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behave poorly

[bɪˈheɪv ˈpɔrli]
verb phrase
comportar-se mal
1. to act or conduct oneself in an inappropriate, rude, or unacceptable manner
The student behaved poorly during the exam and was asked to leave.
O aluno comportou-se mal durante o exame e foi pedido para sair.
2. to function inadequately or not as intended
The machine behaved poorly in cold weather.
A máquina funcionou mal em clima frio.
NYC Slang
act a fool; trip out; go sideways
Synonyms
misbehaveact upconduct oneself badlybe disruptivebe rude
Antonyms
behave wellconduct oneself properlybehave appropriatelyact respectfully

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
comportar-se mal
Standard usage across Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
se portar mal
Common colloquial variant
São Paulo
agir de forma inadequada
More formal alternative
Portugal
portar-se mal
Standard European Portuguese

Related Idioms & Phrases

raise hell
kick up a fuss
be on one's worst behavior
act out of line
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