Behest

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Behest \Be*hest"\, v. t.
     To vow. [Obs.] --Paston.
     [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:



  Behest \Be*hest"\, n. [OE. biheste promise, command, AS.
     beh[=ae]s promise; pref. be- + h[=ae]s command. See {Hest},
     {Hight}.]
     1. That which is willed or ordered; a command; a mandate; an
        injunction.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              To do his master's high behest.       --Sir W.
                                                    Scott.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. A vow; a promise. [Obs.]
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The time is come that I should send it her, if I
              keep the behest that I have made.     --Paston.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  behest
       n : an authoritative command or request

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  22 Moby Thesaurus words for "behest":
     bidding, charge, command, commandment, demand, dictate, dictation,
     direct order, hest, imperative, injunction, mandate, order,
     pleasure, prompting, request, say-so, solicitation, special order,
     will, word, word of command