behest

C2 Topic:Communication

US /bɪˈhɛst/ UK /bɪˈhɛst/ See IPA manual

Freq #31074

Meanings

1

noun
An order or strong request, usually in the phrase "at the behest of".

The investigation was launched at the behest of the prime minister.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · an order or strong request,... command bidding

Word family

Forms behests

Etymology

From Middle English biheste, from Old English behǣs (“vow, promise”), from Proto-West Germanic *bihaisi, from *bi- (“be-”) + *haisi (“command”), from Proto-Germanic *haisiz, from *haitaną (“to command”). Final -t by analogy with other similar words in -t. Related to Old English behātan (“to command, promise”), Middle Low German beheit, behēt (“a promise”). Compare also hest (“command”), hight.

biheste Middle English behǣs Old English *bihaisi Proto-West Germanic *haisiz Proto-Germanic

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Communication

External links

# behest

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /bɪˈhɛst/
**IPA (UK):** /bɪˈhɛst/
**Frequency rank:** 31074

## Meanings
1. An order or strong request, usually in the phrase "at the behest of".

## Examples
- The investigation was launched at the behest of the prime minister.

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: biheste
- Root: behǣs
- Root: *bihaisi
- Root: *haisiz

## Etymology
From Middle English biheste, from Old English behǣs (“vow, promise”), from Proto-West Germanic *bihaisi, from *bi- (“be-”) + *haisi (“command”), from Proto-Germanic *haisiz, from *haitaną (“to command”). Final -t by analogy with other similar words in -t. Related to Old English behātan (“to command, promise”), Middle Low German beheit, behēt (“a promise”). Compare also hest (“command”), hight.

## AI Etymology
Behest is from Middle English biheste, from Old English behǣs (“vow, promise”), from Proto-West Germanic *bihaisi, from *bi- (“be-”) + *haisi (“command”), from Proto-Germanic *haisiz, from *haitaną (“to command”). Final -t by analogy with other similar words in -t. Related to Old English behātan (“to command, promise”), Middle Low German beheit, behēt (“a promise”). Compare also hest (“command”), hight. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern nominal form is built from the named base and affix. Important recorded forms include biheste (Middle English), behǣs (Old English), *bihaisi (Proto-West Germanic), and *haisiz (Proto-Germanic). Current senses include an order or strong request, usually in the phrase "at the behest of".

## Topics
- Communication

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