behest Hear it!

behest Definition

be·hest (bē hest′, bi-)

noun

an order, command, or request

Etymology: ME bihest (with unhistoric -t) < OE behæs, a vow: see be- & hest

behest Synonyms

behest

n.

direction, order, precept, injunction; see command 1.

behest Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • government: The bridge, built at the behest of the Conservative government, was Britain's first privately financed public project.
  • authority: Cancelation of an outsourcing contract at the behest of the supervisory authority should only occur in extremis.
  • state: He said that those who had suffered the most had not been at the behest of the State.
  • company: Audiogalaxy has always blocked some music voluntarily at the behest of record companies.
  • power: Never again would humanity be made to serve at the behest of some alien power.
  • police: Harvard Professor, Robert Langdon, at the behest of the police visits the scene.

Possessives

  • father: Lady Jane relinquished her crown to Mary at her father's behest on July 19, 1553.

Converse of object

  • obey: Having one of those strong wills which know no obstacles, he obeyed the behests of his genius and entered Bouchardon's studio.