to fall behind
70
2.8
- phrasal verb
- /fɔl bɪˈhaɪnd/
:
retrasarse
- And parents are afraid their child is going to fall behind and never catch up.
- fall behind schedule
- fall behind peers
- students fall behind
I can't lie, this year I fell behind for the first time.
- I can't lie, this year I fell behind for the first time.
- And parents are afraid their child is going to fall behind and never catch up.
- So if I fall behind, I know what my plan is.
- The European Union is also falling behind on its aid promises.
- And so it feels like they're kind of stagnating and falling behind with the times.
- I'm, I'm falling behind in school, I'm lazy, my house is a mess.
- So if I don't act now, then I'm going to fall behind.
- By not paying attention to the Commonwealth, Britain has fallen in many respects behind the countries that were once it's colonies.
- So the people that don't have that are going to fall behind and people model the behaviour of people that are successful.
Examples
-
Yet, by continuing to do what used to be good enough, we are falling behind.
Academic text (2007) -
After missing several classes, she was worried that she would fall behind the rest of her classmates.
-
So if I fall behind, I know what my plan is.
-
Not only will we never catch up to you, but we will fall behind.
Academic text (1999) -
But now, you have fallen behind, and we want to help you.
-
The European Union is also falling behind on its aid promises.
-
Unfortunately, the evidence is that other new members are already falling behind on their commitments.
Academic text (2002) -
And that's why they are just falling behind the rest of us.
-
Over the past generation, Western Europe has fallen behind in its long-term economic competition with the United States.
Academic text (2007) -
Kay had maxed out her credit cards and was falling behind in her mortgage payments.
Fiction book (1996)
Synonyms
91
2.2
Move slowly and fall behind others
47
3.0
To fail to keep up with work or a schedule
24
3.0
To move or develop more slowly than others
8
3.8
To move behind others in speed or progress
2
3.2
To fall behind others because you move or work more slowly
Antonyms
How Behind
Surface Forms
Morphology
The sense 'to not keep up' is directly derivable from combining 'fall' (to move down or drop) with 'behind' (in a less advanced or delayed position): together they describe moving into a less advanced position relative to others or a schedule. This composition follows a common motion + position pattern found across languages and in English phrasal verbs, so a B1 learner who knows both words will very likely understand the MWE.
Etymology
Fall behind comes from the simple scene of running or working with others and one person slows so they fall to the back and are behind the rest, so it means 'not keep up' or 'make less progress than expected'.