behavebe‧have /bɪˈheɪv/ ●●● S3 W3 verb [intransitive] 
She behaved in a very responsible way.behave towards I think he behaved disgracefully towards you.behave like grown men behaving like schoolboysbehave as if/though He was a little boy, but he behaved as if he was an adult.2 (also behave yourself) to not do things that annoy or offend people OPP misbehave: Will you children please behave! I hope Nicholas behaved himself at the party.well-behaved/badly-behaved a badly-behaved class3[always + adverb/preposition] if something behaves in a particular way, it does those things: Quantum mechanics is the study of the way atoms behave.THESAURUSbehave to do and say things that are good, bad, normal, strange etc: · His teacher said he’d been behaving badly at school.· I’m not going to talk to her until she starts behaving reasonably.· Oh, be quiet! You’re behaving like a two-year-old.act to behave in a particular way, especially in a way that seems unusual, surprising, or annoying to other people: · Tina’s been acting very strangely lately.· What makes grown people act like that?treat to behave towards someone or deal with someone in a particular way: · She said that he’d treated her really badly throughout their two-year marriage.· I’m sick of my parents treating me like a child.conform to behave in the way that most other people in your group or society behave: · Young people sometimes want to rebel and therefore they refuse to conform.· Society typically brings pressure on individuals and groups to conform to civilised norms.conduct yourself formal to behave in a particular way, especially in a situation where people will notice and judge the way you behave: · Public figures have a duty to conduct themselves responsibly, even in their private lives.· By the end of the course, you should be able to conduct yourself with confidence in any meeting.
WORD ORIGINbehave
Origin:
1400-1500 have ‘to hold or bear (yourself), behave’ (14-16 centuries)VERB TABLE
behave
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | behave |
| he, she, it | behaves | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | behaved |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have behaved |
| he, she, it | has behaved | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had behaved |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will behave |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have behaved |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am behaving |
| he, she, it | is behaving | |
| you, we, they | are behaving | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was behaving |
| you, we, they | were behaving | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been behaving |
| he, she, it | has been behaving | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been behaving |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be behaving |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been behaving |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Her kids just don't know how to behave.
- How does Sam behave at school?
- I'm not going to talk to him until he starts behaving reasonably.
- If you behave yourself, I'll let you stay up to watch the movie.
- If you two don't behave, I'm taking you straight home.
- Make sure you behave yourselves when we visit Grandma.
- Oh, be quiet! You're behaving like a two-year-old.
- The next time I saw him, Frank behaved as if nothing had happened.
- William was behaving very strangely towards me.
- You behaved bravely in a very difficult situation.
- A police spokesman said the demonstrators were well behaved but wet.
- Although men provide more menace to the basis of a society, it is women who are instructed in how to behave.
- Eventually, the children themselves may begin to understand their own feelings, and why they behave as they do.
- Given that male albatrosses have the same genetic incentives as male elephant seals, why do they behave so differently?
- She had behaved very reasonably, she told her husband afterwards.
- The best way to behave is to act assertively, she said.
- Then a great many of the bar's occupants began to behave as if they had just remembered urgent appointments.
THESAURUS
to do and say things that are good, bad, normal, strange etc: · His teacher said he’d been behaving badly at school.· I’m not going to talk to her until she starts behaving reasonably.· Oh, be quiet! You’re behaving like a two-year-old.
to behave in a particular way, especially in a way that seems unusual, surprising, or annoying to other people: · Tina’s been acting very strangely lately.· What makes grown people act like that?
to behave towards someone or deal with someone in a particular way: · She said that he’d treated her really badly throughout their two-year marriage.· I’m sick of my parents treating me like a child.
to behave in the way that most other people in your group or society behave: · Young people sometimes want to rebel and therefore they refuse to conform.· Society typically brings pressure on individuals and groups to conform to civilised norms.
formal to behave in a particular way, especially in a situation where people will notice and judge the way you behave: · Public figures have a duty to conduct themselves responsibly, even in their private lives.· By the end of the course, you should be able to conduct yourself with confidence in any meeting.
