BEHIND

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does behind mean? 

• BEHIND (noun)
  The noun BEHIND has 1 sense:

1. the fleshy part of the human body that you sit on

  Familiarity information: BEHIND used as a noun is very rare.

• BEHIND (adjective)
  The adjective BEHIND has 1 sense:

1. having the lower score or lagging position in a contest

  Familiarity information: BEHIND used as an adjective is very rare.

• BEHIND (adverb)
  The adverb BEHIND has 5 senses:

1. in or to or toward the rear

2. remaining in a place or condition that has been left or departed from

3. of timepieces

4. in or into an inferior position

5. in debt

  Familiarity information: BEHIND used as an adverb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BEHIND (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The fleshy part of the human body that you sit on

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Synonyms:

arse; ass; backside; behind; bottom; bum; buns; butt; buttocks; can; derriere; fanny; fundament; hind end; hindquarters; keister; nates; posterior; prat; rear; rear end; rump; seat; stern; tail; tail end; tooshie; tush

Context example:

are you going to sit on your fanny and do nothing?

Hypernyms ("behind" is a kind of...):

body part (any part of an organism such as an organ or extremity)

Holonyms ("behind" is a part of...):

body; torso; trunk (the body excluding the head and neck and limbs)

• BEHIND (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Having the lower score or lagging position in a contest

Context example:

the 8th inning found the home team trailing

Similar:

down (being or moving lower in position or less in some value)

• BEHIND (adverb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

In or to or toward the rear

Context example:

the final runners were far behind

Sense 2

Meaning:

Remaining in a place or condition that has been left or departed from

Context example:

he took off with a squeal of tires and left the other cars far behind

Sense 3

Meaning:

Of timepieces

Synonyms:

behind; slow

Context example:

my watch is running behind

Sense 4

Meaning:

In or into an inferior position

Context example:

their business was lagging behind in the competition for customers

Sense 5

Meaning:

In debt

Synonyms:

behind; behindhand; in arrears

Context example:

in arrears with their utility bills

 Context examples 

He opened the door, and we filed out, he coming last and locking the door behind him.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Her handler hides behind opaque one-way glass.

(The Dog's Nose Knows Malaria, Kevin Enochs/VOA)

The World Meteorological Organization reports 2017 is on track to be among the three hottest years on record, just behind the two preceding years.

(World Meteorological Org.: Arctic Warming Appears Irreversible, VOA)

During their first year of independent driving, teens often engage in many different activities behind the wheel that could lead to a crash.

(Reaching for objects while driving may raise teen crash risk nearly sevenfold, National Institutes of Health)

But a voice behind me, the unmistakable voice of Wolf Larsen, strong with the invincible certitude of the man and mellow with appreciation of the words he was quoting, aroused me.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

FINDER has previously demonstrated capabilities of detect people buried under up to 30 feet of rubble, hidden behind 20 feet of solid concrete, and from a distant of 100 feet in open spaces.

(DHS and NASA Technology Helps Save Four in Nepal Earthquake Disaster, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

He said J Bruce Ismay, President of the firm behind construction of RMS Titanic, ordered the twelve men tasked to attempting to control the fire to avoid informing passengers.

(UK documentary claims fire weakened RMS Titanic, Wikinews)

The idea behind ‘acoustic enrichment’ is that this can help kick-start coral reef recovery.

(Loudspeakers used to attract fish back to dying coral reefs, SciDev.Net)

Eventually, Sun-like stars lose their outer layers, leaving behind only a burnt-out core, a white dwarf.

(First Giant Planet around White Dwarf Found, ESO)

Therefore, they should not leave behind such a massive remnant.

(Unpredicted stellar black hole discovered by astronomers, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)