# behind

/bɪˈhaɪnd/ (US) · /bɪhˈaɪnd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/behind
Updated: 2026-04-30

## Senses

### 1. at the back of

preposition · CEFR A1

at or towards the back of something or someone.

For teachers: at or to the rear of a person, object, or location.

- The cat was hiding behind the sofa because it was scared of the vacuum.
- The small garden was tucked away behind the main house, shielded from the noise of the street by a high stone wall.

### 2. supporting

preposition · CEFR B1

giving support or help to someone.

For teachers: providing support, encouragement, or backing to a person or cause.

- The whole community is behind the team as they head to the finals.
- The CEO remained firmly behind the marketing department's controversial decision, despite the initial negative feedback from shareholders.

### 3. the cause of

preposition · CEFR B2

the reason why something happened.

For teachers: serving as the underlying cause, motive, or explanation for an event or situation.

- Police are still trying to find out who was behind the robbery.
- The investigative journalist spent months trying to uncover the powerful interests behind the sudden change in environmental policy.

### 4. staying in a place

adverb · CEFR A2

staying in a place after others have left.

For teachers: remaining in a location or state after the departure of others or the passing of an event.

- I forgot my umbrella behind at the restaurant yesterday.
- While the rest of the family went to the beach, he stayed behind to finish his university application.

### 5. late or slow

adverb · CEFR B1

making less progress than you should.

For teachers: failing to keep up with a schedule, pace, or expected level of progress.

- The train is running ten minutes behind today.
- The construction project fell months behind due to a series of unexpected supply chain disruptions and labour shortages.

### 6. overdue

adjective · CEFR B2 · Formal

late with a payment or a task.

For teachers: in arrears or late regarding a scheduled obligation, particularly financial payments.

- He is two months behind with his rent payments.
- The company was significantly behind on its tax obligations, leading to a formal audit by the authorities.

### 7. the buttocks

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

the part of the body you sit on.

For teachers: the fleshy part of the human body that forms the buttocks.

- The toddler fell down right on his behind but didn't cry.
- He slipped on the icy pavement and landed hard on his behind, much to the amusement of his friends.

Usage: This is a polite way to refer to the buttocks in informal speech.

Teaching tip: Learners should use this instead of 'butt' or 'ass' if they want to be informal but not rude or vulgar.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.