behoof

[ bih-hoof ]

/ bɪˈhuf /

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See synonyms for: behooves on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural be·hooves

[bih-hoovz]. /bɪˈhuvz/.

use; advantage; benefit: The money was spent for his own behoof.

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Origin of behoof

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use behoof in a sentence

I will still say that it behooves us not to forget that Morsi was no democrat.
Coming Clean on Egypt|Michael Tomasky|August 15, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Given that said government is now spending almost a quarter of our annual income, it behooves us to keep an eye on it.
Is DC Real Estate Headed Up or Down?|Megan McArdle|October 23, 2012|DAILY BEAST
But nothing behooves a believer like condemnation—persecution is the mark of success, abandonment the measure of purity.
The Jihadis’ American Pipeline|Patrick Symmes|October 3, 2011|DAILY BEAST
It well behooves those in high places to make their actions and opinions conform to their great destinies.
The Knight Of Gwynne, Vol. I (of II)|Charles James Lever

At the same time it is a truth which it behooves every religionist and particularly every Jew to believe.
A History of Mediaeval Jewish Philosophy|Isaac Husik
It behooves us before everything else positively to ascertain that mediumistic phenomena exist.
Mysterious Psychic Forces|Camille Flammarion
It behooves me to learn something of the "Philosopher of Knigsberg," and I want these to ease the way.
The Letters of William James, Vol. 1|William James
But it behooves us old stagers to keep our lamps trimmed and burning to the last, and not trust to the sun's looming.
The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 14, No. 86, December, 1864|Various

British Dictionary definitions for behoof

behoof

/ (bɪˈhuːf) /

noun plural -hooves

rare advantage or profit

Word Origin for behoof

Old English behōf; related to Middle High German behuof something useful; see behove

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