"behove" meaning in All languages combined

See behove on Wiktionary

Verb [English]

IPA: /bɪˈhəʊv/ [Received-Pronunciation], /biˈhoʊv/ [General-American] Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-behove.wav [Southern-England] Forms: behoves [present, singular, third-person], behoving [participle, present], behoved [past], behoved [participle, past], behoven [archaic, participle, past], behoove [alternative, US]
Rhymes: -əʊv Etymology: See behoove. For the spelling with only one o representing /uː/, compare move and prove. The pronunciation with /oʊ/ is a spelling-pronunciation. Head templates: {{en-verb|+|+|+|+,~n<l:archaic>}} behove (third-person singular simple present behoves, present participle behoving, simple past behoved, past participle behoved or (archaic) behoven)
  1. (chiefly UK) Alternative spelling of behoove. Tags: UK, alt-of, alternative Alternative form of: behoove Derived forms: behovable, behoveful, behovely, behovingly, unbehoving Related terms: behoof
    Sense id: en-behove-en-verb-HjOIUS5X Categories (other): British English, English entries with incorrect language header, English spelling pronunciations, Pages with 2 entries, Pages with entries, Middle English entries with incorrect language header, Pages with 2 entries, Pages with entries Disambiguation of Middle English entries with incorrect language header: 39 26 35 Disambiguation of Pages with 2 entries: 65 7 27 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 57 5 38

Noun [Middle English]

IPA: /biˈhoːv(ə)/ Forms: byhove [alternative], bihove [alternative], behoove [alternative], behoofe [alternative], byhufe [alternative], beove [alternative]
Etymology: From Old English behōfe. Etymology templates: {{inh|enm|ang|behōfe}} Old English behōfe Head templates: {{head|enm|noun|g=|g2=|g3=|head=|sort=|var=}} behove, {{enm-noun|-}} behove (uncountable)
  1. Benefit, advantage. Tags: uncountable
    Sense id: en-behove-enm-noun-htx5AW0Z Categories (other): Middle English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of Middle English entries with incorrect language header: 39 26 35
  2. Duty. Tags: uncountable
    Sense id: en-behove-enm-noun-8q9f6o0m Categories (other): Middle English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of Middle English entries with incorrect language header: 39 26 35
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Synonyms: behofþe Related terms: beheve, behoveable, behovefull, behovefully, behovely, behovelynesse, behoven, behovesum, behovyngly, hovely

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

{
  "etymology_links": [
    [
      "behoove",
      "behoove#English"
    ],
    [
      "move",
      "move"
    ],
    [
      "prove",
      "prove"
    ]
  ],
  "etymology_text": "See behoove.\nFor the spelling with only one o representing /uː/, compare move and prove. The pronunciation with /oʊ/ is a spelling-pronunciation.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "behoves",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "behoving",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "behoved",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "behoved",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "behoven",
      "tags": [
        "archaic",
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "behoove",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "US"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "+",
        "2": "+",
        "3": "+",
        "4": "+,~n<l:archaic>"
      },
      "expansion": "behove (third-person singular simple present behoves, present participle behoving, simple past behoved, past participle behoved or (archaic) behoven)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "hyphenations": [
    {
      "parts": [
        "be",
        "hove"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "alt_of": [
        {
          "word": "behoove"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "British English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English spelling pronunciations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 2 entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "39 26 35",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "65 7 27",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 2 entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "57 5 38",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "derived": [
        {
          "word": "behovable"
        },
        {
          "word": "behoveful"
        },
        {
          "word": "behovely"
        },
        {
          "word": "behovingly"
        },
        {
          "word": "unbehoving"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Alternative spelling of behoove."
      ],
      "id": "en-behove-en-verb-HjOIUS5X",
      "links": [
        [
          "behoove",
          "behoove"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(chiefly UK) Alternative spelling of behoove."
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "word": "behoof"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "UK",
        "alt-of",
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/bɪˈhəʊv/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-behove.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/8/82/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-behove.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-behove.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/8/82/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-behove.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-behove.wav.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Southern-England"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/biˈhoʊv/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-əʊv"
    }
  ],
  "word": "behove"
}

