adulterous behavior

Actions that bely not only an unfaithfulness to one's spouse, but also a propensity toward deceit and licentiousness in general. I suspect that Ollie has been engaging in adulterous behavior recently. I wonder if his husband has picked up on it. We've seen his penchant for adulterous behavior many times—so why on earth are you going into business with him? If they're getting divorced, I suppose she found out about his adulterous behavior.

ape (one's) behavior

To mimic the behavior of one, generally in a mocking or derisive manner. It is pretty standard now for comedians to ape the president's behavior and manner of speech. Would you stop aping your little brother's behavior? That's just not nice. The headmaster caught me aping his behavior, and now, I have detention.

be on (one's) best behavior

To be very polite or exercise exceptionally good manners. Primarily heard in US. Now, you kids must be on your best behavior for your Auntie this weekend! Good morning, class. I hope everyone was on their best behavior for the substitute teacher yesterday. Nicky's been on his best behavior since he's up for parole next year.

See also: behavior, best, on

be on (one's) good behavior

To be very polite or exercising exceptionally good manners. Primarily heard in US. Now, you kids must be on your good behavior for your Auntie this weekend! Good morning, class. I hope everyone was on their good behavior for the substitute teacher yesterday. Nicky's been on his good behavior since he's up for parole next year.

get time off for good behavior

To have some amount of time taken off of one's prison sentence as a result of following the rules and not causing any trouble. He was sentenced to eight years in prison, but he only served three because he got time off for good behavior. Seeing as this is your first offense, you should be able to get time off for good behavior. If you want to get time off for good behavior, you need to stop getting into fights in the yard!

See also: behavior, for, get, good, off, time

give (one) time off for good behavior

To reduce one's prison sentence by some amount of time as a result of their following the rules and not causing any trouble. He was sentenced to eight years in prison, but the parole board gave him time off for good behavior and allowed him to leave after six. Seeing as this is your first offense, I wouldn't be surprised if they gave you time off for good behavior. No one's going to give you time off for good behavior if you keep getting into fights in the yard!

See also: behavior, for, give, good, off, time

on (one's) best behavior

Being very polite or exercising exceptionally good manners. Primarily heard in US. Now, you kids must be on your best behavior for your Auntie this weekend! Good morning, class. I hope everyone was on their best behavior for the substitute teacher yesterday.

See also: behavior, best, on

on (one's) good behavior

Being very polite or exercising exceptionally good manners. Primarily heard in US. Now, you kids must be on your good behavior for your Auntie this weekend! Good morning, class. I hope everyone was on their good behavior for the substitute teacher yesterday.

time off for good behavior

An amount of time that is taken off of one's prison sentence as a result of following the rules and not causing any trouble. He served six years of an eight-year sentence, with time off for good behavior. Seeing as this is your first offense, you should be able to get time off for good behavior.

See also: behavior, for, good, off, time

on one's best behavior

being as polite as possible. When we went out, the children were on their best behavior. I try to be on my best behavior all the time.

See also: behavior, best, on

*time off for good behavior

1. Lit. a reduction in one's prison sentence because of good behavior. (*Typically: get ~; have ~; give someone ~.) Bob will get out of jail tomorrow rather than next week. He got time off for good behavior.

2. Fig. a shortened time period—such a meeting, period of punishment, school class, etc. (Jocular. *Typically: get ~; have ~; give someone ~.) They let me out of the meeting early. They said I got time off for good behavior.

See also: behavior, for, good, off, time

on one's best behavior

Also, on one's good behavior. Very polite, as in Mother told the children to be on their best behavior during Grandma's visit, or The whole staff were on their good behavior while the client inspected the premises. [Late 1600s]

See also: behavior, best, on

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

See also:

References in periodicals archive

Severely disruptive behavior was defined as openly uncooperative and hostile behavior, including frequent temper tantrums, excessive arguing with adults, and deliberate attempts to annoy or upset others.

Parenting strategies to reduce disruptive behavior in children

The staff first reached consensus on the behavior to address (the posture described above) and focused on that behavior alone.

Management of specific and excessive posturing behavior in a hyacinth macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus) by using applied behavior analysis

Murphy, Macdonald, Hall, and Oliver (2000) investigated the termination of ritualistic behavior as a possible maintaining variable for the aggressive behavior of an individual diagnosed with severe developmental disabilities.

Idiosyncratic functions: severe problem behavior maintained by access to ritualistic behaviors

Too often, delineation of the strategy for increasing the replacement behavior becomes pure speculation.

Analogue assessment of the replacement behavior

In addition to a number of journals that regularly publish work by behavior analysts (e.g., Behavioural Processes, Behavior Modification, Journal of Mind and Behavior, Learning and Behavior, The Psychological Record), several journals in the United States and abroad are devoted exclusively to experimental, theoretical, and applied behavior analytic work, including basic and applied research on verbal behavior (e.g., Behavior and Philosophy, European Journal of Behavior Analysis, Japanese Journal of Behavior Analysis, Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, Mexican Journal of Behavior Analysis, The Analysis of Verbal Behavior, and The Behavior Analyst).

The long good-bye: why B.F. Skinner's Verbal Behavior is alive and well on the 50th anniversary of its publication

* What happens just before and just after the behavior?

Functional assessment helps behavioral treatment

Participants were least accurate in identifying the functional hypotheses for Aaron, Helen, Barbara, and Manuel's problem behavior (67% or less) and most accurate with Danielle and Adam (87%).

Case difficulty of simulation software

Among females, a high level of depressive symptoms at baseline was associated with a significantly elevated likelihood of engaging in risky behavior between interviews (odds ratio, 1.5), but not with the odds of reporting any particular behavior.

Symptoms of depression in middle school teenagers linked to risky behavior

While this sharp transition might seem unexpected, the researchers weren't altogether surprised to find it because the mathematical principles underlying their model of foraging behavior make such a transition likely.

The mind of the swarm: math explains how group behavior is more than the sum of its parts

The kids who are the best at managing bullying behavior may get right up to a kid who picked on them and give it right back with words.

Successful bully prevention and management isn't rocket science

A communication culture emerges when employees identify and adopt acceptable communication behaviors. Wittingly or unwittingly, managers send signals about what is appropriate conduct, and employees pick up on these cues.

Are you sending the right signals? It pays to be aware of the direct and indirect messages you send to employees. If you're careful, you can help them see what better communication can bring to your organization

Data from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey (YRBS) found that vigorous physical activity declines about 30% between grades 9 and 12.

Parenting capacities and health outcomes in youths and adolescents (R21)

Victims of bullying behavior are significantly distressed by this behavior and exhibit signs of social withdrawal, school avoidance, stress-related problems, decline in academic performance, depression, and sometimes suicide (Austin & Joseph, 1996; Bond, Carlin, Thomas, Rubin, & Patton, 2002; Craig, 1998; Crick & Bigbee, 1998; Crick & Grotpeter, 1996; Hawker & Boulton, 2000; Rigby, 1996).

Using problem-based learning with victims of bullying behavior

Changing feedback systems can also encourage shifts in behavior. For example, publicly publishing outcomes and contrasting results across people or units can be used to increase people's discomfort with their current performance, thus highlighting changes that need to be made.

Creating readiness and involvement

media are filled with advice about how to make personal health-promoting behavior changes.

The wellness process for healthy living: a mental tool for facilitating progress through the stages of change