Third person singular present tense of behave; acts in a particular way or conducts oneself according to accepted standards.
From Middle English behaven, from be- (completely) + have (to hold), literally meaning 'to hold oneself.' The sense evolved from physical self-control to general conduct and manners by the 16th century.
The word literally meant 'to have or hold oneself' completely, suggesting that proper behavior was originally conceived as a form of self-possession and control. This etymology reveals how our ancestors viewed good conduct as an active process of maintaining one's composure.
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