behind the scenes
117
4.9
- idiom
:
entre bastidores
- The charity operates behind the scenes, ensuring that help reaches those in need.
- work behind the scenes
- go behind the scenes
- take behind the scenes
So please join us behind the scenes on our Patreon site.
- So please join us behind the scenes on our Patreon site.
- There are people behind the scenes who think it's helping them.
- And then he worked behind the scenes to get the videos out.
- You think Trump when he's behind the scenes with Elon Musk?
- And you're actually showing them behind the scenes how you do what you do.
- Again, I'm the guy who gets to see behind the scenes a lot, a whole lot.
- And so I think they've done a deal behind the scenes on conversion therapy.
- That doesn't really work unless somebody is still behind the scenes doing the directing, right?
Examples
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There are people behind the scenes who think it's helping them.
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So please join us behind the scenes on our Patreon site.
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We're getting a behind the scenes look at how science really works.
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What would people not expect behind the scenes that I may not have shown?
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And today, we finally go behind the scenes.
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Numerous individuals work behind the scenes to produce the journal in its print form.
Academic text (2013) -
The website takes visitors behind the scenes so they can see the processes of scientific investigation.
Academic text (2002) -
Again, I'm the guy who gets to see behind the scenes a lot, a whole lot.
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For the time being, the faculty will work behind the scenes on this proposal.
Academic text (1992) -
It'd be good for you to see you know, like what happens behind the scenes in Hollywood.
Synonyms
261
1.4
In a way that other people do not know
174
3.2
In a way not shared with other people
112
4.1
In private and not open to the public
56
2.5
In a way other people do not know
40
9.9
In secret so other people do not know
39
4.8
Not known or seen by the public
33
4.3
Happening in private and away from public view
28
6.0
Most people do not know about it
13
7.5
People keep it secret from most others to avoid being noticed
9
7.5
Done secretly to hide payments and avoid the law
4
4.2
In private away from public view
4
8.0
In a secret way to avoid being seen or found
2
9.5
In secret and not in public
1
6.7
Hidden from users and working behind the scenes
1
7.7
In private and away from public attention
Happening secretly to keep it private
In secret so only a few people know
Kept secret and not told to other people
Antonyms
How Secret
117
4.9
261
1.4
10
4.4
174
3.2
339
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly derivable from 'behind' (out of view) + 'scenes' (the visible presentation or public activity), yielding the sense of activities happening out of public sight. This spatial-to-abstract composition (backstage = hidden operations) is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will very likely infer the intended meaning.
Etymology
Behind the scenes comes from the theater, where actors perform on stage while others work behind the curtains and in the parts of the building for different scenes that the audience cannot see. So it means 'in a private or secret way'.