Other forms: misbehaving, misbehaved, misbehaves
To misbehave is to behave badly. Misbehave in class, the dog misbehaved, misbehaving badly.
It is used most of children and animals, and applying it to an adult is deliberately belittling — which is occasionally the point. Of equipment it means working unpredictably: the printer is misbehaving, which is a mild and common use. Note misbehaviour; and that behave itself is be- plus have, meaning to hold yourself in a certain way.
1verbmisbehaveTo behave badly.
“If you misbehave in class again, you'll stay behind after school.”
2verbworkTo work unpredictably, of equipment.
“My laptop has started to misbehave; it keeps freezing for no reason.”
misbehave is bad conduct.
Middle English misbehaven is mis- plus behave, and behave is be- plus have — to hold yourself. The reflexive sense is why you behave yourself.
Proto-Indo-European
*keh₂p-
Middle English
misbehaven
English, today
misbehave
From Middle English misbehaven, equivalent to mis + behave.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA