Behalf

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: be=half

CIDE DICTIONARY

Behalf, n. [OE. on-behalve in the name of, bihalven by the side of, fr. AS. healf half, also side, part: akin to G. halb half, halber on account of. See Be-, and Half, n.].

 Advantage; favor; stead; benefit; interest; profit; support; defense; vindication.  [1913 Webster]
"In behalf of his mistress's beauty."  [1913 Webster]
"Against whom he had contracted some prejudice in behalf of his nation."  [1913 Webster]

In behalf of, in the interest of. -- On behalf of, on account of; on the part of.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Behalf, n.

Idiom

on (US in) behalf of (or on a person's behalf)
1 in the interests of (a person, principle, etc.).
2 as representative of (acting on behalf of my client).

Etymology

mixture of earlier phrases on his halve and bihalve him, both = on his side: see BY, HALF

THESAURUS

Behalf

advantage, avail, behoof, benefit, benison, blessing, boon, convenience, for, gain, good, in place of, interest, percentage, point, profit, service, use, value, welfare, well-being, world of good, worth

ROGET THESAURUS

Behalf

Good

N good, benefit, advantage, improvement, greatest good, supreme good, interest, service, behoof, behalf, weal, main chance, summum bonum, common weal, consummation devoutly to be wished, gain, boot, profit, harvest, boon, good turn, blessing, world of good, piece of good luck, piece of good fortune, nuts, prize, windfall, godsend, waif, treasure-trove, good fortune, happiness, goodness, utility, remedy, pleasure giving, commendable, useful, good, beneficial, well, aright, satisfactorily, favorably, not amis, all for the best, to one's advantage, in one's favor, in one's interest, so far so good, magnum bonum.