Behave Definition and Meaning
To behave means to act in a manner, especially in response to a situation or in the presence of others. e.g., The children were taught to behave respectfully in public.
Table of Contents
Behave Definitions
Exhibit Manners: Displaying good or bad manners.
Children, please behave at the museum.
Conduct Oneself: How one conducts themselves, showing their character or manners.
She knows how to behave in formal settings.
Comply with Rules: Following rules or guidelines.
The player didn't behave according to the team's code of conduct.
Respond to Situations: How one reacts or responds to different situations.
The material will behave differently under extreme temperatures.
Demonstrate Behavior: To show a particular behavior pattern.
The study examines how animals behave when in their natural habitat.
Act Appropriately: To act in a socially acceptable or expected manner.
Guests are expected to behave politely at the dinner.
Function or Operate: How something functions or operates under certain conditions.
Scientists study how gases behave under pressure.
Interact Socially: How one interacts in social situations.
The new student is learning to behave among his peers.
To conduct oneself or act in a specified way
One of the guests behaved badly at the party. Our old dog sometimes behaves like a puppy.
To conduct oneself or act in a proper way
I told the child to behave.
To act, react, function, or perform in a particular way
This fabric behaves well even in hot weather.
To conduct (oneself) properly
Did you behave yourself at the party?.
To conduct (oneself) in a specified way
The witness behaved herself with great calmness.
(reflexive) To conduct (oneself) well, or in a given way.
You need to behave yourself, young lady.
(intransitive) 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?
My laptop has been behaving erratically ever since you borrowed it.
To conduct, manage, regulate (something).
(intransitive) To act in a polite or proper way.
His mother threatened to spank him if he didn't behave.
To manage or govern in point of behavior; to discipline; to handle; to restrain.
He did behave his anger ere 't was spent.
To carry; to conduct; to comport; to manage; to bear; - used reflexively.
Those that behaved themselves manfully.
To act; to conduct; to bear or carry one's self; as, to behave well or ill.
Behave in a certain manner; 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
Behave in a certain manner;
She carried herself well
He bore himself with dignity
They conducted themselves well during these difficult times
Behave well or properly;
The children must learn to behave
Manage Emotions: Controlling or managing one’s emotional responses.
He struggled to behave calmly during the debate.
Exhibit Professionalism: Displaying professionalism in a work environment.
In meetings, it's important to behave professionally.
Behave Snonyms
Perform
To carry out an action or pattern of behavior.
The machine performs well under heavy loads.
Conduct
To comport oneself; behave.
His conduct at the event was exemplary.
Respond
To say or do something as a reply or response.
She responded to the greeting with a smile.
Function
To work or operate in a particular way.
The device functions as both a phone and a computer.
Act
To take action or conduct oneself in a specified way.
She always acts politely at social gatherings.
Carry oneself
To behave in a particular manner.
She carries herself with confidence.
React
To behave or change in a particular way when something happens, is said, etc.
He reacted calmly to the news.
Comport
To conduct oneself in a specified manner.
He comports himself with dignity.
Operate
To perform a function or work in a particular way.
The business operates smoothly under her management.
Demean
To conduct oneself in a specific way.
He demeans himself in a professional manner at all times.
Behave Idioms & Phrases
Behave beyond one's years
To act more maturely than one's age would suggest.
She's only ten but behaves beyond her years, always taking care of her younger siblings.
Behave like a fish out of water
To act awkwardly or uncomfortably in a particular situation.
Ever since moving to the city, he's been behaving like a fish out of water.
Behave against the grain
To act in a manner contrary to what is normal or expected.
He always behaves against the grain, preferring unconventional methods.
Behave like the world's watching
To conduct oneself impeccably, as if under constant scrutiny.
As celebrities, they always have to behave like the world's watching.
Make believe and behave
Engaging in fantasy or play in a controlled manner.
The children were encouraged to make believe and behave during their imaginative playtime.
Behave with velvet gloves
To act in a gentle, careful, or tactful manner.
When dealing with sensitive issues, it's best to behave with velvet gloves.
Behave or bust
A warning that one must act appropriately or face consequences.
The teacher gave the rowdy students a final ultimatum:Behave or bust.
Behave behind closed doors
To act differently in private than in public.
Their friendly facade hid how they truly behaved behind closed doors.
Behave like a bull in a china shop
To act recklessly or without regard for the consequences.
Charging ahead without a plan, he behaved like a bull in a china shop.
Behave through rose-colored glasses
To act with an overly optimistic or naively positive outlook.
He tends to behave through rose-colored glasses, ignoring the challenges.
