"behalf" meaning in English

See behalf in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /bɪˈhæf/ [US], /bɪˈhɑːf/ [UK], /bəˈhɑːf/ [UK] Audio: en-us-behalf.ogg Forms: behalves [plural], behalfs [plural]
enPR: bĭhăfˈ [US], bĭhäf [US] Rhymes: -ɑːf Etymology: From Middle English bihalve (“nearby”), from Old English bī healfe (“by [his/her] side”), from bī (“by”) + healfe (“side, half”), equivalent to be- + half. Etymology templates: {{der|en|enm|bihalve|t=nearby}} Middle English bihalve (“nearby”), {{der|en|ang|bī healfe|t=by 􂀿his/her􂁀 side}} Old English bī healfe (“by [his/her] side”), {{af|en|be-|half}} be- + half Head templates: {{en-noun|behalves|s}} behalf (plural behalves or behalfs)
  1. The interest, benefit, or wellbeing of someone or something.
    Sense id: en-behalf-en-noun-XnK58nr-
  2. (when adopted by someone else) One's role or rightful place; stead or authority.
    Sense id: en-behalf-en-noun-PmblINnd Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English terms prefixed with be-, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 2 entries, Pages with entries, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with German translations, Terms with Italian translations, Terms with Norwegian Bokmål translations, Terms with Norwegian Nynorsk translations, Terms with Swahili translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 41 59 Disambiguation of English terms prefixed with be-: 26 74 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 22 78 Disambiguation of Pages with 2 entries: 34 66 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 37 63 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 20 80 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 22 78 Disambiguation of Terms with Italian translations: 23 77 Disambiguation of Terms with Norwegian Bokmål translations: 22 78 Disambiguation of Terms with Norwegian Nynorsk translations: 26 74 Disambiguation of Terms with Swahili translations: 23 77
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Derived forms: behalfism, on behalf of [UK, US], in behalf of [US] Translations (behalf): puoli see (puolesta) (Finnish), Vorteil [masculine] (German), Nutzen [masculine] (German), Interesse [neuter] (German), a vantaggio di (Italian), vegne [plural] (Norwegian Bokmål), vegner [plural] (Norwegian Nynorsk), niaba (Swahili)
Disambiguation of 'behalf': 0 0

