behest

Meanings

Noun

• A command, bidding; sometimes also, an authoritative request; at the behest of.
• A vow; a promise.

Verb

• To promise; vow.

Origin

• From Middle English biheste, from Old English behǣs ("vow, promise"), from Proto-Germanic *bi ("be-"), *haisiz, from *haitaną. Final -t by analogy with other similar words in -t. Related to Old English behātan ("to command, promise"), Middle Low German beheit, behēt. Compare also hest, hight.