"Thus they part; and Vholes, left alone, employs himself in carrying sundry little matters out of his Diary into his draft bill book, for the ultimate behoof of his three daughters.

Behoof \Be*hoof"\, n. [OE. to bihove for the use of, AS. beh?f
advantage, a word implied in beh?fl[=i]c necessary; akin to
Sw. behof, Dan. behov, G. behuf, and E. heave, the root
meaning to seize, hence the meanings ``to hold, make use
of.'' See Heave, v. t.]
Advantage; profit; benefit; interest; use.

No mean recompense it brings To your behoof. --Milton.

Does anyone besides me have this word in their spoken vocabulary? (i don't think i have ever writen it... and i always add an s--

someone in an uncomfortable position (sitting on railing, or perched on a rock, or in the grass) could be gotten a chair, but they might not move to sit in it right away... if some one encouraged them too much, you might say, "she'll move when it behoofs her" (i would have guessed behooves as a spelling..) and let them remain, comfortable, in what seems to you, an uncomfortable seat.

My parents certainly used it more than i do...but its been know to pass my lips.

"she'll move when it behoofs her" (i would have guessed behooves as a spelling..)

And you would have been right. The verb is behoove; the noun, which I had never heard of till now, is behoof.

Any relation to doing something "on her behalf"?
Though that would mean "in her stead" rather than "for her own good."

Dear wofahulicodoc: "behoove" and "behalf" to me seem so similar that they could be interchangeable.

Behalf \Be*half"\, n. [OE. on-behalve in the name of, bihalven
by the side of, fr. AS. healf half, also side, part: akin to
G. halb half, halber on account of. See Be-, and Half,
n.]
Advantage; favor; stead; benefit; interest; profit; support;
defense; vindication.
In behalf of his mistress's beauty. --Sir P.
Sidney.

Against whom he had contracted some prejudice in behalf
of his nation. --Clarendon.

In behalf of, in the interest of.

On behalf of, on account of; on the part of.

Perhaps another member can point out what difference there is.