Longman Language Activatorto behave in a particular way the way someone behaves is the things that they do and say, and the effects these things have on other people: · How does Sam behave at school?behave towards: · William was behaving very strangely towards me.behave well/badly/unreasonably etc: · I'm not going to talk to him until he starts behaving reasonably.behave like: · Oh, be quiet! You're behaving like a two-year-old.behave as if: · The next time I saw him, Frank behaved as if nothing had happened.
to behave in a particular way, especially in a way that seems unusual, surprising, or annoying to other people: act like: · He has been accused of acting like a dictator.act as if: · She acts as if she owns the place and we're her servants.act strangely/strange/stupid etc: · Tina's been acting very strangely lately.· You're acting stupid and I don't want to talk to you anymore.
: be rude/helpful/silly etc to behave in a rude, helpful, silly etc way: · Don't be so rude!· The waiter was really friendly and helpful.· Stop being silly!· Why is she being so nice to us?
to behave in a particular way, especially in a situation where people will notice and judge the way you behave: · Public figures have a duty to conduct themselves responsibly, even in their private lives.· By the end of the course, you should be able to conduct yourself with confidence in any meeting.
to say or do something because of what another person has said or done, or because of something that has happened: · How did she react when you told her the news?react angrily/violently/calmly: · Ned reacted angrily to Bill's comments.
to behave well especially spoken to do what people tell you and not cause any trouble - use this especially about children: · If you two don't behave, I'm taking you straight home.behave yourself (=behave well): · Make sure you behave yourselves when we visit Grandma.
someone who is well-behaved does not cause any trouble and does what other people tell them to do - use this especially about children, pets, or large groups of people: · Can I bring my dog? She's very well-behaved.· a well-behaved child· The crowd was noisy but well-behaved.
if a child is good , he or she does not cause trouble and does what he or she is told to do: · I was always very good at school.· He's a good little boy.be good! (=used to tell a child to behave well): · Bye now, Jessie. Be good.
British /behavior American to make a special effort to behave well by doing and saying the right things and being very polite, because you know other people are watching you: · Dinner was very formal, with everyone on their best behaviour.
to try not to behave badly, especially because you do not want to be noticed or caught: · Have a good time, boys, but try to stay out of trouble.· If I stay out of trouble till June, my parents will take me to Florida.
informal to behave well, especially by not doing anything wrong or illegal: · It's not a great job, but if you keep your nose clean, you should be promoted by the end of the year.· He's been sentenced to seven years in prison, but he'll be out in four if he keeps his nose clean.
: an orderly crowd/demonstration/march etc well-behaved and not violent or out of control: · Police said it was an orderly demonstration and there were no arrests.· The crowd were orderly and in good spirits.
to behave badly to be rude, unhelpful, or unpleasant and not do what you are told to do: · I knew I'd behaved very badly, and I was sorry.· The kids behaved so badly that I was embarrassed.
someone who is badly behaved behaves badly - use this especially about children: · The hotel was full of badly behaved celebrities.
if children misbehave , they deliberately behave badly by being noisy, rude etc: · Kids often misbehave when they are bored or tired.· We never dared to misbehave in Miss Dill's classes.
if someone gets into trouble , they do something that is illegal or against the rules, especially something not very serious, and get caught doing it: · Tony is always getting into trouble at school.· Don't copy my work or we'll both get into trouble.get into trouble with: · He first got into trouble with the police at the age of 15.
if someone is up to no good , they are secretly doing something that they should not do - use this especially when you think someone may be doing something bad, but you are not completely sure: · She knew that her brother was up to no good but she didn't tell anyone.
also play up British informal to behave badly by being very active and noisy - use this especially about children: · During his parents' divorce, Robert began acting up in class.· The kids have been playing up all afternoon. They're driving me mad.
also muck about British informal to behave in a silly way when you should be working or paying attention: · Stop messing around and pay attention!· They just mucked about all afternoon and went home early.mess around with: · Paul blew off his fingers messing around with homemade rockets.
