behalf

Noun

behalf (plural behalves or behalfs)

1. The interest, benefit, or wellbeing of someone or something.
   • She appeared on behalf of the U.N. Secretary General at a conference held in behalf of the world's children.
   • The one exception to this was William Hilhouse, who was widely regarded as the colonist with the greatest experience of the interior and its native inhabitants, on whose behalf he endlessly campaigned.2006, Peter Rivière, The Guiana Travels of Robert Schomburgk, 1835-1844, →ISBN
2. (when adopted by someone else) One's role or rightful place; stead or authority.
   • He was not only my Representative who died on my behalf; He was my Substitute who died in my very stead.1994, J. Sidlow Baxter, Awake, My Heart: Daily Devotional Studies for the Year, →ISBN, page 104
   • Which indeed is so true, that she herself may seek back for her own gain the dowry offered by another on her behalf, unless by chance he who offered it immediately (that is, at the time of offering or of promising) stipulated or made an agreement that the afore-mentioned dowry would be returned to...2002, Judith Evans Grubbs, Women and the Law in the Roman Empire, →ISBN