behind: [OE] Behind was compounded in Old English times from the prefix bi- ‘by’ and hindan ‘from behind’. This second element, and the related Old English hinder ‘below’, have relatives in other Germanic languages (German hinten and hinter ‘behind’, for example), and are connected with the English verb hinder, but their ultimate history is unclear. Modern English hind ‘rear’ may come mainly from behind. => hind, hinder
behind (adv.)
Old English behindan "behind, after," from bi "by" + hindan "from behind" (see hind (adj.)). The prepositional sense emerged in Old English. Euphemistic noun meaning "backside of a person" is from 1786. Phrase behind the times is from 1905. Behind the scenes (1711) is from the theater; figurative sense attested by 1779.
权威例句
1. I found myself behind a curtain, necking with my best friend'swife.
我意识到自己在帘子后面吻着至友的妻子。
2. He could just about see the little man behind the counter.
他勉强能看到柜台后面的小个子男人。
3. Elliott crossed the finish line just half a second behind his adversary.
埃利奥特跨过终点线时仅比对手落后半秒钟。
4. Behind the mocking laughter lurks a growing sense of unease.
嘲笑声的背后潜伏着一种越来越强烈的不安。
5. He ordered them to stack up pillows behind his back.
【after, behind, at the back of】
这些词均有“在……后面”之意。
after: 和behind用来表地点时,前者强调的是顺序的先后,而后者侧重方向和位置的前后关系。请比较:The student sat after me.那个学生坐在我后面。(我坐在他前面)。The student sat behind me.那学生坐在我背后。after与behind用于指时间时,前者强调时间的先后顺序,而后者则着重于表示“落后……”或“迟于……”的概念。试比较:Who ruled after James I?詹姆斯一世之后是谁统治的?You are forty minutes behind schedule.你比规定的时间迟了40分钟。after多用于表示因时间上的先后而造成顺序的前后场合,behind则常用于仅指位置上的前后关系。请比较:Please shut the door after you.请随手关门。Please shut the door behind you.请关上你身后的门。
at the back of: 这个前置词短语既可指具体的位置的先后,又可用于指抽象的概念。