Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense behaves, present participle behaving, past tense, past participle behaved
1. verb
The way that you behave is the way that you do and say things, and the things that you do and say.
I couldn't believe these people were behaving in this way. [VERB preposition/adverb]
He'd behaved badly. [VERB preposition/adverb]
Synonyms: act, react, conduct yourself, acquit yourself More Synonyms of behave
2. verb
If you behave or behaveyourself, you act in the way that people think is correct and proper.
You have to behave. [VERB]
They were expected to behave themselves. [VERB pronoun-reflexive]
Synonyms: be well-behaved, be good, be polite, mind your manners More Synonyms of behave
3. verb
In science, the way that something behaves is the things that it does.
Under certain conditions, electrons can behave like waves rather than particles. [VERB preposition/adverb]
behave in British English
(bɪˈheɪv)
verb
1. (intransitive)
to act or function in a specified or usual way
2.
to conduct (oneself) in a specified way
I admit I behaved badly
3.
to conduct (oneself) properly or as desired
the children behaved themselves all day
Word origin
C15: see be-, have
behave in American English
(biˈheɪv; bɪˈheɪv)
verb transitive, verb intransitiveWord forms: beˈhaved or beˈhaving
1.
to conduct (oneself or itself) in a specified way; act or react
2.
to conduct (oneself) in a correct or proper way
SYNONYMY NOTE: behave, used reflexively (as also the other words in this comparison), implies action inconformity with the required standards of decorum [did the children behave themselves?]; conduct implies the direction or guidance of one's actions in a specified way [he conducted himself well at the trial]; demean2 suggests behavior or appearance that is indicative of the specified character trait[she demeaned herself like a gracious hostess]; deport, comport suggest behavior in accordance with the fixed rules of society [they always deport themselves like ladies]; acquit suggests behavior in accordance with the duties of one's position or with one's obligations[the rookie acquitted himself like a major leaguer]
Word origin
see be- & have
More idioms containing
behave
behave like a little tin god
Examples of 'behave' in a sentence
behave
The producers wanted him to play a man behaving badly.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
That he did not sound or behave like a typical politician won him points for authenticity.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Why did we behave the way we did?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The incumbents often behave badly towards new entrants.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
But does it have to behave like one?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
They behaved in a way they would not have accepted from rivals.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Most sitcoms in the whole world are about men behaving badly.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Be firm that they must find somewhere else to live unless they behave like responsible adults.
The Sun (2017)
On the first day they would behave like it wasn't going to be there when they went back.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Your ex behaved very badly but you can do better.
The Sun (2013)
We would like to behave correctly should we encounter a similar situation.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
We trust the players to behave like proper people.
The Sun (2012)
This way of behaving is sometimes referred to as evidence of "a generation gap".
Siann, Gerda & Ugwuegbu, Denis C. E. Educational Psychology in a Changing World (1988)
There is no financial penalty for behaving badly.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
They have ignored the usual modern outcry about not making animals dress up or behave like humans.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
We hope that the mixture of education and threats will deter people from behaving badly.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
This is the way our enemies behave.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
She behaved more like a friend than a mother.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
The research suggests people keep behaving a certain way when they are rewarded for it.
The Sun (2010)
The way he behaves makes it worse.
The Sun (2009)
Behaving badly to those we love always makes us feel ashamed.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
But we do not want to behave like we behaved and that is it.
The Sun (2007)
People who behave like this generally would not dream of treating their car in the same way.
Atkinson, Jacqueline M Coping with Stress at Work (1988)
She began imagining herself behaving in the way she wanted.
Pete Cohen and Sten Cummins with Jennai Cox HABIT BUSTING: A 10-step plan that will change your life (2002)
Acting out by behaving in ways that are disapproved is a tactic often used by groups attempting to change public attitudes.
Appelbaum, Richard P. Sociology (1995)
What happens over the course of the 14-day training period depends on how a unit behaves from day to day.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
I don't understand why so many these days have to behave like her.
The Sun (2008)
Tell her she may have a place in your life when she can show you she's cleaned up her act and can behave like a grown-up.
The Sun (2016)
In other languages
behave
British English: behave /bɪˈheɪv/ VERB
act The way you behave is the way that you do and say things.
She behaves like a baby.
American English: behave
Arabic: يَتَصَرَّفُ
Brazilian Portuguese: comportar-se
Chinese: 举动
Croatian: ponašati se
Czech: chovat se
Danish: opføre (sig)
Dutch: gedragen (zich)
European Spanish: comportarse
Finnish: käyttäytyä
French: se comporter
German: benehmen (sich)
Greek: συμπεριφέρομαι
Italian: comportarsi
Japanese: 振舞う
Korean: 행동하다
Norwegian: oppføre (seg)
Polish: zachować się
European Portuguese: comportar-se
Romanian: a se comporta
Russian: вести себя
Latin American Spanish: comportarse
Swedish: uppföra (sig)
Thai: ปฏิบัติ
Turkish: davranmak tavır
Ukrainian: поводитися
Vietnamese: cư xử
British English: behave /bɪˈheɪv/ VERB
yourself If you behave yourself, you are good.
You can come if you behave yourself.
American English: behave
Arabic: يَسْلُكُ سُلُوكاً حَسْناً
Brazilian Portuguese: comportar-se
Chinese: 使守规矩
Croatian: lijepo se ponašati
Czech: chovat se slušně
Danish: opføre sig ordentligt
Dutch: goed gedragen
European Spanish: comportarse
Finnish: käyttäytyä
French: bien se tenirbien se comporter
German: sich benehmen
Greek: συμπεριφέρομαι
Italian: comportarsi bene
Japanese: 行儀よくする
Korean: 예의 바르게 행동하다
Norwegian: oppføre
Polish: zachowywać się
European Portuguese: portar-se bem
Romanian: a se purta frumos
Russian: хорошо вести себя
Latin American Spanish: comportarse
Swedish: uppföra sig
Thai: ประพฤติตัว
Turkish: uslu durmak
Ukrainian: поводитися
Vietnamese: cư xử đúng mực
Chinese translation of 'behave'
behave
(bɪˈheɪv)
vi
[person]表现(現) (biǎoxiàn)
[object]运(運)转(轉) (yùnzhuǎn)
(= behave well) 行为(為)得体(體) (xíngwéi détǐ)
to behave oneself守规(規)矩 (shǒu guīju)
1 (verb)
Definition
to conduct oneself in a particular way
He'd behaved badly.
Synonyms
act
a gang of youths who were acting suspiciously
react
They reacted violently to the news.
conduct yourself
The way he conducts himself reflects on the party.
acquit yourself
Most men acquitted themselves well throughout the action.
comport yourself
2 (verb)
Definition
to conduct oneself properly
You have to behave.Sit down and behave yourself.
Synonyms
be well-behaved
be good
be polite
mind your manners
keep your nose clean
act correctly
act politely
conduct yourself properly
Opposites
carry on (informal)
,
be bad
,
act up (informal)
,
misbehave
,
be naughty
,
muck about (British, slang)
,
get up to mischief (informal)
,
be insubordinate
Additional synonyms
in the sense of acquit yourself
Most men acquitted themselves well throughout the action.
Synonyms
behave,
bear yourself,
conduct yourself,
comport yourself
in the sense of conduct yourself
Definition
to behave (oneself)
The way he conducts himself reflects on the party.
Synonyms
behave yourself,
act,
carry yourself,
acquit yourself,
deport yourself,
comport yourself
in the sense of react
Definition
(of a person or thing) to act in response to another person, a stimulus, or a situation