behind — English Dictionary

Preposition

1. At or to the back or far side of.

   Synonyms

   to the rear ofa-back

   Antonyms

   in front of

   Examples

   The children were hiding behind the wall.

   Behind the garage needs clearing asap.

   More examples (5)

   The sun went behind the clouds.

   Look behind you!

   I hide behind you in hide and seek.

   But then I had the [massive] flintlock by me for protection. […]The linen-press and a chest on the top of it formed, however, a very good gun-carriage; and, thus mounted, aim could be taken out of the window[…], and a 'bead' could be drawn upon Molly, the dairymaid, kissing the fogger behind the hedge, little dreaming that the deadly tube was levelled at them.

   Hidden behind thickets of acronyms and gorse bushes of detail, a new great game is under way across the globe. Some call it geoeconomics, but it's geopolitics too. The current power play consists of an extraordinary range of countries simultaneously sitting down to negotiate big free trade and investment agreements.

2. At or to the back or far side of. Concealed by (something serving as a facade or disguise).

   Usage

   • Figurative

   Examples

   Behind the smile was a cruel intention.

3. At or to the back or far side of. In the past, from the viewpoint of.

   Usage

   • Figurative

   Examples

   All my problems are behind me.

4. Less forward or advanced than; after. After in physical progress or distance.

   Antonyms

   ahead of

   Examples

   Smith finished the race a lap behind the others.

   About the center, and a good way behind the rest, Silver and I followed — I tethered by my rope[…].

5. Less forward or advanced than; after. After in developmental progress, score, grade, etc.; inferior to.

   Antonyms

   ahead of

   Examples

   I'm ranked sixth in the French class, behind five other pupils.

   In the cricket match, England are 120 runs behind India.

   More examples (1)

   For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.

6. Less forward or advanced than; after. After in time.

   Antonyms

   ahead of

   Examples

   London is nine hours behind Tokyo.

7. Responsible for, being the creator or controller of.

   Examples

   Who is behind these terrorist attacks?

   Mr Jones was the man behind the redevelopment plan.

   More examples (1)

   Bud Light replaces Marketing VP behind Dylan Mulvaney partnership.

8. Underlying, being the reason for or explanation of.

   Examples

   What is behind this unexpected decision?

9. In support of.

   Examples

   The republicans are fully behind their candidate.

10. Following, subsequent to; as a result or consequence of; because of.

    Usage

    • US usage
    • Informal

    Examples

    More examples (1)

    He was like, 'Fuck the police! Fuck you! You know who I am, you gonna quit playing with me, bitch.' I'm like let's go. 'Cause I wasn't trying to go to jail behind that shit.

Adverb

1. At or in the rear or back part of something.

   Examples

   The water flows out through the pipe, and the sediment collects behind.

2. In a rearward direction.

   Examples

   We ran and ran, without once looking behind.

3. So as to come after someone or something in position, distance, advancement, ranking, time, etc.

   Examples

   The slower runners were left a long way behind.

   In the cricket match, England finished a long way behind.

   More examples (2)

   The worst thing about autumn is that winter follows behind.

   I shall not lag behind.

4. So as to be still in place after someone or something has departed or ceased to exist.

   Examples

   I couldn't be bothered to carry the ironing board, so I left it behind.

   He stayed behind after the war.

   More examples (3)

   He left behind a legacy of death and sorrow.

   The island was inundated by the sea, leaving not a trace behind.

   Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve, And, like this insubstantial pageant faded, / Leave not a rack behind.

5. Backward in time or order of succession; past.

   Examples

   […] forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before

6. Behind the scenes in a theatre; backstage.

   Examples

   ‘After the performance was over I went behind, and spoke to her.’

7. Not yet brought forward, produced, or exhibited to view; out of sight; remaining.

   Usage

   • Archaic

   Examples

   We cannot be sure that there is no evidence behind.

Adjective

1. Not advanced to the required or expected degree; overdue or in arrears.

   Examples

   I'm very behind in my schedule.

   My employer is two paychecks behind on paying my salary.

2. Slow.

   Usage

   • of a watch or clock

   Antonyms

   aheadfast

   Examples

   My watch is behind by four minutes.

Noun

1. The rear, back-end.

   Examples

   This part fits under the behind of the vehicle.

   She sneaked up on me from behind.

2. The buttocks, bottom, butt.

   Usage

   • Informal

   Examples

   I was stung on the behind by a wasp.

   More examples (3)

   There was a girl in the mattress factory with me during the war, girl about thirty. A big one, kind of a fat face, big behind to her, big titties, kind of a girl should be human and soft with a man.

   "So the catheter didn't have anything to do with keeping him from touching himself?" I don't usually go in for euphemisms, but Fineg is a man who says "behind", as in "I have a picture where he bit me in the behind." The catheter, it turns out, was in the chimp's femoral artery (to monitor blood pressure), not his urethra.

   "The dog got excited, was jumping around inside the boat and then it jumped on the gun. It went off, shooting the [decoy setter] in the buttocks," Box Elder County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Kevin Potter told the Salt Lake Tribune. Twenty-seven rounds of birdshot were removed from the man's behind after the accident.

3. Synonym of ass (“synecdochic: a person or their body”).

   Usage

   • euphemistic

   Examples

   Get your lazy behind out of bed!

4. A one-point score.

   Examples

   A roar from ten thousand throats go up, For we've kicked another behind.

5. The catcher.

   Usage

   • Slang

6. In the Eton College field game, any of a group of players consisting of two "shorts" (who try to kick the ball over the bully) and a "long" (who defends the goal).

Adjective

1. having the lower score or lagging position in a contest

   Examples

   behind by two points

   the 8th inning found the home team trailing

Noun

1. the fleshy part of the human body that you sit on

   Synonyms

   buttocksnatesarsebuttbacksidebumbunscanfundamenthindquartershind endkeisterposteriorpratrearrear endrumpsternseattailtail endtooshietushbottomderrierefannyass

   Broader terms

   body part

   Examples

   he deserves a good kick in the butt

   are you going to sit on your fanny and do nothing?

Adverb

1. in or to or toward the rear

   Examples

   he followed behind

   seen from behind, the house is more imposing than it is from the front

   More examples (1)

   the final runners were far behind

2. remaining in a place or condition that has been left or departed from

   Examples

   when he died he left much unfinished work behind

   left a large family behind

   More examples (2)

   the children left their books behind

   he took off with a squeal of tires and left the other cars far behind

3. showing a time that is earlier than the actual time

   Synonyms

   slow

   Examples

   the clock is almost an hour slow

   my watch is running behind

4. in or into an inferior position

   Examples

   fell behind in his studies

   their business was lagging behind in the competition for customers

5. in debt

   Synonyms

   behindhandin arrears

   Examples

   he fell behind with his mortgage payments

   a month behind in the rent

   More examples (2)

   a company that has been run behindhand for years

   in arrears with their utility bills