fall behind — to fail to keep up with someone or something; to make less progress than expected
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: to fail to keep up with someone or something; to make less progress than expected
Pronunciation (IPA): /fɔːl bɪˈhaɪnd/
Example Sentences
- Tom fell behind in the race because he stopped to tie his shoelaces three times.
- Students who don't review regularly tend to fall behind in their coursework.
- My grandmother fell behind the group during the museum tour because she stopped to read every single information plaque.
fall behind
NOUN[/fɔːl bɪˈhaɪnd/]
to fail to keep up with someone or something; to make less progress than expected
to fail to keep up with someone or something; to make less progress than expected
Don't fall behind - remind yourself of your dreams!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
This phrase combines two Old English elements: 'fall' (from Proto-Germanic fallan, meaning 'to drop or descend') and 'behind' (from Old English bēhindan, meaning 'at the back'). The compound developed from the literal sense of 'to drop backward' to the figurative meaning of 'to lag behind or fail to keep pace'.
Breakdown
fall (Old English fallan: to drop, descend) + behind (Old English bēhindan: at the back, in the rear). The phrase evolved from concrete spatial meaning to abstract temporal/performance meaning.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“Tom fell behind in the race because he stopped to tie his shoelaces three times.”
“Students who don't review regularly tend to fall behind in their coursework.”
“My grandmother fell behind the group during the museum tour because she stopped to read every single information plaque.”
“The company is falling behind its competitors in terms of innovation.”
📚Related Words
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