# behind

Pronunciation: US say "BEE-hynd" /ˈbiːˌhaɪnd/; UK say "bi-HYND" /bɪˈhaɪnd/

## Preposition

1. At or to the back or far side of something.
   - Simple: At or to the back of something, on the far side from where you are.
   - _She parked behind the supermarket._
   - _Someone was standing behind the curtain._
2. Lying beneath something as its cause or explanation.
   - Simple: Being the reason for something, underlying it.
   - _Nobody knows the reason behind the change of plan._
   - _Rising fuel costs are the main factor behind the jump in airfares._
3. Farther back than someone or something in a course, race, or progress; trailing or lower in score, rank, or development.
   - Simple: Farther back than someone, or not doing as well as them in a race, game, or progress.
   - _He finished just behind the favorite in the poll._
   - _Their technology is years behind ours._
5. Having created or controlling something, and so answerable for it.
   - Simple: Responsible for something, being the person who made or controls it.
   - _Police believe one gang is behind the robberies._
   - _She's the designer behind the new logo._
6. In support of; backing.
   - Simple: Supporting someone, on their side.
   - _The board is a hundred percent behind the new director._
   - _The public was firmly behind the reforms._
9. Lying hidden under an outward appearance or front that serves to disguise it.
   - Simple: Hidden by something that acts as a front or a mask.
   - _Behind the jokes there was real sadness._
   - _The charity was a front, with a smuggling ring behind it._
11. Already in someone's past, from that person's point of view.
   - Simple: In the past for someone, over and done with, as in 'his troubles are behind him'.
   - _Once the move is behind us, things will settle down._
   - _He has a long career behind him._
13. Later than someone or something in time.
   - Simple: Later in time than, as with time zones or being slow.
   - _New York is five hours behind London._
   - _The train was running an hour behind its timetable._
14. Following; as a result of or because of. *(colloquial, US)*
   - Simple: In casual American speech, because of, as in 'suspended behind that fight'.
   - _Half the block got evicted behind the new landlord._
   - _Don't stress yourself behind something so small._

## Adverb

4. So as to remain in place after someone or something has gone or ceased to exist.
   - Simple: Left where it was after someone has gone, as in 'left behind'.
   - _The tide went out and left pools behind._
   - _Don't leave anyone behind._
7. In such a way as to follow or trail someone or something in place, distance, progress, rank, time, and so on.
   - Simple: Farther back than the others, in distance, time, or standing, as in 'fall behind'.
   - _If you skip lessons you soon fall behind._
   - _The rest of the pack trailed far behind._
10. At or toward the back or rear of something.
   - Simple: At the back, or toward the back.
   - _The house has a shop in front and living rooms behind._
   - _The truck has two seats up front and a wide bench behind._
15. Earlier in time or in a sequence; gone by.
   - Simple: In the past, left behind in time, as in 'the things which are behind'.
   - _With the long winter behind, the town came alive again._
   - _What lies behind cannot be changed._

## Noun

12. The buttocks; the bottom or backside. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: A person's bottom, the part you sit on, in informal use.
   - _The toddler sat down hard on her behind._
   - _Get off your behind and help me._
18. In Australian rules football, a one-point score made when the ball passes between a goal post and a behind post, hits a goal post, or is touched before passing between the goal posts.
   - Simple: In Australian rules football, a score worth one point.
   - _He kicked a behind when a goal would have won it._
   - _Three behinds in a row frustrated the crowd._

## Adjective

8. Not as far along as required or expected; late, or in arrears with payments.
   - Simple: Late, not as far along as you should be, or owing money.
   - _We're a week behind because of the strike._
   - _He got behind with his payments after losing his job._
16. Of a watch or clock, slow; showing an earlier time than the true one.
   - Simple: Describes a clock or watch that is slow and shows a time earlier than it should.
   - _Set the clock forward, it's ten minutes behind._
   - _Her watch was behind, so she missed the bus._

## Adverb

17. Not yet brought forward, produced, or shown; out of sight or remaining. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: In old use, still out of sight or not yet shown, as in 'there is more behind'.

## Other meanings

- (adverb) Backstage in a theater, out of the audience's sight.
- (noun) In baseball of the 1800s, the catcher, the player positioned behind the batter.
- (noun) In the Eton field game, any of three players: two shorts, who try to kick the ball over the bully, and a long, who guards the goal.

## Origin

From Middle English behinde, from Old English behindan ("on the back side of, behind"), going back to Proto-West Germanic and formed from *bi- plus *hindō ("the hind side, back part"), equivalent to be- + hind. It is related to Old Saxon bihindan and Middle High German behinter.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/behind (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).