bə̇ˈhüf, bē- noun
( plural be·hooves -üvz)
Etymology: Middle English behof, from Old English behōf; akin to Old Frisian behōf advantage, Middle High German behuof something useful, business, purpose, Old Norse hōf correct measure, Old English hebban to raise — more at heave
: advantage , profit — used in prepositional phrases
spending the money directly for his own behoof — George Eliot
diversions of public money to their own use and behoof — A.J.Nock