British informal to behave badly in order to find out how bad you can be before someone gets angry with you or punishes you: · For your first few days' teaching, the kids will probably try it on just to see how you react.· At home she's allowed to tell everyone what to do, but she wouldn't dare try it on at work.
to behave badly by breaking rules or disobeying orders, especially in a situation where everyone is expected to be very obedient: · The prisoners were warned that if they stepped out of line they would be severely punished.· The boss is very tough on anyone who steps out of line.
to start to behave better to change the way you behave, and start being obedient, hard-working etc, after behaving badly for a long time: · It's possible the college might take you back, but first you'll have to convince them you've mended your ways.· If he doesn't mend his ways he'll be in jail by the time he's eighteen.
to decide that you will change the way you behave, because you really want to stop behaving badly, breaking the law etc: · I know I've done some bad things in the past, but now I'm turning over a new leaf.· After being released from jail, Tony decided to turn over a new leaf.
to start behaving better after a situation in which people did not trust you because you were behaving illegally or dishonestly: · She told her son to clean up his act or move out.· Tish has really cleaned up her act - she doesn't drink or smoke pot any more.
American to start to behave well after you had been behaving badly: · You'd better straighten up or you'll never make it out of high school.
British someone who has changed completely and no longer behaves badly or does things they should not do - often used humorously: · "Does Alex still drink as much as he used to?" "No, he's a reformed character now."
to stop being a criminal and decide to obey the law and live an honest life: · He's been going straight for about six months now.· You can't expect these people to go straight when no one's ever going to give them a job.
the way someone behaves British /behavior American the way someone behaves: · His behaviour in school is beginning to improve.· That kind of behavior is not acceptable.behaviour towards: · Eric's behaviour towards his family surprised me.
the way someone behaves when they are talking to or dealing with other people: · The driver's manner was very unfriendly.· She impressed everyone with her businesslike manner.
the way someone behaves in public, in their job etc, especially in matters where moral principles are involved - used especially in legal or official contexts: · A middle-aged banker has been fined £200 for violent conduct on a train.· The Medical Committee found the doctor guilty of unethical conduct towards three of his patients.code of conduct (=rules of professional behaviour): · A new code of conduct for civil servants will be issued next week.
behaviour that some people think is stupid or not responsible but other people think is funny: · The Queen is said to disapprove of the antics of some of the younger members of the Royal Family.
British /demeanor American the way someone looks and behaves, that gives you a general idea of their character: · He was a small round man with a cheerful demeanor.· When you mention Polly's ex-husband, her entire demeanour changes.
to behave towards someone in a particular way to behave towards someone or deal with someone in a particular way: treat somebody well/badly: · Amy's treated him really badly - no wonder he's upset.treat somebody like somebody/something: · I'm sick of my parents treating me like a child.treat somebody like dirt (=treat someone very badly): · I don't know what she sees in him - he treats her like dirt.treat somebody with respect/contempt/kindness etc: · Douglas was treated with much more respect after his promotion.treat somebody with kid gloves (=be very careful how you deal with someone so that they do not become upset, angry etc.): · After my nervous breakdown, everyone kept treating me with kid gloves.
British /toward American to behave in a particular way when you are with someone: · Sometimes he behaves very strangely towards me.
especially British to treat someone in a particular way in order to avoid problems and to get them to do what you want: · I knew I would have to be very careful how I handled Odette - she was so emotional.· Francis is a natural leader. He's very good at handling people.
to treat someone in a particular way, especially someone who has a problem or someone who has behaved very badly: · There's only one way to deal with naughty children and that's to be strict with them.· The police received training in how to deal with families of crime victims.· I try to deal with everyone in an honest, ethical way.
the way you treat someone else the way that a person, organization etc treats someone: · Harper described the treatment he had received in prison.treatment of: · We're shocked by the government's treatment of young homeless people.special/preferential treatment (=when one person is treated better than everyone else): · Although I was the boss's daughter, I didn't get preferential treatment.
British /behavior toward somebody American the way in which one person behaves towards someone else: · Your behaviour towards Lilly was disgusting.· I was confused by her behavior toward me - one minute she was cold and unfriendly, the next she was all smiles.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY She behaved in a very responsible way. a badly-behaved classCOLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES Can I rely on you to behave responsibly while I’m away?COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB
She behaved in a very responsible way. a badly-behaved class Can I rely on you to behave responsibly while I’m away?· It must be conceded that private shareholders to not always behave logically over their investments.· If the two filters are set at identical angles, then the two photons always behave identically.· As a result, both parties should always behave in good faith.· But a duck always behaves like a duck, whatever his social conditioning, upbringing or training!
