Etimology
From Middle English behinde, behinden, from Old English behindan (“on the back side of, behind”), from Proto-West Germanic *bihindan, *bihindini (“on the back side of, in the rear of, behind”), from Proto-West Germanic *bi- + *hindō (“the hind side, back part”), equivalent to be- + hind. Compare Old Saxon bihindan (“behind”, adverb), Middle High German behinter (“behind; back”).
preposition
behind
At or to the back or far side of.
Less forward or advanced than; after.
Responsible for, being the creator or controller of.
Underlying, being the reason for or explanation of.
In support of.
(sometimes regarded as nonstandard, US, informal) Following, subsequent to; as a result or consequence of.
Examples
The children were hiding behind the wall.
The sun went behind the clouds.
Look behind you!
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.
Synonyms: in back of, to the rear of, a-back
Antonym: in front of
Behind the smile was a cruel intention.
All my problems are behind me.
Antonym: ahead of
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 […].
I'm ranked sixth in the French class, behind five other pupils.
In the cricket match, England are 120 runs behind India.
For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.
London is nine hours behind Tokyo.
Who is behind these terrorist attacks?
Mr Jones was the man behind the redevelopment plan.
Bud Light replaces Marketing VP behind Dylan Mulvaney partnership.
What is behind this unexpected decision?
The republicans are fully behind their candidate.
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
behind (comparative more behind or (rare or nonstandard) behinder, superlative most behind or (rare or nonstandard) behindest)
At or in the rear or back part of something.
In a rearward direction.
So as to come after someone or something in position, distance, advancement, ranking, time, etc.
So as to be still in place after someone or something has departed or ceased to exist.
Backward in time or order of succession; past.
Behind the scenes in a theatre; backstage.
(archaic) Not yet brought forward, produced, or exhibited to view; out of sight; remaining.
Examples
The water flows out through the pipe, and the sediment collects behind.
We ran and ran, without once looking behind.
The slower runners were left a long way behind.
In the cricket match, England finished a long way behind.
The worst thing about autumn is that winter follows behind.
I shall not lag behind.
I couldn't be bothered to carry the ironing board, so I left it behind.
He stayed behind after the war.
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.
[…] forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before
‘After the performance was over I went behind, and spoke to her.’
We cannot be sure that there is no evidence behind.
adjective
behind (comparative more behind or (rare or nonstandard) behinder, superlative most behind or (rare or nonstandard) behindest)
Not advanced to the required or expected degree; overdue or in arrears.
(of a watch or clock) Slow.
Examples
I'm very behind in my schedule.
My employer is two paychecks behind on paying my salary.
My watch is behind by four minutes.
noun
behind (plural behinds)
The rear, back-end.
(informal) The buttocks, bottom, butt.
(Australian rules football) A one-point score.
(baseball, slang, 1800s) The catcher.
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).
Examples
This part fits under the behind of the vehicle.
She sneaked up on me from behind.
I was stung on the behind by a wasp.
"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 , 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.
A roar from ten thousand throats go up,For we've kicked another behind.