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behoof

American  
[bih-hoof] / bɪˈhuf /

noun

plural

behooves
  1. use; advantage; benefit.

    The money was spent for his own behoof.


behoof British  
/ bɪˈhuːf /

noun

  1. rare advantage or profit

"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

Etymology

Origin of behoof

before 1000; Middle English behove, Old English behōf profit, need; cognate with Dutch behoef, German Behuf

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.

“Girl number twenty unable to define a horse!” said Mr. Gradgrind for the general behoof of all the little pitchers.

From Dickens As an Educator by Hughes, James L. (James Laughlin)

Even should there be a little brazier with a rudimentary charcoal fire, it is next to useless, and is mainly for the behoof of the master.

From Village Life in China A Study in Sociology by Smith, Arthur H.

The rather heavy cost was defrayed by lotteries, which were set on foot by the Colonial Government from time to time for the behoof of the funds of the theatre.

From Narrative of the Circumnavigation of the Globe by the Austrian Frigate Novara, Volume II (Commodore B. Von Wullerstorf-Urbair,) Undertaken by Order of the Imperial Government in the Years 1857, 1858, & 1859, Under the Immediate Auspices of His I. and R. Highness the Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian, Commander-In-Chief of the Austrian Navy. by Scherzer, Karl Ritter von

She would make herself so agreeable bringing forth the entire armoury of her blandishments for his behoof, that memory of O'Tei would speedily be relegated to the limbo prepared for the ghosts of marplots.

From The Curse of Koshiu A Chronicle of Old Japan by Wingfield, Lewis

There were no nice things laid out for his behoof.

From My Lords of Strogue, Vol. II (of III) A Chronicle of Ireland, from the Convention to the Union by Wingfield, Lewis