· Nothing unusual - clocks behaving as before, keeping good time and continuing to emit their light beams.· We are of the deeply held belief that many human beings have come to behave as materialistic tyrants.· Those who have been bereaved will say that they do not know how to behave as newly-bereaved people.· Minna was behaving as if she was intoxicated.· The HeLa cell nucleus continues to behave as before.· Therefore he was free to behave as irresponsibly as he liked without fear of hurting me or our child.· The 8.16 from Darlington and the returning 10.38 behaved as impeccably as the reception class at a Victorian Sunday school.· The guests would be terribly kind, behaving as if she were all right or suffering an unidentified malady.
· Children who behave badly have had years to learn it.· Elsewhere, however, they behaved badly.· He accepted that it would be better to give her lots of love and attention for behaving well rather than for behaving badly.· They were all a bunch of spoiled, badly behaved film stars and he had no patience with any of them.· Yet, he counselled himself, he would not behave badly to her.· As for Auster, I am convinced that he behaved badly throughout.· Apart from politically inspired race riots in the early 1960s, rarely did Black people behave badly towards us.· Certainly, individuals may behave badly in any system.
· William, who attended the meeting, also agreed that he behaved better when the eyes of the world were upon him.
· Furthermore, most people actually believe that they will feel and behave differently under hypnosis.· In what ways will bosses act or behave differently?· The different scales of manufacture can give products which behave differently on stability tests.· Yes, I am behaving differently since the survey.· Due to these different perspectives these managers may behave differently towards subordinates.· Not that he will behave differently right away, but it makes him feel good, and this is a tough business.· She began sleeping back in her own bed more often after that, and in general behaving differently towards me.· I believe him, and still I wish he had behaved differently.
· You will find that different kinds of animal may behave in quite different ways.· The reason for this is probably that it implies oligopolies that behave in a way intermediate between perfect competition and monopoly.· Sedges behave in much the same way as grasses, having their stripes neatly arranged along the leaf.· Even the management team behaved in exactly the same manner.· Many years later Alison behaved in exactly the same way.· Certainly, you do read the odd story that describes a person behaving in just the way we have outlined.· Concepts, in his view, behave in very much the same manner.· Those inside it behaved in precisely the same way.
· Because of this possibility, shareholders will have to incur monitoring costs or agency costs to ensure that managers behave properly.· Bella had asked me whether I had behaved properly.· But there are also a few who do not behave properly in their dealings with the public.· I know I am not behaving properly.· But you see at home, it's so isolated we never see anyone, I never learned how to behave properly.· From now on we would have to behave properly.· But Rose was serious, hissing in her ear to behave properly, just concentrate.
· She had behaved quite out of character just to get the better of him.· The second generation may behave quite differently.· Sue seemed to be behaving quite normally.· When in contact with water, however, the materials behave quite differently.· Sound behaves quite differently to light.· Children can behave quite differently in different settings or with different people.
· I shall also do all that I can to ensure that brewers behave responsibly towards their tenants.· Will Opposition Members try to persuade the welfare rights organisations in their constituencies to behave responsibly?· I have written this book only for visitors who behave responsibly and show respect for others.
· Rural areas beyond immediate urban influence did not all behave similarly.· The crinoids and the belemnites and the corals behaved similarly.· At high energies all these particles behave similarly.· Of course, other animals behave similarly.· Sequential sulphate and chloride profiles behave similarly.
· How could her young sister have behaved so inconsiderately?· Given that male albatrosses have the same genetic incentives as male elephant seals, why do they behave so differently?· Surely it is a good idea to stop health insurers behaving so wickedly?· There is no evidence that the infant, behaving so, can differentiate between objects.· And yet Johnson and Dawson have been impeccably behaved so far in the Six Nations.· Columns and rectangles do not behave so nicely.· Pulling no punches, he asked Vincent what on earth had possessed him to behave so grotesquely.· Look at what happened in the management meeting this morning when you behaved so defensively about budgets.
