On Behalf Of and In Behalf Of Once Meant Different Things
Behalf means as a representative or in the interest of. Careful writers once kept two prepositions apart, and one has nearly vanished.
Behalf appears almost only in the phrases *on behalf of* and *in behalf of*. American usage guides once separated them: *on behalf of* meant as the agent or representative of, while *in behalf of* meant for the benefit of. The distinction has largely collapsed, and outside America *on behalf of* now does both jobs.
- As the representative of. *Speaking on behalf of the board.*
- For the benefit of. *Campaigning on behalf of refugees.*
- On my behalf — acting for me. *He signed on my behalf.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | behalf | On his behalf. |
| Phrase | on behalf of | On behalf of us all. |
| Phrase (US) | in behalf of | In behalf of the poor. |
| Related | behoof | For his behoof. |
| Related | proxy | Vote by proxy. |
How it is used in a sentence
- I accept this on behalf of the team.As representative.
- She campaigns on behalf of tenants.For their benefit.
- He collected the prize on my behalf.In my place.
Similar constructions
- On behalf of — as representative, or for the benefit of
- In behalf of — American, for the benefit of; now rare
- By proxy — through an authorised substitute
- In place of — instead of
- For and on behalf of — the legal formula on signatures
From the Middle English phrase *on his halve*, on his side, blended with *behove*. *Half* here means side, an old sense preserved in *by half*.
On behalf or in behalf?
On behalf of covers both meanings in current usage. In behalf of survives mainly in formal American writing.
Does *half* here mean fifty per cent?
No. It is an old sense meaning side or part, the same one preserved in phrases like *on my half*.