Langimage
English

misbehaving

|mis/be/hav/ing|

B2

/ˌmɪsbɪˈheɪvɪŋ/

(misbehave)

act improperly

Base Form3rd Person Sing.PastPast ParticiplePresent Participle
misbehavemisbehavesmisbehavedmisbehavedmisbehaving
Etymology
Etymology Information

'misbehave' originates from the prefix 'mis-' meaning 'wrongly' and the verb 'behave' from Old French 'behaivre', which meant 'to conduct oneself'.

Historical Evolution

'behaivre' transformed into the Middle English word 'behaven', and eventually became the modern English word 'behave'.

Meaning Changes

Initially, it meant 'to conduct oneself', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'to act inappropriately'.

Meanings by Part of Speech

Verb 1

to act in a way that is inappropriate or not acceptable.

The children were misbehaving in class.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:35