behind
A1Neutral
Definition
Meaning
At the back of or to the rear of something or someone.
Late in achieving something; the reason or cause of something; in support of someone.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Can express both spatial and temporal relations, as well as causation and support.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical difference, but 'fall behind' may be slightly more frequent in US academic contexts regarding performance.
Connotations
In business, 'behind schedule' is equally common. 'Behind the times' is slightly more informal in UK English.
Frequency
Extremely high frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
behind + NP (place)be behind + NP (time)be behind + NP (support)be behind + NP (cause)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “behind bars”
- “behind someone's back”
- “behind the times”
- “behind closed doors”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in project management ('behind schedule'), performance reviews ('falling behind targets').
Academic
Used to discuss causes ('the theory behind the experiment') or historical sequencing.
Everyday
Spatial location ('It's behind the sofa'), lateness ('I'm behind with my work').
Technical
In computing, refers to background processes or hidden logic.
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- He gave the ball a kick on his behind.
- She patted the horse's behind.
American English
- He slipped and landed on his behind.
- The joke was about my behind.
adverb
British English
- He's lagging behind in his studies.
- We left our worries behind.
American English
- Don't fall behind on your payments.
- The team is three points behind.
adjective
British English
- He was behind on his rent.
- The behind door was locked.
American English
- My project is behind schedule.
- Check the behind compartment.
preposition
British English
- The garden is behind the house.
- She stayed behind after the lecture.
American English
- Park behind the building.
- What's the reason behind this change?
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The cat is hiding behind the chair.
- Please close the door behind you.
- Our team is behind by two goals.
- She stayed behind to finish her work.
- The government is behind the new initiative.
- He's fallen behind with his mortgage payments.
- The ideology behind the movement is complex.
- Years of neglect lie behind the current crisis.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
The 'hind' part relates to 'hindquarters' (the back of an animal), helping remember 'behind' means 'at the back'.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS SPACE (The past is 'behind' us); CAUSE IS HIDDEN (The reason is 'behind' the event).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'задний' which is only adjectival. 'Behind' is a preposition/adverb.
- Do not use 'позади' for temporal lateness ('I am behind schedule' ≠ 'Я позади графика').
Common Mistakes
- *I am behind of you. (Correct: I am behind you.)
- *The reason behind of the problem. (Correct: The reason behind the problem.)
Practice
Quiz
In the sentence 'The company is behind the new technology', what does 'behind' mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is commonly used metaphorically for time (behind schedule), cause (the reason behind it), and support (I'm behind you).
Yes, informally it can mean 'buttocks' (e.g., She fell on her behind). This is casual and slightly humorous.
'After' usually refers to sequence in time or pursuit ('run after'). 'Behind' refers to spatial position at the back or figurative lateness ('behind the house', 'behind with work').
Yes, 'in back of' is an American colloquialism for 'behind' in a spatial sense, but 'behind' is more standard and universal.