· She had behaved very reasonably, she told her husband afterwards.· Last year I had seen, just like yesterday, a red squirrel behaving very curiously.· He's liable to behave very strangely, too.· The rattler is behaving very strangely, in other words.· You have to behave very circumspectly inthe lift.· Sometimes these less aggressive horses can behave very unexpectedly and take us by surprise.· The case was, of course, settled since the pop group had no defence, and Harold Wilson behaved very generously.
· A police spokesman said the demonstrators were well behaved but wet.· Marshall deftly provides her characters with options and opportunities to behave well.· He accepted that it would be better to give her lots of love and attention for behaving well rather than for behaving badly.· Parents take their responsibilities to their children very seriously, and their children are often strikingly well behaved.· In one environment the reasons for behaving well are clear; in another they are easily overlooked and forgotten.· A person may design a better way of raising children primarily to escape from children who do not behave well.· The above trends govern the technology transfer process by making certain types of technologies available to well behaved states.
NOUN· Children's behaviour problems become a focus of concern when the child is behaving inappropriately or excessively for their age.· The first step is to notice that something is amiss in the way the child learns and behaves in school.· Similarly, a rejecting parent may allow the child to behave as he or she likes.· All the complex factors that make children behave in certain ways will never be simple to identify.· A person may design a better way of raising children primarily to escape from children who do not behave well.· On this occasion the children were particularly well behaved. 3.· The process by which children learn to behave is largely a matter of operant learning.
· It seems to us to contravene all normal rules of equity that they should be able to behave in this fashion.· With the economy behaving in almost perfect fashion, stock prices enjoyed some of their strongest gains in years.· Not only is he facing an uncertain future, he is being forced to behave in an uncharacteristic fashion every day.· You curb your spontaneity in an effort to behave in an acceptable fashion.· We adapt and suppress our needs in order to behave in a civilised fashion.· Should voters behave in this fashion, the contents of the Opposition's election manifesto become less significant in deciding the result.· Rostov took a breath, and decided to wait until good manners forced his aide to behave in an approachable fashion.
· In reality variable costs do not behave strictly in this manner.· I should not have lost my cool and behaved in that manner.· Now why exactly are you behaving in this extraordinary manner?· It was unthinkable that two vibrancers could behave in such a manner.· Rationality According to classical criminology we mostly behave in a rational manner.· A Newtonian dashpot also behaves in a predictable manner.· Approved modules do not behave in this manner with respect to inheritance.· If they behave in a manner that deserves punishment, they are punished.
· We are getting tired of people behaving like prima donnas.· So why were these people behaving like this?· What must be changed are the contingencies which induce young people to behave in given ways towards their governments.· It would require extraordinary performance. People had to behave as if work meant more to them than a paycheck.· It had been an unsettling evening. People were not behaving as he had ordained they should behave.· Are these beliefs consistent with your most important beliefs about how people ought to behave and do behave politically? 2.· Mature people do not behave in that way.· Most slim people do not behave this way.
· It is more important to be clear about the links between the way they are behaving and the situations they are in.· Initially they looked at the way convection behaved in a cube.· She could not believe the way she had behaved with Felipe, and she didn't blame him at all.· The images that pervade your mind affect the way you feel as well as the way your body behaves physiologically.· Links and connections will begin to be made between the way counsellees think or feel and the way they behave.· It had apologized for the way it had behaved.· That would have explained the way he had behaved for all these months.
· Culture defines accepted ways of behaving for members of a particular society.· Groups evolve expected ways to behave which their members must normally obey.· He examines why certain individuals can not easily accept the ways of thinking and behaving that their social milieu thrusts upon them.
· Stern and serious moral advice to women on how to behave has a sweeter-natured sister.· If women behaved like men, then we would have another generation like the one that was destroyed by the Flood.· Such desires may involve coercing the woman into behaving in the way the man wants her to.· But Minu had warned me about how a woman should behave.· Meanwhile women behave more and more like men.· When they arrived the woman began crying, behaving as the injured party.
