behalfbe‧half /bɪˈhɑːf $ bɪˈhæf/ ●●○ S3 W3 AWL noun 
She asked the doctor to speak to her parents on her behalf. On behalf of everyone here, may I wish you a very happy retirement. b)because of or for someone: Oh, don’t go to any trouble on my behalf.
WORD ORIGINbehalf
Origin:
1300-1400 by half ‘on (someone's) side’EXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
- Although the under-18s can not trade shares themselves, adults can buy stakes in collective investment funds on their behalf.
- Amnesty International also intervened on her behalf and only days before she was due to leave, she was given a passport.
- Anyone who wants to put money away on behalf of a child will find higher rates at a building society.
- Donald's offer on behalf of the company to buy a round of drinks had been ambiguous and caused uncertainty among us.
- He was able to testify on his own behalf and have witnesses who testified for him.
- I can call on no congressman to worry on my behalf.
- The president's lobbying on behalf of his programme was uneven and spasmodic.
Longman Language Activatorto represent a person or group
if you represent a person or group at a meeting or in a law court or parliament, you give their opinions and make decisions for them; if you represent a country, school etc in a competition, you have been chosen to compete for that country or school: · Each class will elect two students to represent them on the School Council.· Trade Unions representing ambulance workers yesterday agreed to accept a 5% pay increase.· The new law has been criticized by groups representing disabled people.· The athletes will represent China in this year's Olympic Games.· Wilson was represented in court by a top criminal lawyer.
if you speak to people on behalf of someone, you express their ideas, opinions, or feelings for them: · On behalf of everyone here, I'd like to wish Ted a long and happy retirement.· I would like to thank you all on my mother's behalf for all your cards and good wishes.act on behalf of somebody: · The lawyer acting on behalf of Mrs Anderson said he would continue the fight to clear her name.
to represent a group of people by expressing their feelings, thoughts, or beliefs: · David Blunkett, speaking for the Labour Party, said more money should be spent on higher education.· I can only speak for my own family, not for the other families involved in this case.
to represent someone by making decisions for them, especially legal or financial decisions: · It's a good idea to have an estate agent to act for you when you are selling a house.· Lawyers acting for the defendant asked for her case to be adjourned while they examined new evidence.
if you play, run, swim etc for a school, club, or country, you represent it in a sports competition against other schools, clubs, or countries: · Playing rugby for England had always been one of his dreams.· I used to swim for my school.· Simon Short, running for Scotland, is in the lead as they come round the final bend.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
(=to be the legal representative for someone) Sir Nicholas Gammon QC appeared on behalf of the defendant.
Sir Nicholas Gammon QC appeared on behalf of the defendant.· The lawyer will write confirming that he agrees to act for his client.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSVERB· The two parties may agree a price for the land or ask an agent to act on their behalf.· The governors will often give the chairman discretion to act on their behalf.· They agreed that they would really be acting on Altus's behalf.· He would act on your behalf to the chief constable.
· The Association of Carers is campaigning vigorously on their behalf for more professional and financial support.
· But beer lovers now had a national movement that was dedicated to fighting on their behalf.· If he didn't fight on their behalf, who the hell would?
· Hennigan filed a lawsuit on behalf of the survivors' families accusing the gun maker, Navegar Inc. of Miami.· But Petrocelli decided instead to file a judgment on behalf of Goldman alone.
· Therese can intercede on her behalf.· So Joe approached Cousin Eleanor in the hope that she would intercede in his behalf.· I had enough presence of mind left to feel sorry for him and was ready to intercede on his behalf.
· Most councillors expect to be lobbied by constituents and asked to intervene on their behalf.· It would not have been the first time Franklin Taylor had intervened on behalf of his sons.· He called on United States President Bush to intervene on their behalf.· Unfortunately, I am unable to intervene on your behalf.· During that time, Dong called on Ambassador Durbrow to intervene on his behalf.
· The president's lobbying on behalf of his programme was uneven and spasmodic.· With Ickes lobbying furiously on behalf of the Bureau, how-ever, the full Congress refused to go along.
· Proxy consent, decision making on another's behalf, is well known to the law.· There is, of course, a powerful educational argument to be made on behalf of more time in school.· Protests were made on their behalf but, as Henry Toch discovered, self-help was the only effective recourse.· The court struck down limits on expenditures by candidates themselves, or those made independently on behalf of candidates.· Thus our elected representatives are entitled to make decisions on our behalf.
· As soon as any contracts are offered you will have to engage a lawyer to negotiate on your behalf.· The United States had refused, arguing that it could not negotiate on behalf of other sovereign states.· As a result, Arnold had a stake in the deals he was negotiating on behalf of the district.
· The latter speak out on behalf of the poor, women, our fellow creatures and the environment.· The Reverend Mr Enders asked permission to speak on her behalf.· He speaks on behalf of millions of poor and disadvantaged people who have too few advocates.· Others at the bank were reluctant to speak on his behalf.
· The deputy promised he'd testify on Farner's behalf at a trial.· In 1995, he testified on behalf of displaced owners in the vicinity of the new Bank One Ballpark.· Another, Darlene, may testify on his behalf.· When her family contested the will, Agia ominously testified on behalf of Mons from her grave.· He was able to testify on his own behalf and have witnesses who testified for him.· Erik, generally portrayed as the weaker brother, testified on behalf of both siblings.· He testified on behalf of municipal-owned gas distribution companies, who have struggled with the high wholesale prices.
· Doubtless his friends and family were working on his behalf and might well be involved with Peggy Say's campaign.· Since the death of his agent, Bill Goodstein, last weekend, Strawberry had been working in his own behalf.· I think he'd be interested in you working on his behalf.· She stirs up antagonism, bullying members of other departments in the guise of working on my behalf.· Mr Kaifu's success in budging the government on all this suggests that powerful people are working on his behalf.· The ecology movement often works best in behalf of winsome landscapes and wildlife.· It is vitally important that Bank Officials have an independent organisation working on their behalf.
· I am writing on behalf of the Student Council and the school to tell you of our plans.· The speaker later wrote a letter on behalf of that donor to a federal agency.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY
on behalf of somebody (also in behalf of somebody American English) a)instead of someone, or as their representative: - A class-action lawsuit on behalf of the men and their survivors was settled in 1974.
- A trader placed bets in the markets on behalf of Salomon Brothers.
- It was an old skill, employed in times past to protect herself and now honorably exercised on behalf of another.
- Mildred Pierce slaves on behalf of her child, and the ungrateful kid ends up seducing her husband!
- The court struck down limits on expenditures by candidates themselves, or those made independently on behalf of candidates.
- The latter speak out on behalf of the poor, women, our fellow creatures and the environment.
- With Ickes lobbying furiously on behalf of the Bureau, how-ever, the full Congress refused to go along.
She asked the doctor to speak to her parents on her behalf. On behalf of everyone here, may I wish you a very happy retirement. b)because of or for someone: Oh, don’t go to any trouble on my behalf.