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Synonyms

behave

American  
[bih-heyv] / bɪˈheɪv /

verb (used without object)

behaved, behaving

  1. to act in a particular way; conduct or comport oneself or itself.

    The ship behaves well.
    Synonyms:
    perform

  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 British  
/ bɪˈheɪv /

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

Other Word Forms

  • unbehaving adjective
  • well-behaved adjective

Etymology

Origin of behave

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

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.