be|hind

be|hind «bih HYND», preposition, adverb, adjective, noun.

–prep.

1. at the back of; in the rear of: »

Stand behind me. The child hid behind the door.

2. at or on the far side of: »

A beautiful valley lies behind the hill.

3. Figurative. in support of; supporting: »

His friends are behind him.

4. Figurative. concealed by: »

Treachery lurked behind the spy's smooth manners.

5. later than; after: »

The milkman is behind his usual time today.

6. remaining after: »

Figurative. The dead man left a family behind him.

7. inferior to; less advanced than: »

The boy who was sick is behind the others in his class.

–adv.

1. at the back; toward the back; in the rear: »

The dog's tail hung down behind.

2. farther back: »

The rest of the hikers are still behind.

3. in reserve: »

More supplies are behind.

4. not on time; slow; late: »

The train is behind today.

–adj.

1. coming after; following: »

You must watch the cars behind.

2. late in payments, work, or other obligations.

–n.

Informal. the rump: »

... one good kick in the behind (New Yorker).

╂[Old English behindan]

Synonym Study preposition. 1 Behind, after express a relation in which one thing is thought of as to the rear of another. Behind refers chiefly to position in space and usually implies a definite and usually close interval: »

The broom is behind the door. We walked behind the others.

After suggests moving in succession or being in a definite order: »

We followed after them. They entered the hall one after the other.