World Languages Lexicon
10 Language-to-English DictionariesFall behind
/fɔːl bɪˈhaɪnd/Comprehensive Definitions & Senses
2 senses- 1
To fail to keep up with a competitor, progress, or schedule.
"If you miss too many classes, you will quickly fall behind the rest of the students." - 2
To be late in making payments or fulfilling obligations.
"Due to unexpected medical expenses, they began to fall behind on their mortgage payments."
Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology
Derived from Old English 'feallan' (to drop, descend, or sink) combined with 'behind' from Old English 'behindan' (at the back, after). The phrasal combination developed during the Middle English period to denote movement failing to keep pace with a moving object, later expanding metaphorically to temporal, academic, and financial progress.
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10 Global Lexicons: How "Fall behind" is said worldwide
Click any language below to open its dedicated Language to English dictionary page with native script & transliteration
prendre du retard
Transliteration: pʁɑ̃dʁ dy ʁə.taʁ
"Il ne faut pas prendre du retard dans vos projets."
zurückbleiben
Transliteration: tsuˈʁʏkˌblaɪbn̩
"Man darf bei dieser schnellen Entwicklung nicht zurückbleiben."
rimanere indietro
Transliteration: rimaˈnɛːre indˈjɛtro
"Non voglio rimanere indietro con il lavoro."
retrasarse
Transliteration: retɾaˈɾse
"Es fácil retrasarse si no te organizas bien."
ficar para trás
Transliteration: fiˈkaɾ ˈpaɾa tɾas
"Não podemos ficar para trás no mercado global."
पीछे छूट जाना
Transliteration: pīchhe chhūṭ jānā
"कड़ी मेहनत के बिना आप पढ़ाई में पीछे छूट सकते हैं।"
落后
Transliteration: luòhòu
"我们必须努力工作，以免落后于其他人。"
뒤처지다
Transliteration: dwicheojida
"기술 변화 속도가 너무 빨라 뒤처지기 쉽습니다."
遅れを取る
Transliteration: okure o toru
"時代の変化に取り残されて、遅れを取ってはいけない。"
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