behove

Meaning

1. To befit, to suit.
2. To be necessary for (someone).
3. To be in the best interest of; to benefit.
4. To be needful, meet or becoming.

Synonyms

behoove

be suitable

befit

fit

have to

seem

come in handy

Hyphenated as

be‧hove

Pronounced as (IPA)

/bɪˈhəʊv/

Etymology

From Middle English behoven, bihoven (“to be necessary, requisite; to be compelled or required (to do something)”), from Old English behōfian (“to need; to be necessary”), from Proto-Germanic *bihōfōną (“advantage, behoof, profit; need”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *keh₂p- (“to grab, seize”). The word is cognate with Old Frisian bihōvia (“to need”), Dutch behoeven (“to need”), obsolete German behufen (cf. Behuf), Danish behøve (“to need”), Norwegian behøve (“to need”), Swedish behöva (“to have use for, to need”).