behave
B1Neutral; used in both formal and informal contexts.
Definition
Meaning
To act or conduct oneself in a specified way, especially in accordance with social norms or expectations.
To function or react in a particular way under specific conditions (of things, systems, or substances).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Can be used both reflexively ('behave yourself') and non-reflexively. Often implies a judgement of propriety. In scientific contexts, describes predictable actions of systems or materials.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical. The related noun 'behaviour' (UK) vs. 'behavior' (US) shows the main orthographic difference.
Connotations
Slightly more common in British English in imperative parental instructions ('Do behave!').
Frequency
Very high frequency in both varieties. Slight edge in UK corpora due to higher frequency of admonitory use.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[intransitive] The children behaved.[reflexive] Please behave yourself.[intransitive + adverb/prepositional phrase] He behaved like a professional.[intransitive] How does the software behave under load?Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “behave as if you own the place”
- “behave out of character”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to professional conduct or market/system performance ('The currency behaved erratically').
Academic
Used in social sciences for human conduct and in sciences for material/system reactions.
Everyday
Predominantly used for social conduct, especially of children.
Technical
Describes the characteristics and responses of systems, materials, or data.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The pupils must behave during the royal visit.
- This alloy behaves differently at low temperatures.
American English
- The kids need to behave at the restaurant.
- The software behaves unpredictably when overloaded.
adjective
British English
- She gave him a well-behaved look of approval.
- The badly-behaved crowd was dispersed.
American English
- He's a well-behaved student.
- It was a poorly-behaved dataset.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Children, please behave at the table.
- My dog usually behaves well.
- You should behave more responsibly at work.
- The car began to behave strangely on the icy road.
- Despite the provocation, she behaved with impeccable dignity.
- Scientists study how particles behave in a vacuum.
- The market has behaved counterintuitively to the recent news.
- He behaved as though the entire debacle was beneath his notice.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
BE + HAVE. Think: To 'have' yourself in a certain way, to 'be' having good manners.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIAL CONDUCT IS A PERFORMANCE / PHYSICAL SYSTEMS ARE AGENTS (they behave).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation of 'вести себя' into 'lead oneself'.
- Do not use 'behave' for 'be located' or 'be situated' (as in 'город расположен...').
- Remember the reflexive pronoun is often needed for people: 'Behave yourself!' not just 'Behave!' in strict commands.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'He behaved strange.' Correct: 'He behaved strangely.' (requires adverb)
- Incorrect: 'She behaved to be polite.' Correct: 'She behaved politely.' or 'She behaved in a polite way.'
Practice
Quiz
In a scientific context, what does 'behave' typically mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While most common for people, it is standard to use 'behave' for machines, materials, and systems (e.g., 'The program behaves well under stress').
'Behave' often carries a stronger judgement about social norms. 'Act' is broader and can refer to performing a role or taking action, not just conduct.
No. It's optional in statements ('He behaved (himself) well'), but common in the imperative mood, especially for direct commands to children: 'Behave yourself!'
Yes, but less commonly. It's used to emphasize ongoing or temporary conduct (e.g., 'You are behaving like a fool'). The simple form is more frequent.