Meaning of behave in English

Table of contents

Verb
behave
Etymology
late Middle English: from be-‘thoroughly’ + have in the sense ‘have or bear (oneself) in a particular way’
Definitions
1. behave in a certain manner
Examples
- « show a certain behavior »
- « conduct or comport oneself »
- « You should act like an adult »
- « Don't behave like a fool »
- « What makes her do this way? »
- « The dog acts ferocious, but he is really afraid of people »
2. behave in a certain manner
Examples
- « She carried herself well »
- « he bore himself with dignity »
- « They conducted themselves well during these difficult times »
Derived terms
3. behave well or properly
Examples
- « The children must learn to behave »
Antonyms
Derived terms

Famous quotes

« The way you think, the way you behave, the way you eat, can influence your life by 30 to 50 years. »
Deepak Chopra
« The historian must have some conception of how men who are not historians behave. Otherwise he will move in a world of the dead. He can only gain that conception through personal experience, and he can only use his personal experiences when he is a genius. »
E. M. Forster
« I like to behave in an extremely normal, wholesome manner for the most part in my daily life. Even if mentally I'm consumed with sick visions of violence, terror, sex and death. »
Courtney Love
« When fish experience something that would cause other animals physical pain, they behave in ways suggestive of pain, and the change in behaviour may last several hours. »
Peter Singer
« If you ever get rich and famous, by definition you are special. You have done something special, and therefore you start to behave special. Then if the floor drops out, and you become down and out, you have a really new perspective. »
Danny Bonaduce