{
  "etymology_links": [
    [
      "behōfe",
      "behofe#Old_English"
    ]
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "behōfe"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English behōfe",
      "name": "inh"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Old English behōfe.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "byhove",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "bihove",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "behoove",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "behoofe",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "byhufe",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "beove",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "noun",
        "g": "",
        "g2": "",
        "g3": "",
        "head": "",
        "sort": "",
        "var": ""
      },
      "expansion": "behove",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "behove (uncountable)",
      "name": "enm-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Middle English",
  "lang_code": "enm",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "beheve"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "behoveable"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "behovefull"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "behovefully"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "behovely"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "behovelynesse"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "behoven"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "behovesum"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "behovyngly"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "hovely"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "39 26 35",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Benefit, advantage."
      ],
      "id": "en-behove-enm-noun-htx5AW0Z",
      "links": [
        [
          "Benefit",
          "benefit#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "advantage",
          "advantage#Noun"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "39 26 35",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Duty."
      ],
      "id": "en-behove-enm-noun-8q9f6o0m",
      "links": [
        [
          "Duty",
          "duty"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/biˈhoːv(ə)/"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "behofþe"
    }
  ],
  "word": "behove"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
    "Middle English lemmas",
    "Middle English nouns",
    "Middle English terms derived from Old English",
    "Middle English terms inherited from Old English",
    "Middle English uncountable nouns",
    "Pages with 2 entries",
    "Pages with entries"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "behovable"
    },
    {
      "word": "behoveful"
    },
    {
      "word": "behovely"
    },
    {
      "word": "behovingly"
    },
    {
      "word": "unbehoving"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_links": [
    [
      "behoove",
      "behoove#English"
    ],
    [
      "move",
      "move"
    ],
    [
      "prove",
      "prove"
    ]
  ],
  "etymology_text": "See behoove.\nFor the spelling with only one o representing /uː/, compare move and prove. The pronunciation with /oʊ/ is a spelling-pronunciation.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "behoves",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "behoving",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "behoved",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "behoved",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "behoven",
      "tags": [
        "archaic",
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "behoove",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "US"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "+",
        "2": "+",
        "3": "+",
        "4": "+,~n<l:archaic>"
      },
      "expansion": "behove (third-person singular simple present behoves, present participle behoving, simple past behoved, past participle behoved or (archaic) behoven)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "hyphenations": [
    {
      "parts": [
        "be",
        "hove"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "behoof"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "alt_of": [
        {
          "word": "behoove"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [
        "British English",
        "English entries with incorrect language header",
        "English lemmas",
        "English spelling pronunciations",
        "English verbs",
        "Pages with 2 entries",
        "Pages with entries",
        "Rhymes:English/əʊv",
        "Rhymes:English/əʊv/2 syllables"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Alternative spelling of behoove."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "behoove",
          "behoove"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(chiefly UK) Alternative spelling of behoove."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "UK",
        "alt-of",
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/bɪˈhəʊv/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-behove.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/8/82/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-behove.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-behove.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/8/82/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-behove.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-behove.wav.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Southern-England"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/biˈhoʊv/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-əʊv"
    }
  ],
  "word": "behove"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
    "Middle English lemmas",
    "Middle English nouns",
    "Middle English terms derived from Old English",
    "Middle English terms inherited from Old English",
    "Middle English uncountable nouns",
    "Pages with 2 entries",
    "Pages with entries"
  ],
  "etymology_links": [
    [
      "behōfe",
      "behofe#Old_English"
    ]
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "behōfe"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English behōfe",
      "name": "inh"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Old English behōfe.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "byhove",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "bihove",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "behoove",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "behoofe",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "byhufe",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "beove",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "noun",
        "g": "",
        "g2": "",
        "g3": "",
        "head": "",
        "sort": "",
        "var": ""
      },
      "expansion": "behove",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "behove (uncountable)",
      "name": "enm-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Middle English",
  "lang_code": "enm",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "beheve"
    },
    {
      "word": "behoveable"
    },
    {
      "word": "behovefull"
    },
    {
      "word": "behovefully"
    },
    {
      "word": "behovely"
    },
    {
      "word": "behovelynesse"
    },
    {
      "word": "behoven"
    },
    {
      "word": "behovesum"
    },
    {
      "word": "behovyngly"
    },
    {
      "word": "hovely"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Benefit, advantage."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Benefit",
          "benefit#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "advantage",
          "advantage#Noun"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Duty."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Duty",
          "duty"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/biˈhoːv(ə)/"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "behofþe"
    }
  ],
  "word": "behove"
}

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This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable All languages combined dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-10-25 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-10-01 using wiktextract (f9fe161 and 6f96ddf). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.