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put behind one

B2 neutral separable transitive
In simple words

To stop thinking or worrying about something bad that happened in the past.

Literal meaning: To place something in a position behind yourself, so you no longer face it.

Meanings

1 B2 idiomatic neutral

To decide to stop being affected by a negative past experience and focus on the future.

"After the divorce, it took her years to truly put it behind her and start enjoying life again."

Grammar: separable
Usage notes

Always used with a reflexive-style structure: 'put X behind you/me/him.' The object is typically a bad experience, failure, loss, or difficult period. Common in motivational and therapeutic contexts.

Commonly used with

past experience failure loss grief mistakes

Forms

Base
put behind one
I/you/we/they
3rd person
puts behind one
he/she/it
Past simple
put behind one
yesterday
Past participle
put behind one
have + pp
-ing form
putting behind one
continuous

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