stay behind

plural stay behinds

1. alternativeAlternative form of stay-behind.

   Pleasant prospect for us, who are sure to be amongst the unlucky stay behinds!

   1861, John Hart Dunne, From Calcutta to Pekin, page 95

   2 more examples

   “[…]Think there may be some bugs left. Deserters, stay behinds, whatever.”

   1992, David Drake, Bill Fawcett, Battlestation, page 134

   That creates very few “dead spots” for potential thieves to avoid sensors and helps deter “stay behinds”: skulkers who come into the room with a group but remain when others leave.

   2004 September, Scott Berinato, Chandra Tallman, “The Art of Securing Pricelessness”, in CSO, page 43

present singular third person stays behind · participle present staying behind · participle past stayed behind · past stayed behind

1. idiomaticTo remain where one is, whilst others leave.

   Much as Tra wanted to stay behind, as commander of the region, it was his duty to organize and lead the troops going to the North.

   2007, David W. P. Elliott, The Vietnamese War: Revolution and Social Change in the Mekong Delta, 1930-1975, page 91

   2 more examples

   If a twin goes off on a spaceship for a long trip at nearly the speed of light, that twin would be much younger on return to earth than the twin who stayed behind (Fock, 1964; French, 1968; Hawking, 1988; Young, 1992).

   2005, Al Kelly, Challenging Modern Physics: Questioning Einstein's Relativity Theories, page 24

   Ross's fortunes differed sharply from those of the principal Choctaw chief, Greenwood LeFlore, who, unlike Ross, signed a removal treaty on behalf of his people, only to stay behind himself, accept US citizenship, and go on to a distinguished career in Mississippi politics.

   2009, A. Dirk Moses, Empire, Colony, Genocide: Conquest, Occupation, and Subaltern Resistance in World History, page 114

   Synonyms: stay back, stay put

2. idiomaticeducationTo remain in a classroom or school at the end of teaching, especially to receive punishment.

   One day I had to stay behind after my boxing class, and I'd just been told that I was a ‘disgrace to the traditions of the boxing hall’.

   2004, Rebecca Mahon, Excel HSC English Study Guide: Billy Elliot, page 110

   2 more examples

   When I stayed behind at school with my school friends after lessons, and managed to play up to a hundred games in a single afternoon, the strategy was simple enough: I castled on the opposite side in the middle of violent (and mutual) King attacks.

   1964, Paul Keres, Alexander Kotov, translated by Harry Golombek, The Art of the Middle Game, Dover, published 1989, page 32

   Observe what sanctions the teacher employs with her class in order to enforce the rules. Are individuals kept in after school, for instance, or are they asked to stay behind at the end of a lesson, or reprimanded in front of the other children?

   1996, Louis Cohen, Lawrence Manion, Keith Morrison, A Guide to Teaching Practice, page 51

3. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see stay, behind.

   If you can, sprint ahead and stay ahead — otherwise slow down and stay well behind

   1993, John Forester, Effective Cycling, 6th edition, page 393

   2 more examples

   1995, Rudolf Steiner, Helen Fox (original translator), revising translator not named, Lecture 7, The Kingdom of Childhood, Revised Translation, page 120, Children who are in any way below standard come into this class from all the other classes. Otherwise, as I have said, we do not let the children stay behind but we try to bring them along with us under all circumstances, so that in this way each child really receives what is right for his or her particular age.

   Teamwork is important throughout any school organisation. When people work in isolation, they tend to stay behind a closed door, locked in with their pupils.

   1997, Helen Horne, Sally A. Brown, 500 Tips for School Improvement, page 74

   Synonyms: remain, stay back, stay put