`s up to me to tell you that at first I don`t know exactly what the word `befiehnt` means, but I like to use it.” It is incumbent upon me to remedy this deficiency by stating that it expresses a duty and can be translated as “is required by” or “is the holder of”. If he goes to these parents, which I believe will be good for him, it will be up to him to walk humbly and respectfully to the right. When James Murray wrote the definition of the word in what was then the New English Dictionary on Historical Principles (much later in the Oxford English Dictionary), he described it as “primarily a literary word.” Some modern stylists have called it archaic or fossil, but this is one way to do it, although almost always in writing and very rarely in spoken language. It is somewhat better known in the United States, where the corresponding spelling is standard.

British pundits and politicians believe that the occasional becohow gives their remarks a statesman`s and sublime atmosphere, although they run the risk of appearing old-fashioned and pompous. From the Middle English behoven, bihoven (“to be necessary, required; forced or demanded (to do something)”), from Old English behōfian (“need; be necessary”), from proto-Germanic *bihōfōną (“Advantage, behoof, Profit; need”), finally proto-Indo-European *keh₂p- (“to grasp, to grasp”). The word is related to the Old Frisian bihōvia (“brauchen”), the Dutch behoeven (“brauchen”), the obsolete German behufen (cf. Behuf), the Danish behøve (“brauchen”), the Norwegian behøve (“brauchen”), the Swedish behöva (“Gebrauch haben, brauchen”). Perhaps it is up to me to turn to this dear uncle if a reasonable opportunity is offered. Subscribe to America`s largest dictionary and get thousands of additional definitions and advanced search – ad-free! The Cid replied that it would be wrong for him to advise his sovereign to contradict the will of the deceased king. Add behove to one of your lists below or create a new one. In times of real austerity, those who have enough money to eat have the right to judge those who don`t. The mode in which she had to dress to go to an ordinary dinner was almost unknown to her. Find out which words work together and create more natural English with the Oxford Collocations Dictionary app. Join our community to access the latest language learning and assessment tips from Oxford University Press! Can you find the past winners of the National Spelli. The origin is the Old English behōfian, from bihōf, utilitarian, whose adjective is bihóflíc, useful or necessary.

The main meaning of the verb was need or necessity. Find the answers online with Practical English Usage, your essential guide to English language problems. Americans rarely use this form, but use a wider range of modifying words, as would, could, and safely.