behest

noun

be·​hest bi-ˈhest 

bē-

1

: an authoritative order : command

The meeting was called at the senator's behest.

2

: an urgent prompting

At the behest of her friends, she read the poem aloud.

Did you know?

Behest is an ancient word: it is almost a thousand years old. It was formed from the prefix be- and the verb hātan ("to command" or "to promise"), and its Old English ancestor was used exclusively in the sense of "promise," a now-obsolete meaning that continued on in Middle English especially in the phrase "the land of behest." The "command" meaning of behest is also ancient but it's still in good use, typically referring to an authoritative order. Behest is now also used with a less weighty meaning; it can refer to an urgent prompting, as in "a repeat performance at the behest of the troupe's fans."

Synonyms

• charge
• command
• commandment
• decree
• dictate
• direction
• directive
• do
• edict
• imperative
• injunction
• instruction
• order
• word

Examples of behest in a Sentence

I only made the change at the author's behest.

Recent Examples on the Web

The pair were built to serve Penn Station at the behest of the Pennsylvania Railroad and the LIRR. —Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 12 July 2024

As the blog Seeking Rents and others have documented, lawmakers were acting at the behest of some of the state’s biggest business interests, sheltering them from the mandate to save their own workers’ lives. —Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, Orlando Sentinel, 10 July 2024

But the California state government (at the behest of the taxi lobby) would almost certainly challenge the legality of ridesharing services. —Will Daniel, Fortune, 9 July 2024

House Democrats had voted to hold her in contempt for refusing to turn over documents at the behest of the White House involving hazardous waste dumps. —David G. Savage, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, promise, command, from Old English behǣs promise, from behātan to promise, from be- + hātan to command, promise — more at hight

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing behest

• at someone's behest
• at the behest of someone

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Kids Definition

behest

noun

be·​hest bi-ˈhest 

: order entry 2 sense 5b, command

built monuments at their ruler's behest