behave
Americanverb (used without object)
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to act in a particular way; conduct or comport oneself or itself.
The ship behaves well.
- Synonyms:
- perform
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to act properly.
Did the child behave?
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to act or react under given circumstances.
This plastic behaves strangely under extreme heat or cold.
verb (used with object)
verb
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(intr) to act or function in a specified or usual way
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to conduct (oneself) in a specified way
he behaved badly towards her
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to conduct (oneself) properly or as desired
the child behaved himself all day
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of behave
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English behaven “to behave oneself”; equivalent to be- + have
Explanation
The way you act or conduct yourself is how you behave. Teachers and parents often tell kids Behave! If you follow rules and get along with others, you behave well, while if you are nasty and rude, you behave badly. Behave can suggest acting in a polite manner, as when you tell a child (or an adult) to behave in public. We usually behave differently in different situations — like when no one is watching. If you tell someone "practice what you preach" you are pointing out that the way they behave doesn't quite match up to their words.
Vocabulary lists containing behave
Sula
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"Not-So-Starry Nights: Light Pollution Turns Night into Day"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Soon after the video was released, catchphrases like "Shagadelic!" and "Oh, behave!" caught on in schoolyards and trendy cocktail lounges alike.
From Time Magazine Archive
"Ah, behave, behave!" said Kedzie, then blushed at the plebeian phrase.
From We Can't Have Everything by Hughes, Rupert
Very kind! good-looking! ay, indeed, I'm sure o' that, Bartle; behave! an' don't be gettin' an wid any o' your palavers.
From Fardorougha, The Miser The Works of William Carleton, Volume One by Carleton, William
"Maggie, you're a caution; do behave!" cried her mother, glancing at Miss Cotton with secret pride to see how she appreciated Maggie's sharp tongue.
From Duncan Polite The Watchman of Glenoro by MacGregor, Mary Esther Miller
"Don't you know how to behave!" demanded Schubert.
From The Ivory Trail by Mundy, Talbot
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.
