behind

I [[t]bɪha͟ɪnd[/t]] PREPOSITION AND ADVERB USES

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(In addition to the uses shown below, behind is also used in a few phrasal verbs, such as `fall behind' and `lie behind'.)

1) PREP If something is behind a thing or person, it is on the other side of them from you, or nearer their back rather than their front.

I put one of the cushions behind his head...

They were parked behind the truck...

The moon disappeared behind a cloud.

Ant:

in front of

ADV: usu n ADV, from ADV

Behind is also an adverb.

Rising into the hills behind are 800 acres of parkland... She was attacked from behind.

2) PREP If you are walking or travelling behind someone or something, you are following them.

Keith wandered along behind him...

Myra and Sam and the children were driving behind them.

Ant:

in front of

ADV: ADV after v

Behind is also an adverb.

The troopers followed behind, every muscle tensed for the sudden gunfire.

3) PREP If someone is behind a desk, counter, or bar, they are on the other side of it from where you are.

The colonel was sitting behind a cheap wooden desk...

He could just about see the little man behind the counter.

Ant:

in front of

4) PREP: PREP pron When you shut a door or gate behind you, you shut it after you have gone through it.

I walked out and closed the door behind me...

He slammed the gate shut behind him.

5) PREP The people, reason, or events behind a situation are the causes of it or are responsible for it.

It is still not clear who was behind the killing...

He is embarrassed about the motives behind his decision.

6) PREP: PREP pron If something or someone is behind you, they support you and help you.

He had the state's judicial power behind him.

7) PREP If you refer to what is behind someone's outside appearance, you are referring to a characteristic which you cannot immediately see or is not obvious, but which you think is there.

What lay behind his anger was really the hurt he felt at Grace's refusal...

Behind the smiling eyes lurks the evil that led her to murder the two babies in her care.

8) PREP If you are behind someone, you are less successful than them, or have done less or advanced less.

She finished second behind the American, Ann Cody, in the 800 metres...

Food production has already fallen behind the population growth.

Ant:

ahead of

ADV-GRADED: be ADV, ADV after v

Behind is also an adverb.

The rapid development of technology means that she is now far behind, and will need retraining... The accounts are more than three months behind.

9) PREP: PREP pron If an experience is behind you, it happened in your past and will not happen again, or no longer affects you.

Maureen put the nightmare behind her...

He will attempt to put behind him the misery of failing to win a medal in his individual event.

10) PREP: have/with n PREP pron If you have a particular achievement behind you, you have managed to reach this achievement, and other people consider it to be important or valuable.

He has 20 years of loyal service to Barclays Bank behind him...

Birgit was a popular actress with half a decade of filmmaking behind her.

11) PREP: oft n PREP n If something is behind schedule, it is not as far advanced as people had planned. If someone is behind schedule, they are not progressing as quickly at something as they had planned.

The work is 22 weeks behind schedule...

We were two months behind schedule, and already over budget.

Ant:

ahead of

12) ADV: ADV after v If you stay behind, you remain in a place after other people have gone.

As women were not permitted in the war zone, Eleanor would have to stay behind...

About 1,200 personnel will remain behind to take care of the air base.

13) ADV: ADV after v If you leave something or someone behind, you do not take them with you when you go.

The rebels fled into the mountains, leaving behind their weapons and supplies...

He came to Saudi Arabia, leaving behind his wife and their three children.

14) do something behind someone's back → see back

behind bars → see bar

behind the scenes → see scene

behind the times → see time

II [[t]bɪha͟ɪnd[/t]] NOUN USE

behinds

N-COUNT

Your behind is the part of your body that you sit on.

Syn:

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