Usage of the word “behoove” [closed]

Question

If I use the word behoove in this sentence:

I am sure I am behooved to the university's requirements with right goal.

Does it make sense?

Answer 1

My answer is no. The sentence you have provided is unintelligible; it is not well formed, and no real meaning is conveyed. That said, I'm not sure how you're trying to use behooved in that context, so I can't tell you if that specific part is correct. I can, however, provide some correct examples of the word in practice:

It behooves me to attend school.

Or:

It behooves me to adhere to the university's guidelines.

Usually, nothing specific is behooving. The word is commonly used after it, as this Ngram shows.

Answer 2

Behoove means, in part, "to suit; to befit", which does not make sense in your sentence. A word one might think of if the university has done something for you is beholden, "bound by moral obligation; indebted; obliged". However, that clashes with the end of the sentence ("... university's requirements with right goal"). Is "I am sure my goal complies with the university's requirements" what you mean to say, or do you want to express an obligation to the university?

Comment: For questions about better wording see writers.stackexchange.

Answer 3

No it doesn't make sense. If you must use behooved, you're probably trying to say:

It behooves the university to accept me, as I fit its requirements [and have the right goals].

This is saying that you are so well suited to the university's requirements. Literally, that it would suit the university very well to accept you, as you fit the requirements.

But it would sound ugly. I would suggest avoiding such an unnecessary and old-fashioned word given that most native English speakers probably struggle with it somewhat!

Answer 4

"Behoove" is derived from the Scandinavian behova, which means "to need."

So the expression, "it behooves one to do X," means "one needs to do x."

As in, "it behooves you to meet the university's requirements" [to get in].