English

Alternative forms

• behoove

Verb

behove ‎(third-person singular simple present behoves, present participle behoving, simple past and past participle behoved)

1. To suit; to befit.
   • 1803, Thomas Jefferson, Letter to Benjamin Rush April 21.

     It behoves every man who values liberty of conscience for himself, to resist invasions of it in the case of others; or their case may, by change of circumstances, become his own.

   • 1936, Alfred Edward Housman, More Poems, II., lines 11-12:

     No fire-faced prophet brought me word

     Which way behoved me go.

   • 2001 January 16, Sir Raymond Whitney, in the House of Commons Hansard Debates for 16 Jan 2001 (pt 23),

     It behoves the Government to take note of that.

   • 2003 November 3, Tariq Ali, “Resistance is the first step towards Iraqi independence”,The Guardian,

     Nor does it behove western commentators whose countries are occupying Iraq to lay down conditions for those opposing it.

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