Middle English Dictionary Entry
bihīnde prep.
Entry Info
| Forms | bihīnde prep. |
| Etymology | From adv. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Of position or location: in back of, at the rear of, behind; at the back side of; also, beyond [quot.Chester Pl.].
Associated quotations
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)5855 : Þa oðere of Rome riden heom bi-hinden [Otho: bi-hinde].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)8630 : Julius him wes bi-foren, Androgeus bi hinden.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)41/446 : Iuliene..bond bihinden his rug ba twa his honden.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)65/700 : & tet beali..breid him aȝeinwart bihinden hare schuldren.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)594 : Among þe netle þu sittest and singst bihinde þe secle [read: setle].
- c1300 Horn (LdMisc 108)202 : Nou men us binde oure honden us bi hinden [vr. bihynde].
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)20/420 : He hadde bihinden his paleys A fair gardin.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)348 : To heue vp þat hende child bi-hinde him on his stede.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)392 : Alle a-wondered þei were of þe barn him bi-hinde.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1050 : Hir yelow heer was broyded in a tresse Bihynde hir bak.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)8.93 : I bi-hynden [B: bihynde] hem boþe bi-heold al þe Bulle.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.4061 : He hath founde The clerkes hors..Bihynde the mille.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)115b/a : Þe mone..passiþ and walkiþ now vndir þe sonne, now bihinde & aftir þe sonne.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)6277 : Þe see drogh samen on ilka side Bath bihind þam and bifore.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)2014 : We willeþ hym..fast bynde Boþe his honden his rigge byhynde.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)653 : Þe burde byhynde þe dor..laȝed.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Gen.22.13 : Abraham..sawe bihynd his bak a wether amonge thornes.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.179 : And yet she stood ful lowe..Byhynden other folk.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.m.1.6 : Swifte thoght..seth the clowdes byhynde his bak, and passeth the heighte of the regioun of the fir.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)80b : To make strif wiþ þe lyft whynge of þe enemyes, and þat by-hinde here bakkes.
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)428 : And many an hert and many an hynde Was both before me and behynde.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)54 : I hitt hym byhynde þe lefte scholdire.
- 1607(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hrl 2124)227/252 : Alas! that I were away, farr behynde ffraunce!
2.
Of motion or direction: to the back or back side of, behind; also, from behind; biholden, blusshen, loken ~, look back of (oneself); wenden ~, walk behind (sb.), follow; turnen ~ rigge, turn back.
Associated quotations
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)26057 : Arthur..storte bi-hinde [Clg: biaften] an treo.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)43.12 : Þou turnedest vs by-hynde rygge [Dub: a bache; L retrorsum].
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sum.(Manly-Rickert)D.1754 : A sturdy harlot wente hem ay bihynde.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)273b/b : Whanne þe huntere seeþ þat þe beste is nygh him, þanne he sterteþ bihynde a strong tree.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)980 : Þe balleful burde..Blusched byhynden her bak, þat bale for to herkken.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Gen.19.26 : The wijf of hym [Lot], biholdynge bihynde her [WB(2): abac].
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.m.12.57 : Yif he loke byhynde hym.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)643 : Byhynde the mast begynnyth he to fle, And out ageyn.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)2411 : Byhynde him come a wynd and ek a reyn.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)84a : Til þou mowe compase him & come be-hynde hym on þe bak-half.
- c1450(?c1400) Wycl.Elucid.(StJ-C G.25)16 : Y wole not þat þou biholde behynde þee.
- c1425(a1400) Wycl.Pseudo-F.(Dub 245)313 : Go bihynde me, Sathanas.
- 1485(a1470) Malory Wks.(Caxton:Vinaver)19/14 : Kynge Lot brake out on the bak syde..and sette on Arthur fiersly behynde hym.
3.
In (one's) absence, behind (one's) back; ~..bak.
Associated quotations
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)pref.401 : Þa þatt..Aȝȝ follȝhenn rihhtwisnesse Biforenn menn, bihinndenn menn, O daȝȝess & o nihhtess.
- c1300 SLeg.Magd.(2) (LdMisc 108)68 : Sunfole wumman men cleopeden hire, bi-hinde hire and bi-fore.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.644 : The synne of double tonge, swiche as speken faire byforn folk and wikkedly bihynde.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.2069 : Thus was it spoken to and fro..Al prively behinde his bak.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)2384 : To begyle þy mayster be-hynde hys bak.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)9282 : A fende..wrote alle þat euer þey spake, Pryuyly be-hynde here bake.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1060 : Aftirward they prikke and poynten The folk right to the bare boon Bihynde her bak, whan they ben goon.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)392/28 : Yf there be ony man that woll..sey me wronge other shame me behynde my back.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)447/36 : Many spekyth behynde a man more than he woll seye to his face.
4.
(To stay or be left) behind (sb., i.e. after his departure or death).
Associated quotations
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)8913 : He wass þa bihinndenn hemm Bilefedd att te temmple.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)9021 : & tatt..Jesu Crist bilæf himm i þe temmple Bihinndenn hise kinness menn.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.775 : Many worþi knyȝte Were slawe þer..And many mayde..Be-lefte wer sool..Behynd her fadris.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)45.214 : Theke scheld..I ne schal not leven behynden Me.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)22/27 : He durst not leeue our lady byhynd hym.
5.
In imitation of (sb.), after.
Associated quotations
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.483 : My wordes ofte I haunte Behynden hem, so as I dar.