INDEX:
1. at the back of something and usually hidden by it
2. the area behind the things or people in a picture, on a stage etc
RELATED WORDS
opposite
↑ FRONT
the back of something : ↑ BACK
behind someone in a race, competition etc : ↑ LOSE
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1. at the back of something and usually hidden by it
▷ behind /bɪˈhaɪnd/ [preposition/adverb]
at or towards the back of something, and often hidden by it :
▪ The sun went behind a cloud.
▪ Put a cushion behind you. You’ll feel more comfortable.
▪ I got stuck behind a truck on the way to the airport.
▷ at the back British /in (the) back American /ət ðə ˈbæk, ɪn (ðə) ˈbæk/ [preposition]
behind something, especially a building :
▪ There’s a small garden at the back.
▪ You can park your car in back.
▪ Their house has a pool in the back.
at the back of
▪ The tennis courts were at the back of the main school building.
▷ at/to the rear /ət, tə ðə ˈrɪəʳ/ [preposition] written
behind something, especially something large :
at/to the rear of
▪ They parked in a small carpark at the rear of the hotel.
▪ To the rear of the house is an old shed.
▷ round the back /ˌraʊnd ðə ˈbæk/ [preposition] British informal
to or in a place behind a building :
▪ We need to go round the back. I don’t have keys to the front door.
2. the area behind the things or people in a picture, on a stage etc
▷ background /ˈbækgraʊnd/ [countable noun]
the area behind someone or something in a picture, on a stage etc :
▪ The invitations had red lettering on a white background.
against a background
▪ The flag’s five orange stripes stand out against a silver background.
▷ in the background /ɪn ðə ˈbækgraʊnd/ [adverb]
if someone or something is in the background, it is behind the place where the main activity is happening :
▪ In the photograph, a statue of St. Andrew stood in the background.
▪ Palm trees swayed in the background.
▪ While I was on the phone with Julie, I could hear the sound of a television in the background.
▷ backdrop /ˈbækdrɒpǁ-drɑːp/ [countable noun usually singular]
the things such as buildings, hills or mountains that are behind something that you are looking at :
▪ The snow-covered Rocky Mountains made a wonderful backdrop for the concert.