not keeping up with, later than; after:behind schedule.
in the state of making less progress than:We can't afford to fall behind our competitors.
on the farther side of; beyond:behind the mountain.
originating, supporting, or promoting:Who's behind this program?
hidden or unrevealed by:Malice lay behind her smile.
at the controls of:behind the wheel of a car.
adv.
at or toward the rear; rearward:to lag behind.
in a place, state, or stage already passed.
in arrears; behindhand:to be behind in one's rent.
slow, as a watch or clock:more than 20 minutes behind.
as a cause or often latent feature of:Behind their harassment lay the traditional fear of foreigners.
in a situation that exists afterward:The victim left behind a large family.
[Archaic.]in reserve; to come:Greater support is yet behind.
adj.
following:the man behind.
n.
Informal Termsthe buttocks.
bef. 900; Middle English behinde(n), Old English behindan; for adverb, adverbial suffix -an compare before. See be-, hind1
1, 2.See corresponding entry in UnabridgedBehind,after both refer to a position following something else. Behind applies primarily to position in space, and suggests that one person or thing is at the back of another; it may also refer to (a fixed) time:He stood behind the chair. You are behind the appointed time.After applies primarily to time; when it denotes position in space, it is not used with precision, and refers usually to bodies in motion:Rest after a hard day's work. They entered the room, one after another.