Behest is a noun. It means a request or an order from someone — often someone with power, or someone you feel you must listen to.

Behest is a nounbehest是名詞。It means a request or an order from someone意思是某人提出的要求或命令 — often someone with power, or someone you feel you must listen to——通常是有權力的人，或你覺得不能不聽的人。

You almost never meet the word standing alone. People say at the behest of: The changes were made at the behest of the board means the board asked for them, and that is why they happened.

You almost never meet the word standing alone你幾乎不會看到這個字單獨出現。People say at the behest of大家會說at the behest of: The changes were made at the behest of the board『The changes were made at the behest of the board（這些改變是應董事會之請做的）』 means the board asked for them意思是董事會要求做這些改變 and that is why they happened而這就是為什麼會發生。

It is a formal, slightly old-fashioned word. You will see it in news and in serious writing, not in a chat with a friend.

It is a formal, slightly old-fashioned word這是一個正式、有點老派的字。You will see it in news and in serious writing你會在新聞和正式寫作裡看到它 not in a chat with a friend不會出現在跟朋友聊天的時候。

Though actually, it does not tell you whether the ask was gentle or sharp — a behest can be a polite request or a real command. The point is only this: someone wanted it, and that is the reason it was done. There is a very old verb to behest, but almost nobody uses it now.

Though actually, it does not tell you whether the ask was gentle or sharp不過其實它不會告訴你那個要求是溫和還是強硬的 a behest can be a polite request or a real commanda behest可以是有禮貌的請求，也可以是真正的命令。The point is only this: someone wanted it重點只有一個：有人想要這麼做 and that is the reason it was done而這就是事情發生的原因。There is a very old verb to behest有一個很古老的動詞to behest but almost nobody uses it now但現在幾乎沒有人在用。