Idiom Topics

  • The Ubiquitous Essentials

    10
    • On the other hand
    • At the end of the day
    • In the long run
    • Bear in mind
    • A piece of cake
    • Keep an eye on
    • Out of the blue
    • Rule of thumb
    • So far, so good
    • Behind the scenes

  • Everyday Casual & Workplace

    10
    • Under the weather
    • Call it a day
    • Up in the air
    • Wrap your head around
    • Break the ice
    • Get out of hand
    • Go the extra mile
    • Touch base
    • Hit the nail on the head
    • Cut corners

  • Problem Solving & Interaction

    10
    • See eye to eye
    • Read between the lines
    • Take it with a grain of salt
    • Get the hang of it
    • Give the benefit of the doubt
    • The elephant in the room
    • Hit the ground running
    • Play it by ear
    • Bite the bullet
    • Sit on the fence

  • Decisions & Perspectives

    9
    • Jump on the bandwagon
    • Cross that bridge when we come to it
    • The best of both worlds
    • A blessing in disguise
    • Once in a blue moon
    • Pull someone's leg
    • Miss the boat
    • Better late than never
    • Get your act together

  • Colorful & Traditional

    10
    • Spill the beans
    • Let the cat out of the bag
    • Bite off more than you can chew
    • Go back to the drawing board
    • Barking up the wrong tree
    • Actions speak louder than words
    • A penny for your thoughts
    • Break a leg
    • Hit the sack
    • Beat around the bush

  • Academic & Formal Discourse

    10
    • Bear fruit
    • Pave the way
    • Shed light on
    • Go hand in hand
    • Tip the scales
    • Fly in the face of
    • Bring to the table
    • Turn a blind eye
    • Draw a blank
    • State of the art

  • Emotions & Reactions

    10
    • Over the moon
    • Down in the dumps
    • On edge
    • Blow off steam
    • Keep your cool
    • Drive someone up the wall
    • On cloud nine
    • A weight off my shoulders
    • At your wits' end
    • Thrilled to bits

  • Effort, Success, & Failure

    10
    • Start from scratch
    • Pass with flying colors
    • Fall flat
    • Go down the drain
    • Keep your head above water
    • Pay off
    • Throw in the towel
    • Make headway
    • Uphill battle
    • Back to square one

  • Time, Speed, & Urgency

    10
    • Beat the clock
    • At the eleventh hour
    • Around the clock
    • In the nick of time
    • Drag your feet
    • Time flies
    • Make up for lost time
    • Call time on
    • Ahead of the curve
    • On the spur of the moment

  • Resources, Money, & Value

    10
    • Make ends meet
    • Foot the bill
    • Break the bank
    • Tighten your belt
    • Bang for your buck
    • A drop in the ocean
    • Make a killing
    • On a shoestring budget
    • Worth your weight in gold
    • Pay top dollar

Behind the scenes

Learn the meaning, origin, and usage of the idiom "Behind the scenes" with five example sentences across different contexts. This idiom is part of ourThe Ubiquitous Essentials collection for PTE and IELTS preparation.

The Ubiquitous Essentials

Behind the scenes

Behind the scenes
Happening out of public view, secretly, or in a way that organizes and supports what people see happening in public.
History & Origin

This idiom originated in the world of theater during the 17th and 18th centuries, where 'scenes' referred to the painted backdrops and wooden set pieces on stage. The phrase literally described the unseen work of stagehands, prop masters, and directors who labored in the backstage area out of the audience's sight to make the performance run smoothly. Over time, its usage expanded beyond the theater to describe any behind-the-scenes coordination, political maneuvering, or private preparation in daily life.

Examples
Workplace Email

While the product launch looked effortless to our clients, our development team worked tirelessly behind the scenes for six months to make it happen.

Casual Conversation

Don't worry about booking the dinner reservations; my sister is handling all the planning behind the scenes.

Academic Writing

Historians note that while the two prime ministers publicly feigned hostility, intense diplomatic negotiations were taking place behind the scenes to secure the treaty.

News/Media

Our corporate reporter takes us behind the scenes of the sudden tech merger that shocked Wall Street this morning.

Formal Speech

I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the event staff who worked behind the scenes to ensure tonight's gala was a resounding success.

Quiz
Which of the following sentences uses the idiom correctly?

A. To improve your eyesight, you should stand behind the scenes and look at the mountains.

B. The IT department worked behind the scenes all weekend to upgrade the servers so that the company's website wouldn't crash on Monday.

C. She was so angry at her brother that she walked behind the scenes of his car and threw his keys into the bushes.

D. The chef told the kitchen staff to cook the steak behind the scenes until it reached an internal temperature of 145 degrees.