Behest
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: /bɪˈhɛst/
Origin
From Old English behÇ£s ("vow, promise"), from Proto-Germanic *bi ("be-"), *haisiz ("command"), from *haitanÄ… ("to command"). Final -t by analogy with other similar words in -t. Related to Old English behÄtan ("to command, promise"), Middle Low German beheit, behÄ“t ("a promise"). Compare also hest ("command"), hight.
Full definition of behest
Noun
behest
(plural behests)- A command, bidding; sometimes also, an authoritative request. from 12th c.
- 1977, Geoffrey Chaucer, , Penguin Classics, p. 278:Paul did not dare pronounce, let matters rest,
His master having given him no behest. - Sir Walter Scottto do his master's high behest
- 2007, Thomas Pynchon, Against the Day:And young Mr. Fleetwood Vibe was here at the behest of his father, Wall Street eminence Scarsdale Vibe, who was effectively bankrolling the Expedition.
- 2009, “What a wasteâ€, The Economist, 15 Oct 2009:the House of Representatives will try to water down even this feeble effort at the behest of the unions whose members enjoy some of the most lavish policies.
- 2011, Owen Gibson, The Guardian, 24 Mar 2011:The Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, is to meet with the BBC director general, Mark Thompson, at the behest of the Premier League in a bid to resolve their long-running feud.
- A vow; a promise.
- PastonThe time is come that I should send it her, if I keep the behest that I have made.