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Manner of behaving, whether good or bad; mode of conducting one's self; conduct; deportment; carriage; -- used also of inanimate objects; as, the behavior of a ship in a storm; the behavior of the magnetic needle. A gentleman that is very singular in his behavior. Steele. To be upon one's good behavior, To be put upon…

To sever the head from; to take off the head of.

,n.Beheading. [Modern]

imp. & p. p. of Behold.

An animal, probably the hippopotamus, described in Job xl. 15- 24.

The Centaurea behen, or saw-leaved centaury.

which is willed or ordered; a command; a mandate; an injunction. To do his master's high behest. Sir W. Scott.

See Behight. [Obs.] Chaucer.

To promise; to vow. Behight by vow unto the chaste Minerve. Surrey.

the front or nearest part; on the back side of; at the back of; on the other side of; as, behind a door; behind a hill. A tall Brabanter, behind whom I stood. Bp. Hall.

backwardness, in respect to what is seasonable or appropriate, or as to what should have been accomplished; not equally forward with some other person or thing; dilatory; backward; late; tardy; as, behindhand in studies or in work. In this also [dress] the country are very much behindhand. Addison.

On this side of. [Obs.] Two miles behither Clifden. Evelyn.

To have in sight; to see clearly; to look at; to regard with the eyes. When he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. Num. xxi. 9. Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. John. i. 29.

Obliged; bound in gratitude; indebted. But being so beholden to the Prince. Tennyson.

One who beholds; a spectator.

Obliged; beholden. [Obs.] I was much bound and beholding to the right reverend father. Robynson (More's Utopia). So much hath Oxford been beholding to her nephews, or sister's children. Fuller.

, The state of being obliged or beholden. [Obs.] Sir P. Sidney.

Advantage; profit; benefit; interest; use. No mean recompense it brings To your behoof. Milton.

Supplying need; profitable; advantageous. [Obs.] Udall.

To be necessary for; to be fit for; to be meet for, with respect to necessity, duty, or convenience; -- mostly used impersonally. And thus it behooved Christ to suffer. Luke xxiv. 46. [Also written behove.]