behoove

English

Alternative forms

• behove (UK)

Etymology

Middle English behoven, from Old English behōfian "to need", from Old English behōf+ian. Cognate with Swedish: behöva.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /bɨˈhuːv/

Verb

behoove (third-person singular simple present behooves, present participle behooving, simple past and past participle behooved)

1. (US) To suit; to befit.
2. (US) To be necessary.
3. (US) To be in one's best interest.
   • 2007, Gary D. Schmidt, The Wednesday Wars, page 208

     "It behooves us to be prepared. We will begin a series of atomic bomb drills ..." / "Becomes necessary, Mr. Hupfer," said Mrs. Baker, "as in 'It behooves us to raise our hands before we ask a question."

   • (Can we date this quote?) It behooves every man who values liberty of conscience for himself, to resist invasions of it in the case of others. - Thomas Jefferson

Related terms

• behoof
• behovely

Translations

To suit; to befit

Bulgarian: подобава (bg) (podobava) Dutch: betamen (nl) German: (obsolete) obliegen (de), (obsolete) sich geziemen (de), schicken (de), sich schicken (de), sich ziemen (de)

Norwegian: (reflexive) passe (no) Russian: следовать (ru), надлежать (ru), подобать (ru), приличествовать (ru) Turkish: düşmek (tr), yaraşmak (tr)

To be necessary

Norwegian: være nødvendig (no) Russian: следовать, надлежать