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behest

noun
/bɪˈhɛst/UK/bɪˈhɛst/US/bɪˈhest/

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.

  1. derived from *haisiz✻
  2. derived from *bihaisi✻
  3. inherited from behǣs
  4. inherited from biheste

Definitions

  1. A command, bidding

    A command, bidding; sometimes also, an authoritative request; now usually in the phrase at the behest of and at one's behest.

    • Moſt great and puiſant Monarke of the earth, Your Baſſoe wil accompliſh your beheſt: […]
    • to do his master's high behest
    • I have spells for the north, I have charms for the west, / And the south and the east must obey my behest.

  2. A vow

    A vow; a promise.

    • c. 1440, Markaryte Paston, letter to John Paston The time is come that I should send it her, if I keep the behest that I have made.

  3. To promise

    To promise; vow.

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for behest. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA