behoove · verb — to befit, be appropriate or necessary to somebody. Alternative form of behove. It carries an Arena rating of 1489, earned across 6 head-to-head judged battles.
Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, behoove ranks #3,262 of 17,188 for Words That Escaped Their Books, #3,374 of 17,162 for Most Elegant Words, #4,932 of 17,151 for Most Betrayed by Its Sound, #5,946 of 17,163 for Most Beautiful Words.
behoove is pronounced /bɪˈhuːv/.
Why “behoove” is a great word
To be necessary, proper, or advantageous for someone. From Middle English behoven, from Old English behōfian ("to need"), from behōf ("need, advantage") + -ian (infinitive suffix). Unlike "benefit," which suggests a diffuse gain, or "suit," which implies mere compatibility, to behoove is to be bound by a quiet imperative of propriety or specific advantage. It is the borrowed coat returned before the first frost, the silence observed when elders speak of grief, or the particular hour chosen to deliver unwelcome news—the silent, compelling logic of a situation asserting itself in the web of obligations that constitute a life well-lived.
❧ Essay by Lexicurio’s AI · definition, etymology & citations from published sources
verb
- To befit, be appropriate or necessary to somebody. Alternative form of behove.e.g.“It ill behooves my mother to complain.”
- To be fitting.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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