behave

behave — verb

1. to show, by your actions, a manner that seems calm, rude, strange, etc., without

1.verbintransitiveB1
Definition

to show, by your actions, a manner that seems calm, rude, strange, etc., without judging it as right or wrong.

Example

Lena behaved calmly when the dog ran into the road.

behave + adverb of manner

At dinner, Uncle Ray behaved as if the argument never happened.

behave as if + clause

Common collocations
  • behave calmly
  • behave strangely
  • behave as if nothing happened
  • behave with confidence
Synonyms
  • act

    the broad everyday verb and the closest general equivalent

  • conduct yourself

    more formal and often suggests self-control

  • carry yourself

    focuses more on outward manner and bearing

Grammar Patterns

behave + adverb

behave as if + clause

behave with + noun

Usage Note

Usually followed by an adverb or phrase showing manner, such as well, badly, strangely, or as if + clause. Human or animal subjects are most natural here; sense 2 is more common for machines, substances, or systems.

Common Mistakes

He behaved me badly at work.
He treated me badly at work.
'behave' does not take a direct object when you mean how someone treated another person.
Sara behaved very angry after the call.
Sara behaved angrily after the call.
after 'behave', use an adverb, not an adjective.

2. to react or work in its own way in a given set of conditions, especially when ta

2.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

to react or work in its own way in a given set of conditions, especially when talking about animals, substances, machines, or systems.

Example

Warm butter behaves differently from cold butter in cake mix.

behave differently in + condition

The phone behaves oddly after the latest software update.

behave oddly after + event

Common collocations
  • behave differently in heat
  • behave oddly after an update
  • watch how gas behaves
  • behave under pressure
Synonyms
  • react

    focuses on what happens when something meets a condition or event

  • function

    stresses how something works, especially a system or device

  • respond

    often used when the change comes from outside pressure or treatment

Grammar Patterns

behave differently in + condition

behave oddly after + event

how + subject + behave

Usage Note

Subject is often a thing, substance, machine, animal group, or system rather than a person. Distinguish from sense 1, which is more about someone's manner or conduct in a situation.

Common Mistakes

The machine behaved good in the heat.
The machine behaved well in the heat.
after 'behave', use the adverb 'well', not the adjective 'good'.

3. to act in the polite, controlled way that adults or society expect.

3.verbintransitiveB1
Definition

to act in the polite, controlled way that adults or society expect.

Example

Please behave while we wait outside the principal's office.

imperative: behave

The twins behaved well during the long wedding dinner.

behave well

Common collocations
  • behave well
  • behave yourself
  • behave in class
  • behave at the table
Synonyms
  • be good

    common everyday wording, especially when speaking to children

  • act properly

    close in meaning and slightly more explicit about social rules

  • mind your manners

    focuses especially on politeness in social situations

  • obey

    narrower; stresses following instructions rather than general manners

Antonyms
  • misbehave

    the direct opposite for acting badly

  • act up

    informal and often used for noisy or difficult children

  • be rude

    focuses on bad manners toward other people

Grammar Patterns

behave!

behave well

behave yourself

Usage Note

Common in commands and warnings to children, often simply as 'Behave!' or with a reflexive pronoun in 'behave yourself'. Distinguish from sense 1, where the speaker only describes a manner and does not judge it as acceptable or unacceptable.

Common Mistakes

The children behaved good in church.
The children behaved well in church.
after 'behave', use the adverb 'well'.
Please behave you in class.
Please behave yourself in class.
if you add a pronoun, it is the reflexive form.
Idioms

behave/act as if you own the place | think you own the place

idiom

to move around or give orders with the kind of confidence that suggests everything there belongs to you, in a way that usually annoys other people.

At Chloe's cafe, that customer acted as if he owned the place.

Since joining the club, Nadia has thought she owned the place.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

'Behave' is the normal everyday verb for how a person or animal acts in a situation. 'Act' is broader and can describe almost any kind of doing, so it is often less specific. 'Conduct yourself' is more formal and usually appears when someone is talking about self-control, rules, or dignity. 'Carry yourself' focuses on outward manner, especially confidence, calmness, or pride. 'React' overlaps only partly: it is better when you want to stress the response to something rather than general manner. So you can say 'The children behaved well at dinner', 'The officer conducted herself calmly', and 'The metal reacted badly to heat', but only the first sentence uses the ordinary sense of 'behave'.

behave ↗act ↗conduct yourselfcarry yourselfreact ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • behave as if nothing happened
  • behave yourself
  • behave well under pressure

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

This verb appeared in Middle English as 'behaven'. It was built from the prefix 'be-' and an older verb related to 'have'. Early uses were about managing or carrying yourself, and the modern meaning of acting in a certain way grew from that older idea of how a person holds or conducts themselves.