behind
/bɪˈhaɪnd/ (bre, ipa) · [bɪhˈaɪnd] /bɪˈhaɪnd/ (ame, ipa) · [bɪhˈaɪnd] /bi-ˈhīnd bē-/ (ame, mw)
behind — preposition
1. at the rear of someone or something, often partly hidden by it.
at the rear of someone or something, often partly hidden by it.
Kenji parked his bicycle behind the library before class started.
behind + place showing position at the rear
The children hid behind the sofa when the thunder became loud.
A narrow garden stretches behind Salma's apartment building.
A shy puppy stayed behind Amira's legs at the busy market.
- at the back of
more neutral and often used for places inside a room or building
- in back of
common in American English and slightly more conversational
- in front of
positioned on the forward side
文法句型
behind + noun/pronoun
用法筆記
Use this sense for physical location. It often suggests that the thing in front partly blocks your view.
2. being the reason something happens or exists.
being the reason something happens or exists.
Joon wanted to know what was behind the sudden power cut.
be behind + event for hidden cause
Detectives discovered greed was behind the fake charity website.
Exhaustion was behind Elena's mistakes during the night shift.
Nobody knew who was behind the broken ticket system.
- responsible for
more direct and formal
- the cause of
focuses on the reason rather than the person
文法句型
be behind + event/problem
用法筆記
This sense points to the force, motive, or person that made something happen, not to physical position.
3. showing agreement with and giving help to a person, group, or plan.
showing agreement with and giving help to a person, group, or plan.
Most parents were behind the plan for later school starts.
be behind + plan meaning support it
Ezra was behind his sister's decision to study abroad.
A local bank was behind the art festival all summer.
Several nurses stood behind the call for safer shifts.
- oppose
show disagreement or resistance
文法句型
be behind + person/plan
用法筆記
Often used with plans, campaigns, or people who need public approval or practical backing.
4. in a person's past so it no longer troubles their present life.
in a person's past so it no longer troubles their present life.
After the interview, Christopher was glad the worst nerves were behind him.
be behind + person for something already finished
For the team, that ugly defeat was finally behind them.
Meera tried to leave her first failed business behind her.
Once the surgery was behind her, Salma laughed again.
- over
more direct for an event that has finished
文法句型
be behind + person
leave/put something behind + person
用法筆記
Common after difficult experiences, tests, illness, or worry. It suggests a stage is over and no longer controlling the present.
5. in baseball, having thrown more balls than strikes against a batter.
in baseball, having thrown more balls than strikes against a batter.
The pitcher got behind the batter after two wide pitches.
behind the batter in baseball count language
Elena fell behind in the count before throwing a strike.
Coaches worry when a rookie keeps getting behind the hitters early.
By the fifth inning, Salma kept getting behind the batter with every changeup.
文法句型
behind the batter
behind in the count
用法筆記
This is a specialised baseball sense. It refers to the count against the batter, not to movement or progress.
behind — adverb
1. still in a place after others have gone, or not taken along.
still in a place after others have gone, or not taken along.
Sivan realized the passport had been left behind at the hotel.
leave something behind
After the concert, two volunteers stayed behind to stack chairs.
Please do not leave muddy boots behind in the changing room.
One bag of rice was left behind when the truck was full.
- back
only works in some movement contexts, not for forgotten objects
- along
taken with you rather than left in place
文法句型
leave something behind
stay behind
用法筆記
This sense often follows leave or stay. It focuses on what remains after people move on.
2. not as advanced as others, or later than the expected time.
not as advanced as others, or later than the expected time.
By May, our class was already two chapters behind.
behind for delayed progress
The shop fell behind on rent after a quiet winter.
Even with a map, Kenji lagged behind on the forest trail.
The project is behind, so the team canceled Friday leave.
- ahead
farther advanced or earlier than others
文法句型
fall behind
behind on something
用法筆記
Use this sense for progress, schedule, money owed, or position in a race. It is not the same as physical location behind something.
3. in the rear position, or moving to the rear of something or a group.
in the rear position, or moving to the rear of something or a group.
A police car pulled in behind and flashed its lights.
behind as a place adverb without an object
Meera looked behind before stepping onto the wet road.
The lead rider sped ahead, and two younger cyclists followed behind.
The drummer sat behind, keeping time for the singers.
文法句型
look behind
come behind
用法筆記
Unlike the preposition sense, this adverb stands alone without a following noun.
behind — noun
- behindsingular
- behindsplural
1. a polite informal word for a person's buttocks or seat.
a polite informal word for a person's buttocks or seat.
The icy bench made Elena's behind numb within minutes.
informal noun for the part you sit on
The toddler slipped and landed on his behind in the hall.
Coach told the boys to get off their behinds and run.
Joon rubbed his behind after missing the last step.
文法句型
on your behind
get off your behind
用法筆記
This is softer and more playful than buttocks, so it often appears in speech or humorous writing.