First Known Use: before 12th century
Dictionary
behold
verb be·hold \bi-ˈhōld, bē-\
: to look at (something) : to see (something)
be·held\-ˈheld\be·hold·ing
Full Definition of BEHOLD
transitive verb
1
: to perceive through sight or apprehension : see
2
: to gaze upon : observe
intransitive verb
—used in the imperative especially to call attention
— be·hold·er noun
See behold defined for English-language learners
See behold defined for kids
ADVERTISEMENT
Origin of BEHOLD
Middle English, to keep, behold, from Old English behealdan, from be- + healdan to hold
Related to BEHOLD
- Synonyms
- appreciate, apprehend, assimilate, comprehend, catch, catch on (to), cognize, compass, conceive, cotton (to or on to), decipher, decode, dig, discern, get, grasp, grok, intuit, know, make, make out, perceive, recognize, register, savvy, see, seize, sense, tumble (to), twig, understand
- Antonyms
- miss
Rhymes with BEHOLD
acold, age-old, ahold, all told, bifold, billfold, black gold, blindfold, blue mold, bread mold, choke hold, controlled, Cotswold, cuckold, eightfold, enfold, fanfold, fivefold, fool's gold, foothold, fourfold, freehold, gatefold, go gold, green mold, handhold, head cold, household, ice-cold, infold, knock cold, leaf mold, leasehold, make bold, ninefold, old gold, onefold, on hold, pinfold, potholed, roothold, scaffold, sheepfold, sixfold, slime mold, stokehold, stone-cold, stronghold, take hold, tenfold, threefold, threshold, toehold, twice-told, twofold, unfold, unmold, untold, uphold, white gold, whole-souled, withhold
BEHOLDER Defined for Kids
behold
verb be·hold \bi-ˈhōld\
be·held \-ˈheld\be·hold·ing
Definition of BEHOLD for Kids
: to look upon : see <There I beheld a wondrous sight.>
— be·hold·er noun
Learn More About BEHOLD
Browse
ADVERTISEMENT
Seen & Heard
What made you want to look up behold? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).