go behind (somebody's) back
Meaning(s)
1. do something without somebody's knowledge or presence
Popularity
High
Professional
High
Social
How to Memorize
I can't believe you went behind my back like that!
Analysis
The idiom to 'go behind someone's back' means to do something or say something about someone without their knowledge or without them being present. Usually, when you do something behind someone's back it involves being deceitful or doing something when you know it will upset someone.
Social Examples (Basic)
- I can't believe you went behind my back and told Jane what I said about her! You have badly betrayed my trust.
- I discovered my wife was meeting another man behind my back.
Professional Examples (Basic)
- John will be angry that we have gone behind his back to make this decision, but his obstinacy was costing us precious time.
- Alice threw me under the bus by going behind my back to the boss and blaming me for the failure of the project.