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

{
  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "behalfism"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "tags": [
        "UK",
        "US"
      ],
      "word": "on behalf of"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ],
      "word": "in behalf of"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "bihalve",
        "t": "nearby"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English bihalve (“nearby”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "bī healfe",
        "t": "by 􂀿his/her􂁀 side"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English bī healfe (“by [his/her] side”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "be-",
        "3": "half"
      },
      "expansion": "be- + half",
      "name": "af"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English bihalve (“nearby”), from Old English bī healfe (“by [his/her] side”), from bī (“by”) + healfe (“side, half”), equivalent to be- + half.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "behalves",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "behalfs",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "behalves",
        "2": "s"
      },
      "expansion": "behalf (plural behalves or behalfs)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2006, Peter Rivière, The Guiana Travels of Robert Schomburgk, 1835-1844, →ISBN:",
          "text": "The one exception to this was William Hilhouse, who was widely regarded as the colonist with the greatest experience of the interior and its native inhabitants, on whose behalf he endlessly campaigned.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2013, Catherine M. Paden, Civil Rights Advocacy on Behalf of the Poor, →ISBN, page 108:",
          "text": "The NUL, on the other hand, never felt that its position among civil rights organizations was threatened, and considered itself unique because of its historic commitment to advocacy on behalf of low-income African Americans.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The interest, benefit, or wellbeing of someone or something."
      ],
      "id": "en-behalf-en-noun-XnK58nr-",
      "links": [
        [
          "interest",
          "interest"
        ],
        [
          "benefit",
          "benefit"
        ],
        [
          "wellbeing",
          "wellbeing"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "41 59",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "26 74",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms prefixed with be-",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "22 78",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "34 66",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 2 entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "37 63",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "20 80",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Finnish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "22 78",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with German translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "23 77",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Italian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "22 78",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Norwegian Bokmål translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "26 74",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Norwegian Nynorsk translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "23 77",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Swahili translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1994, J. Sidlow Baxter, Awake, My Heart: Daily Devotional Studies for the Year, →ISBN, page 104:",
          "text": "He was not only my Representative who died on my behalf; He was my Substitute who died in my very stead.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2002, Judith Evans Grubbs, Women and the Law in the Roman Empire, →ISBN:",
          "text": "Which indeed is so true, that she herself may seek back for her own gain the dowry offered by another on her behalf, unless by chance he who offered it immediately (that is, at the time of offering or of promising) stipulated or made an agreement that the afore-mentioned dowry would be returned to him.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2004, Joan M. Burda, Estate Planning for Same-sex Couples, →ISBN, page 133:",
          "text": "The Agent shall have all of the powers, rights, discretions, elections, and authority conferred by statute, the common law, or rule of court or governmental agency that are reasonably necessary for the Agent to act on my behalf for any purpose.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "One's role or rightful place; stead or authority."
      ],
      "id": "en-behalf-en-noun-PmblINnd",
      "links": [
        [
          "role",
          "role"
        ],
        [
          "rightful",
          "rightful"
        ],
        [
          "place",
          "place"
        ],
        [
          "stead",
          "stead"
        ],
        [
          "authority",
          "authority"
        ]
      ],
      "qualifier": "when adopted by someone else",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(when adopted by someone else) One's role or rightful place; stead or authority."
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "enpr": "bĭhăfˈ",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "enpr": "bĭhäf",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/bɪˈhæf/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/bɪˈhɑːf/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/bəˈhɑːf/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-behalf.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/96/En-us-behalf.ogg/En-us-behalf.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/En-us-behalf.ogg"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɑːf"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "behalf",
      "word": "puoli see (puolesta)"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "behalf",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Vorteil"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "behalf",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Nutzen"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "behalf",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "Interesse"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "behalf",
      "word": "a vantaggio di"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "code": "nb",
      "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
      "sense": "behalf",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ],
      "word": "vegne"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "code": "nn",
      "lang": "Norwegian Nynorsk",
      "sense": "behalf",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ],
      "word": "vegner"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "code": "sw",
      "lang": "Swahili",
      "sense": "behalf",
      "word": "niaba"
    }
  ],
  "word": "behalf"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English nouns with irregular plurals",
    "English terms derived from Middle English",
    "English terms derived from Old English",
    "English terms prefixed with be-",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 2 entries",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Rhymes:English/ɑːf",
    "Rhymes:English/ɑːf/2 syllables",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with German translations",
    "Terms with Italian translations",
    "Terms with Norwegian Bokmål translations",
    "Terms with Norwegian Nynorsk translations",
    "Terms with Swahili translations"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "behalfism"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "UK",
        "US"
      ],
      "word": "on behalf of"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ],
      "word": "in behalf of"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "bihalve",
        "t": "nearby"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English bihalve (“nearby”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "bī healfe",
        "t": "by 􂀿his/her􂁀 side"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English bī healfe (“by [his/her] side”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "be-",
        "3": "half"
      },
      "expansion": "be- + half",
      "name": "af"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English bihalve (“nearby”), from Old English bī healfe (“by [his/her] side”), from bī (“by”) + healfe (“side, half”), equivalent to be- + half.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "behalves",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "behalfs",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "behalves",
        "2": "s"
      },
      "expansion": "behalf (plural behalves or behalfs)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2006, Peter Rivière, The Guiana Travels of Robert Schomburgk, 1835-1844, →ISBN:",
          "text": "The one exception to this was William Hilhouse, who was widely regarded as the colonist with the greatest experience of the interior and its native inhabitants, on whose behalf he endlessly campaigned.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2013, Catherine M. Paden, Civil Rights Advocacy on Behalf of the Poor, →ISBN, page 108:",
          "text": "The NUL, on the other hand, never felt that its position among civil rights organizations was threatened, and considered itself unique because of its historic commitment to advocacy on behalf of low-income African Americans.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The interest, benefit, or wellbeing of someone or something."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "interest",
          "interest"
        ],
        [
          "benefit",
          "benefit"
        ],
        [
          "wellbeing",
          "wellbeing"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1994, J. Sidlow Baxter, Awake, My Heart: Daily Devotional Studies for the Year, →ISBN, page 104:",
          "text": "He was not only my Representative who died on my behalf; He was my Substitute who died in my very stead.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2002, Judith Evans Grubbs, Women and the Law in the Roman Empire, →ISBN:",
          "text": "Which indeed is so true, that she herself may seek back for her own gain the dowry offered by another on her behalf, unless by chance he who offered it immediately (that is, at the time of offering or of promising) stipulated or made an agreement that the afore-mentioned dowry would be returned to him.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2004, Joan M. Burda, Estate Planning for Same-sex Couples, →ISBN, page 133:",
          "text": "The Agent shall have all of the powers, rights, discretions, elections, and authority conferred by statute, the common law, or rule of court or governmental agency that are reasonably necessary for the Agent to act on my behalf for any purpose.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "One's role or rightful place; stead or authority."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "role",
          "role"
        ],
        [
          "rightful",
          "rightful"
        ],
        [
          "place",
          "place"
        ],
        [
          "stead",
          "stead"
        ],
        [
          "authority",
          "authority"
        ]
      ],
      "qualifier": "when adopted by someone else",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(when adopted by someone else) One's role or rightful place; stead or authority."
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "enpr": "bĭhăfˈ",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "enpr": "bĭhäf",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/bɪˈhæf/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/bɪˈhɑːf/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/bəˈhɑːf/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-behalf.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/96/En-us-behalf.ogg/En-us-behalf.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/En-us-behalf.ogg"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɑːf"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "behalf",
      "word": "puoli see (puolesta)"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "behalf",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Vorteil"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "behalf",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Nutzen"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "behalf",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "Interesse"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "behalf",
      "word": "a vantaggio di"
    },
    {
      "code": "nb",
      "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
      "sense": "behalf",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ],
      "word": "vegne"
    },
    {
      "code": "nn",
      "lang": "Norwegian Nynorsk",
      "sense": "behalf",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ],
      "word": "vegner"
    },
    {
      "code": "sw",
      "lang": "Swahili",
      "sense": "behalf",
      "word": "niaba"
    }
  ],
  "word": "behalf"
}

Download raw JSONL data for behalf meaning in English (5.1kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-11-06 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-10-02 using wiktextract (fbeafe8 and 7f03c9b). 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.

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