behove

== English == === Alternative forms === behoove (US) === Etymology === From Middle English behoven, bihoven (“to be necessary, requisite; to be compelled or required (to do something)”), from Old English behōfian (“to need; to be necessary”), from Proto-Germanic *bihōfōną (“to benefit, behove, need”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kap- (“to grab, seize”). The word is cognate with Old Frisian bihōvia (“to need”), Middle Low German behôven (“to need”) and Old Saxon *bihōvōn, Dutch behoeven (“to need”), obsolete German behufen (cf. Behuf), Danish behøve (“to need”), Norwegian behøve (“to need”), Swedish behöva (“to have use for, to need”). === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /bɪˈhəʊv/ (General American) IPA(key): /biˈhoʊv/ Rhymes: -əʊv Hyphenation: be‧hove === Verb === behove (third-person singular simple present behoves, present participle behoving, simple past behoved, past participle behoved or (archaic) behoven) (transitive, formal) To befit, to suit. (transitive, formal) To be necessary for (someone). (transitive, formal) To be in the best interest of; to benefit. (intransitive, formal) To be needful, meet or becoming. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== ==== Translations ==== == Middle English == === Alternative forms === byhove, bihove, behoove, behoofe, byhufe, beove === Etymology === From Old English behōfe. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /biˈhoːv(ə)/ === Noun === behove (uncountable) Benefit, advantage. Duty. ==== Usage notes ==== This term is typically found as part of a dative phrase beginning with to, unto or at; e.g., “to þy behove” means “to your advantage". ==== Synonyms ==== behofþe ==== Related terms ==== === References === “bihọ̄ve, n. (orig. dative).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 4 April 2018.