Behold
verbTo look at or observe something, especially something remarkable.
How to spell behold
6 letters · 2 syllables
How to pronounce behold
Say the part in capitals loudest.
What does behold mean?
- verbTo look at or observe something, especially something remarkable.
Behold in a sentence
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The tourists climbed the hill to behold the entire valley below.
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Visitors travel for miles to behold the ancient cathedral at sunrise.
Where does behold come from?
Language of origin: Germanic
Behold comes from the Old English behealdan, which combined the intensifying prefix be- with healdan, the verb meaning 'to hold, keep, or guard'. Surprisingly, its earliest sense was closer to 'to hold fast' or 'to keep watch over' rather than simply to look; the meaning gradually narrowed to 'to gaze upon' or 'to observe with attention'. This shift happened steadily through the Middle English period, by which time the older 'guard, restrain' senses had faded almost entirely. The everyday verb 'hold' that still sits inside it is the clearest memory aid for the spelling, since behold is just 'hold' carrying the be- prefix. It now survives mostly in formal, literary, or ceremonial language, which is why it can feel grander than its plain Germanic roots suggest.
How the word is built
- be- (intensive prefix, from Old English be-)
- hold (from Old English healdan: to hold, keep, watch)
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