Dictionary entry details
• BEHAVE (verb)
Meaning:
Behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself
Classified under:
Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care
Synonyms:
behave; act; do
Context examples:
You should act like an adult / Don't behave like a fool / What makes her do this way? / The dog acts ferocious, but he is really afraid of people
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "behave"):
act involuntarily; act reflexively (act in an uncontrolled manner)
piffle (act in a trivial or ineffective way)
make (behave in a certain way)
make as if (begin or appear to begin an action)
break down; lose it; snap (lose control of one's emotions)
dally; dawdle (waste time)
backslap (display excessive cordiality (towards))
hugger mugger (act stealthily or secretively)
sauce (behave saucy or impudently towards)
footle (act foolishly, as by talking nonsense)
frivol; trifle (act frivolously)
puff up; swell (become filled with pride, arrogance, or anger)
follow (accept and follow the leadership or command or guidance of)
loosen up; relax (become less tense, less formal, or less restrained, and assume a friendlier manner)
rage; ramp; storm (behave violently, as if in state of a great anger)
jest; joke (act in a funny or teasing way)
stooge (act as a stooge, in a compliant or subordinate manner)
act; act as; play (pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind)
bend over backwards; fall over backwards (try very hard to please someone)
presume (take liberties or act with too much confidence)
vulgarise; vulgarize (act in a vulgar manner)
optimise; optimize (act as an optimist and take a sunny view of the world)
quack (act as a medical quack or a charlatan)
menace (act in a threatening manner)
make (act in a certain way so as to acquire)
bluster; swagger; swash (act in an arrogant, overly self-assured, or conceited manner)
freeze (suddenly behave coldly and formally)
wanton (behave extremely cruelly and brutally)
romanticize (act in a romantic way)
sentimentalise; sentimentalize; sentimentise; sentimentize (act in a sentimental way or indulge in sentimental thoughts or expression)
bungle (spoil by behaving clumsily or foolishly)
play; toy (engage in an activity as if it were a game rather than take it seriously)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s Adjective
Meaning:
Behave in a certain manner
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Synonyms:
deport; acquit; behave; comport; conduct; bear; carry
Context examples:
She carried herself well / he bore himself with dignity / They conducted themselves well during these difficult times
Hypernyms (to "behave" is one way to...):
bear; carry; hold (support or hold in a certain manner)
act; move (perform an action, or work out or perform (an action))
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "behave"):
pose; posture (behave affectedly or unnaturally in order to impress others)
walk around (behave in a certain manner or have certain properties)
deal (behave in a certain way towards others)
assert; put forward (insist on having one's opinions and rights recognized)
fluster (be flustered; behave in a confused manner)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s somebody
Meaning:
Behave well or properly
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Synonyms:
comport; behave
Context example:
The children must learn to behave
Hypernyms (to "behave" is one way to...):
act; move (perform an action, or work out or perform (an action))
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "behave"):
walk (live or behave in a specified manner)
assert oneself (put oneself forward in an assertive and insistent manner)
remember oneself (recover one's good manners after a lapse or stop behaving badly)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s
Antonym:
misbehave (behave badly)
