PoliticsAugust 20, 2026

behested

bih-HES-tid

Definition

Performed or carried out at the request, command, or direction of another person.

Etymology

Derived from the Middle English word 'behest', meaning a command or promise, which traces back to Old English 'behæs' (a vow or promise), formed from the prefix 'be-' and the root 'hæs' (a command).

In the news

The article mentions that Governor Newsom's 2023 trip to China was funded in part through 'behested payments,' referring to donations made at his request to support the governor's official initiatives.

California-China Climate Pacts Face Federal GOP Probe Push

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