Behave with one's heart on one's sleeve
To act in an open and emotional manner, showing one's feelings easily.
She always behaves with her heart on her sleeve, making her feelings known.
A license to behave
Permission, real or implied, to act freely or without usual restrictions.
The weekend getaway felt like a license to behave without worries.
Behave at one's peril
To act in a way that could lead to danger or trouble.
Ignoring the warnings, they behaved at their own peril.
Behave in someone's shadow
To act under the influence or in the manner of another person.
Growing up, she always behaved in her older sister's shadow.
Behave in broad daylight
To act openly or without trying to hide one's actions.
The culprits behaved in broad daylight, seemingly unafraid of getting caught.
Behave with open arms
To act in a welcoming or accepting manner.
The community behaved with open arms towards the newcomers.
Behave like a cat on a hot tin roof
To act nervously or restlessly.
Awaiting the interview results, he behaved like a cat on a hot tin roof.
Behave under the radar
To act discreetly, avoiding attention or detection.
She managed to behave under the radar, keeping her project secret until it was ready.
Behave like there's no tomorrow
To act without concern for the future.
They celebrated and behaved like there was no tomorrow.
Behave on a tightrope
To act carefully, as if in a precarious or risky situation.
Navigating the tense negotiations, he behaved as if on a tightrope.
Behave Example Sentences
You should behave respectfully towards your elders.
The dog was trained to behave well in crowded places.
How did the chemicals behave when mixed together?
Children are more likely to behave when they understand the rules.
The software didn't behave as expected, causing errors.
She was surprised to see her usually shy cat behave so affectionately.
The experiment aims to see how particles behave in zero gravity.
The teacher asked the students to behave during the field trip.
When he's tired, he tends to behave grumpily.
During the debate, all candidates were reminded to behave civilly.
The tourists didn't behave respectfully at the sacred site.
In emergency situations, it's crucial to behave calmly.
The novel's characters behave unpredictably as the plot unfolds.
The car's brakes didn't behave normally, indicating a problem.
It's fascinating to observe how birds behave when building nests.
Common Curiosities
How do we divide behave into syllables?
Behave is divided into syllables as follows: be-have.
Why is it called behave?
It is called behave because it refers to the way in which one acts or conducts oneself, especially towards others.
How many syllables are in behave?
There are two syllables in behave.
What is the verb form of behave?
The verb form is "behave."
What is the root word of behave?
The root word of behave is "have," with the prefix "be-" indicating a state or condition.
How is behave used in a sentence?
The children must behave properly at the dinner table.
What is the pronunciation of behave?
Behave is pronounced as /bɪˈheɪv/.
What is the first form of behave?
The first form (base form) is "behave."
What is a stressed syllable in behave?
The stressed syllable in behave is the second syllable: "have."
What is the singular form of behave?
The singular form is "behave."
What is the second form of behave?
The second form (past simple) is "behaved."
What is the third form of behave?
The third form (past participle) is "behaved."
What part of speech is behave?
Behave is a verb.
Is behave a negative or positive word?
Behave is a neutral word; it can be positive or negative depending on the context.
Is the behave term a metaphor?
Behave is not typically used as a metaphor; it is used to describe actions or conduct.
Is the word behave Gerund?
The gerund form of behave is "behaving."
Is the word “behave” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
Behave is a verb that does not typically take a direct or indirect object.
Is behave a noun or adjective?
Behave is a verb.
Is behave an adverb?
No, behave is not an adverb.
Is behave a collective noun?
No, behave is not a collective noun.
Is the word behave imperative?
Yes, behave can be used in the imperative form (e.g., "Behave yourself").
Which determiner is used with behave?
Determiners are not typically used with behave as it is a verb.
Is behave an abstract noun?
No, behave is not a noun; it is a verb.
Is behave a vowel or consonant?
The first letter of behave, "b," is a consonant.
Which preposition is used with behave?
Prepositions such as "like" or "as" can be used with behave depending on the context (e.g., "Behave like a gentleman").
Which vowel is used before behave?
There is no specific rule for using a vowel before behave. It depends on the context of the sentence.
Which conjunction is used with behave?
Conjunctions such as "and" or "but" can be used with behave depending on the context.
What is another term for behave?
Another term for behave is "conduct oneself."
What is the plural form of behave?
Behave does not have a plural form as it is a verb.
What is the opposite of behave?
The opposite of behave is "misbehave."
Is behave a countable noun?
Behave is not a noun; it is a verb.
Which article is used with behave?
Articles are not typically used with behave as it is a verb.
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