behave
verbUK /bɪˈheɪv/ · US /bɪˈheɪv/
Etymology From Middle English behaven, bihabben (“to restrain, behave”), from Old English behabban (“to surround, embrace, hold, contain, hold back, withhold, restrain”), from Proto-West Germanic *bihabbjan, equivalent to be- + have. Cognate with Middle Low German behebben, behāven (“to receive, acquire, reach, keep”), Low German behebben (“to act, behave”), German behaben (“to behave”).
1
To conduct (oneself) well, or in a given way; to conform.
- You need to behave yourself, young lady.
- And the manifest signs that came from heaven unto those that behaved themselves manfully to their honour for Judaism[…]1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 2 Maccabees 2:21:
2
To act, conduct oneself in a specific manner; used with an adverbial of manner.
- He behaves like a child whenever she's around.
- How did the students behave while I was gone?
2 more examples
- My laptop has been behaving erratically ever since you borrowed it.
- Manganism has been known about since the 19th century, when miners exposed to ores containing manganese, a silvery metal, began to totter, slur their speech and behave like someone inebriated.2014 April 21, “Subtle effects”, in The Economist, volume 411, number 8884:
3
Obsolete To conduct, manage, regulate (something).
- He did behave his anger ere 'twas spent.c. 1605–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Tymon of Athens”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene v], page 88:
- But who his limbs with labours, and his mind / Behaues with cares, cannot so easie mis.1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, book 2, canto 3, verse 40:
4
To act in a polite or proper way.
- His mother threatened to spank him if he didn't behave.
- One time when Willie was more set on clowning than on learning about Jesus, Miss Helen ordered, "Willie Mack, you stand up against the wall until you learn to behave."2009, Roger L. Van Ommeren, From Rebellion to Submission, page 48:
- Derived terms
- behave oneself, behaver, misbehave
- Related terms
- behavior, behaviour, behavioral, behavioural, behaviorist, behaviourist, behaviorism, behaviourism