behalf. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.

The American Heritage^® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.

behalf

SYLLABICATION:	be·half
PRONUNCIATION:	b-hf, -häf
NOUN:	Interest, support, or benefit.
IDIOMS:	in behalf of For the benefit of; in the interest of. on behalf of As the agent of; on the part of.
ETYMOLOGY:	Middle English, from Old English be healfe, by (his) side : be, by, at; see by¹ + healf, side, half; see half.
USAGE NOTE:	A traditional rule holds that in behalf of and on behalf of have distinct meanings. In behalf of means “for the benefit of,” as in We raised money in behalf of the earthquake victims. On behalf of means “as the agent of, on the part of,” as in The guardian signed the contract on behalf of the minor child. The two meanings are quite close, however, and the phrases are often used interchangeably, even by reputable writers.


The American Heritage^® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.