VERB· Then he complains when she begins to behave like a very naughty child.· Quite suddenly, students at universities begin to behave outrageously.· When they arrived the woman began crying, behaving as the injured party.· An analysis of behavior naturally begins with simple organisms behaving in simple ways in simple settings.· Then a great many of the bar's occupants began to behave as if they had just remembered urgent appointments.
· It is no doubt valuable to create an environment in which a person acquires effective behavior rapidly and continues to behave effectively.· Now Will maintains his positive attitude by continuing to behave in the same way. 5.· President Gorbachev continues to behave as if the middle ground were still there, because without it he is nothing.· That is, events might not have continued behaving in the regular and predictable ways that could be described by such laws.· The HeLa cell nucleus continues to behave as before.· A castrated stallion who has been used at stud may continue to behave like an entire, but be infertile.· Where a country espouses outward-looking policies, it may continue to behave in many important respects as though it were still domestically focused.
· Thus under certain conditions we can expect A* to behave in the same way as breadth-first search.· So why should visitors be expected to behave differently?· On his return he puzzled me by behaving exactly as I expected an S.S.O. to behave.· We expect you to behave yourself in here and own up to all the charges.· Rather, that person is also entitled to expect others to behave towards him or her in certain ways.· We always treat the stallions like geldings, taking care, of course, but they are expected to behave.· Harriet, as might have been expected, behaved admirably.· He liked gentlemen to behave as he expected them to behave.
· From it I could learn how to behave with my partner.· The first step is to notice that something is amiss in the way the child learns and behaves in school.· Virginia says I must learn how to behave in public.· Where do we learn how to behave in the intimacy of marriage?· The actual work was related to scientific observation, enquiry, recording as well as learning how to behave in a group.· But you see at home, it's so isolated we never see anyone, I never learned how to behave properly.· The process by which children learn to behave is largely a matter of operant learning.
· Not surprisingly, the rebellious streak in his nature surfaced, and he started to behave with studied rudeness.· If more people in the developed world start behaving like this we would have a better world.· Few things are as instantly heart-stopping to a computer user as the time when his machine starts to behave erratically.
· Surely it is a good idea to stop health insurers behaving so wickedly?· Calm down, and stop behaving like a shocked medieval nun.· To stop the turntable behaving like a seismograph, it is suspended on isolating springs.· So he got the job as the postman, yet even that didn't stop him behaving strangely.
· If she didn't try and make him behave, no one else would.
WORD FAMILYnounbehaviour/behaviormisbehaviour/misbehaviorbehaviourism/behaviorismbehaviourist/behavioristverbbehavemisbehaveadjectivebehavioural/behavioraladverbbehaviourally/behaviorally
1[always + adverb/preposition] to do things that are good, bad, sensible etc SYN act: She behaved in a very responsible way.behave towards I think he behaved disgracefully towards you.behave like grown men behaving like schoolboysbehave as if/though He was a little boy, but he behaved as if he was an adult.2 (also behave yourself) to not do things that annoy or offend people OPP misbehave: Will you children please behave! I hope Nicholas behaved himself at the party.well-behaved/badly-behaved a badly-behaved class3[always + adverb/preposition] if something behaves in a particular way, it does those things: Quantum mechanics is the study of the way atoms behave.THESAURUSbehave to do and say things that are good, bad, normal, strange etc: · His teacher said he’d been behaving badly at school.· I’m not going to talk to her until she starts behaving reasonably.· Oh, be quiet! You’re behaving like a two-year-old.act to behave in a particular way, especially in a way that seems unusual, surprising, or annoying to other people: · Tina’s been acting very strangely lately.· What makes grown people act like that?treat to behave towards someone or deal with someone in a particular way: · She said that he’d treated her really badly throughout their two-year marriage.· I’m sick of my parents treating me like a child.conform to behave in the way that most other people in your group or society behave: · Young people sometimes want to rebel and therefore they refuse to conform.· Society typically brings pressure on individuals and groups to conform to civilised norms.conduct yourself formal to behave in a particular way, especially in a situation where people will notice and judge the way you behave: · Public figures have a duty to conduct themselves responsibly, even in their private lives.· By the end of the course, you should be able to conduct yourself with confidence in any meeting.