Green’s Dictionary of Slang

behind n.

1. the buttocks, the posterior.

1568
16001700180019002000
2011
[UK]U. Fulwell Like Will to Like 6: Dost thou not remember, since thou didst bruise me behind?
[UK]‘Mr. S’ Gammer Gurton’s Needle in Whitworth (1997) II iv: I would thou hadst kiss’d me I wot where! (she meant I know behind).
[UK]Rowlands Well met Gossip B2: All his haires haue got the falling sicknesse, Whose fore-front lookes like Iack-an Apes behinde.
[UK]Rowley, Dekker & Ford Witch of Edmonton IV i: Run to the Cow, and taking up her tail, kiss (saving your Worship’s Reverence) my Cow behinde.
[UK] ‘The Fart’ in Farmer 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].
George IV 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].
[UK]Thackeray Yellowplush Papers in Works III (1898) 242: I felt somethink (I think it was the tip of his toe) touching me behind.
[UK]C. Reade It Is Never Too Late to Mend III 150: Give them a kick a-piece on their behinds.
Index Expurgatorius Martial III xcvii: You ask if your arse [sic] is defined; Why Sabellus, it’s really so thin, That if it were up my behind, I should not perceive it were in [Simes:DLSS].
A. Beardsley Under the Hill (1959) 62: A dear little coat of pigeon rose silk that [...] showed off the jut of his behind to perfection.
N.S.W. Archives. Maitland Quarter Sess. 3 Apr. n.p.: ‘At the Grassy Bank Accused took down his pants—he asked me to put my prick into his behind’ [Simes:DLSS].
[Ire]Joyce 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.
[UK]A. Huxley Brave New World (1955) 44: He patted me on the behind this afternoon.
Z. Hurston Tell My Horse (1995) 319: So Frog don’t learn how to make him behind stick out like other animals.
[UK]A. Christie Body in the Library (1959) 19: Wants his behind kicked!
[US](con. 1910s) S. Longstreet Pedlocks (1971) 234: Shoot me! Can I help it if I love an upholstered behind?
[UK](con. c.1920) D. Holman-Hunt My Grandmothers and I (1987) 107: ‘Off to act in the the-ayter on the Sabbath?’ chaffed the conductor, slapping my behind.
[US]P. Thomas Down These Mean Streets (1970) 125: My eyes followed a fast-moving behind going up the stoop across the street.
[US]J. Lahr Hot to Trot 173: Baboons are funny [...] Look at their red behinds, Daddy.
[UK]R. Dahl Revolting Rhymes n.p.: And now she plonks her fat behind / Upon this dainty precious chair.
[US] Village Voice (N.Y.) 29 Oct. n.p.: Now you will either get your behind over or you will get your behind out.
[UK] (con. 1950s) D. Farson Never a Normal Man 135: I’ll have you know that my behind has been much admired and much sought after.
[US]N. Green Shooting Dr. Jack (2002) H87: He got a couple of big bruises on his thighs, and another on his behind.
[UK]S. Kelman 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.

[US]M. Spillane One Lonely Night 76: A Black Buick sedan with no back window and a few bullets in its behind.

In derivatives

In compounds

In phrases

not know where one’s behind hangs (v.)

to be arrogant or to show complete indecision or bewilderment.

1894
190019101920193019401950196019701980
1984
[UK]G.F. Northall Folk-Phrases of Four Counties 14: He doesn’t know where his behind hangs. Said of an insufferably proud man.
[UK]Partridge DSUE (8th edn) 1387: [...] since early C.20.
warm someone’s behind (v.)

(US black) to hit or slap someone on the buttocks.

[US]J.L. Gwaltney Drylongso 113: If that had been my kid [...] I would have warmed his behind for doing that.