Definitions for behave
bɪˈheɪvbe·have

Princeton's WordNet(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. act, behave, doverb

   behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself

   "You should act like an adult"; "Don't behave like a fool"; "What makes her do this way?"; "The dog acts ferocious, but he is really afraid of people"

2. behave, acquit, bear, deport, conduct, comport, carryverb

   behave in a certain manner

   "She carried herself well"; "he bore himself with dignity"; "They conducted themselves well during these difficult times"

3. behave, comportverb

   behave well or properly

   "The children must learn to behave"

Wiktionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. behaveverb

   To conduct (oneself) well, or in a given way.

   You need to behave yourself, young lady.

   Etymology: From late behaven, equivalent to . Compare behabban, behaben.

2. behaveverb

   To act, conduct oneself in a specific manner;

   Etymology: From late behaven, equivalent to . Compare behabban, behaben.

3. behaveverb

   To conduct, manage, regulate (something).

   Etymology: From late behaven, equivalent to . Compare behabban, behaben.

4. behaveverb

   To act in a polite or proper way.

   His mother threatened to spank him if he didn't behave.

   Etymology: From late behaven, equivalent to . Compare behabban, behaben.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Behaveverb

   to manage or govern in point of behavior; to discipline; to handle; to restrain

2. Behaveverb

   to carry; to conduct; to comport; to manage; to bear; -- used reflexively

3. Behaveverb

   to act; to conduct; to bear or carry one's self; as, to behave well or ill

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Behave

   be-hāv′, v.t. to bear or carry, to conduct (with self).—v.i. to conduct one's self, also to conduct one's self well: to act.—n. Behaviour (be-hāv′yür), conduct: manners or deportment, esp. good manners: general course of life: treatment of others.—To be upon one's behaviour, to be placed where one's best behaviour is politic or necessary. [Formed, according to Dr Murray, in 15th century from be- and Have; apparently unconnected with A.S. behabban.]

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. behave

   To act a specific way

   They do behave in a respectful and responsible way

   Submitted by MaryC on February 11, 2020  

Matched Categories

1. • Act
   • Carry

British National Corpus

1. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'behave' in Written Corpus Frequency: #4163

2. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'behave' in Verbs Frequency: #530

How to pronounce behave?

1. Alex

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

How to say behave in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of behave in Chaldean Numerology is: 6

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of behave in Pythagorean Numerology is: 7

Examples of behave in a Sentence

1. Philip Hammond:

   Ukrainians can't beat the Russian army, that's not a practical proposition. There has to be a political solution, this man (Putin) has sent troops across an international border and occupied another country's territory in the 21st century acting like some mid-20th century tyrant. Civilized nations do not behave like that.

2. Marcus Aurelius:

   If you have been placed in a position above others, are you automatically going to behave like a despot? Remember who you are and whom you govern – that they are kinsmen, brothers by nature, fellow descendants of Zeus.

3. Catherine Brown:

   States are not providing students with enough guidance and support in terms of how to behave in the world they grew up in, it's really important to be clear with them about what is and what isn't permissible and the lines are when dealing with other people in relationships.

4. Clare Wenham:

   The problems are n’t technical. The problems are political. The problems are about like : How do you get governments to behave and think about things beyond their own borders ? i do n’t think that has been resolved.

5. Dante Lauretta:

   Among Bennus many surprises, the particle ejections sparked our curiosity, and weve spent the last several months investigating this mystery, this is a great opportunity to expand our knowledge of how asteroids behave.

Images & Illustrations of behave

Popularity rank by frequency of use