King James Bible Dictionary

BEHIND, preposition

1. At the back of another; as, to ride behind a horseman.

2. On the back part, at any distance; in the rear; as, to walk behind another.

3. Remaining; left after the departure of another, whether by removing to a distance, or by death; as, a man leaves his servant behind him, or his estate at his decease.

4. Left at a distance, in progress or improvement; as, one student is behind another in mathematics.

5. Inferior to another in dignity and excellence.

For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles. 2 Corinthians 11:5.

6. On the side opposite to that which fronts a person; on the other side; as behind a bed; behind a hill; behind a house, tree, or rock.

BEHIND the back, in scripture, signifies, out of notice, or regard; overlooked; disregarded.

They cast thy laws behind their backs. Nehemiah 9:26. Isaiah 38:17.

BEHIND, adverb [be and hind.] Out of sight; not produced, or exhibited to view; remaining; as, we know no what evidence is behind

1. Backwards; on the back-part; as, to look behind

2. Past in the progress of time.

3. Future, or remaining to be endured.

And fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh. Colossians 1:24.

4. Remaining after a payment; unpaid; as, there is a large sum behind

5. Remaining after the departure of; as, he departed and left us behind

BEHINDHAND, adjective [behind and hand.] In arrear; in an exhausted state; in a state in which rent or profit has been anticipated, and expenditures precede the receipt of funds to supply them. In popular use, a state of poverty, in which the means of living are not adequate to the end. Also, in a state of backwardness, in which a particular business has been delayed beyond the proper season for performing it; as, he is behindhand in his business.

BEHINDHAND with, is behind in progress; not upon equal terms in forwardness; as to be behindhand with the fashionable world.

This word is really an adjective, as it is applied to the person rather than to the verb; but like adrift, aloft, ashamed, and several other words, never precedes the noun. Shakespeare's 'behindhand slackness.' therefore, according to present usage, is not a legitimate phrase.