behave

intransitive-verb
UK: /bɪˈheɪv/
US: /bɪˈheɪv/

  1. To act in a specific way.

    1. The kids behave well. They are very polite with adults. [ ] [ ]
    2. You must behave responsibly if you want to be part of the team. [ ] [ ]

  2. To act politely or correctly.

    1. Behave yourself, or you will be punished. Act nice. [ ] [ ]
    2. I expect you to behave with respect towards our guests this evening. [ ] [ ]

  3. To function or operate in a particular way.

    1. The car behaves strangely on ice. Be careful. [ ] [ ]
    2. The economy continues to behave unpredictably in the current climate. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

operate conduct oneself function comport act
behave verb

  1. To act in a polite or proper way to make people respect you.

    1. The teacher told the children to behave. She was very serious. [ ] [ ]
    2. I tried to behave in a professional manner despite my frustration. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "behave" in English means: To act in a specific way., To act politely or correctly., To function or operate in a particular way..

The phonetic transcription of "behave" is /bɪˈheɪv/ in British English and /bɪˈheɪv/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "behave": operate, conduct oneself, function, comport, act.

Example usage of "behave": "The kids behave well. They are very polite with adults.". More examples on the page.