Behind The Times

Also: Behind the time

Meaning of Idiom ‘Behind the Times’

To be behind the times means be old-fashioned or not modern; not keeping up with current thinking, ideas, trends, methods, technologies, fashion, etc.

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Examples Of Use

“I’m so behind the times. I still have a flip phone.”

“My father still thinks women should stay home take care of the house. He is so behind the times.”

“It has become clear that this administration is behind the times and out of touch with the people.”

Origin

Used since the mid-1800’s.

Charles Dickens used this expression in Dombey and Son in 1848:

“I’m old-fashioned, and behind the Time.” 1Kirkpatrick, Elizabeth M. The Wordsworth Dictionary of Idioms. Ware: Wordsworth, 1995., 2Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.

More Idioms Starting with B

• Beat a Dead Horse
• Buck For Something
• Bottomless Pit
• Barge In
• Bone Of Contention, a

More Behind Idioms

• Behind Someone’s Back (to do something)
• Behind Bars
• Behind Closed Doors
• Behind the Eight Ball

More Time Idioms

• Million Times, a
• Have Time to Kill
• Kill Time
• High Time
• Time is Money

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