behind n.
1. the buttocks, the posterior.
![[UK]](/static/img/flags/uk.png "United Kingdom") | Like Will to Like 6: Dost thou not remember, since thou didst bruise me behind? | |
| Gammer Gurton’s Needle in (1997) II iv: I would thou hadst kiss’d me I wot where! (she meant I know behind). | |
| Well met Gossip B2: All his haires haue got the falling sicknesse, Whose fore-front lookes like Iack-an Apes behinde. | |
| Witch of Edmonton IV i: Run to the Cow, and taking up her tail, kiss (saving your Worship’s Reverence) my Cow behinde. | |
| ‘The Fart’ in Merry Songs and Ballads (1897) III 185: How the Nymphs in the days of Yore, / Who were cleanly inclin’d, / Us’d a Cork for behind, / And a Spung for the Cranny before. | |
 | Lounger 54 17: Two young Ladies [...] with new Hats on their heads, new Bosoms, and new behinds in a band-box [F&H]. | |
| in Sat. Rev. (London) 8 Feb. n.p.: Go and do my bidding – tell him he lies, and kick his behind in my name [F&H]. | |
| Yellowplush Papers in Works III (1898) 242: I felt somethink (I think it was the tip of his toe) touching me behind. | |
| It Is Never Too Late to Mend III 150: Give them a kick a-piece on their behinds. | |
![[Ire]](/static/img/flags/ire.png "Ireland") | Ulysses 693: I wonder was he satisfied with the one thing I didn’t like his slapping me behind going away so familiarly in the hall. | |
| Brave New World (1955) 44: He patted me on the behind this afternoon. | |
| Tell My Horse (1995) 319: So Frog don’t learn how to make him behind stick out like other animals. | |
| Body in the Library (1959) 19: Wants his behind kicked! | |
![[US]](/static/img/flags/us.png "United States") | (con. 1910s) Pedlocks (1971) 234: Shoot me! Can I help it if I love an upholstered behind? | |
| (con. c.1920) My Grandmothers and I (1987) 107: ‘Off to act in the the-ayter on the Sabbath?’ chaffed the conductor, slapping my behind. | |
| Down These Mean Streets (1970) 125: My eyes followed a fast-moving behind going up the stoop across the street. | |
| Hot to Trot 173: Baboons are funny [...] Look at their red behinds, Daddy. | |
| Revolting Rhymes n.p.: And now she plonks her fat behind / Upon this dainty precious chair. | |
| Village Voice (N.Y.) 29 Oct. n.p.: Now you will either get your behind over or you will get your behind out. | |
| (con. 1950s) Never a Normal Man 135: I’ll have you know that my behind has been much admired and much sought after. | |
| Shooting Dr. Jack (2002) H87: He got a couple of big bruises on his thighs, and another on his behind. | |
| Pigeon English 28: Miquita doesn’t want you to come in. You keep pinching her behind. |
2. used anthropomorphically, the back of an object, e.g. a car, a bus.
| One Lonely Night 76: A Black Buick sedan with no back window and a few bullets in its behind. |
In derivatives
a large dress-pannier, fashionably affixed to a lady’s dress c.1888.
| Passing Eng. of the Victorian Era. |
In compounds
see ass-kicking n.
In phrases
sodomy.
| Playboy’s Book of Forbidden Words. | |
| DSUE (8th edn) 67/1: since ca. 1930. |
homosexual.
| Layer Cake 43: You’re not a homosexual, are you? [...] Not behind with the rent? |
to be arrogant or to show complete indecision or bewilderment.
| Folk-Phrases of Four Counties 14: He doesn’t know where his behind hangs. Said of an insufferably proud man. | |
| DSUE (8th edn) 1387: [...] since early C.20. |
(US black) to hit or slap someone on the buttocks.
| Drylongso 113: If that had been my kid [...] I would have warmed his behind for doing that. |