noun
Etymology
Origin of behest
before 1000; Middle English bihest ( e ), Old English behǣs promise. See be-, hest
Explanation
Behest is an authoritative command or request. If your boss or principal asks to see you, you go to their office at their behest. Behest rhymes with "request" and they almost mean the same thing, if you give your request a little authoritative oomph, just a tad bit of "or else." Another difference between these words is that you can't use behest as a verb: You can't behest someone. You act according to their behest. The root word here is the Old English hehaes, means "a vow."
Vocabulary lists containing behest
Romeo and Juliet
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This Week in Words: August 6 - 10, 2018
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Beowulf vocabulary
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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.
Ittai later told me he thought that was "bizarre," particularly as one of the items was accounted for only because it had been returned at his behest.
From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026
He set his sights on Greenland, apparently at the behest of a cosmetics heir pal.
From Salon • Mar. 19, 2026
He’s accusing them of betraying the U.S. at the behest of nefarious interests he didn’t identify, no doubt because they don’t exist.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026
That investigation came at the behest of Cornyn.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 18, 2026
She wondered if Lord Amolf had come to view the burning at the king’s behest, that he might witness the power of the red god for himself.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
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.
