behind the scenes

¹

[bih-hahynd thuh seenz]

idiom

1. in secret or in private.

   Unbeknownst to most people, the group manipulated the survey results from behind the scenes.

2. in a part of a show, production, organization, etc., that is not visible to the public; backstage.

   Have you ever wondered what really happens behind the scenes at a rock concert?

   Join us as we take you behind the scenes of our photo shoot and discuss some of the products used.

behind-the-scenes

²

[bih-hahynd-thuh-seenz]

adjective

1. happening or conducted out of view of the general public.

   The behind-the-scenes preparations made the convention a huge success.

2. held or kept privately by or among a few key or influential people.

   There are rumors of behind-the-scenes negotiations taking place that may change international laws on nuclear power.

3. occurring backstage.

   I could hear the behind-the-scenes activities of the stage crew.

Word History and Origins

Origin of behind the scenes¹

First recorded in 1660–70

Origin of behind the scenes²

First recorded in 1835–45

Idioms and Phrases

In secret or private, away from public view, as in His struggle for the top position took place strictly behind the scenes. This term alludes to the various activities that go on behind the curtain in theaters, out of the audience's view. [Late 1700s] Also see behind closed doors.

Example Sentences

But behind the scenes, Corgan was going through the divorce of his first marriage.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

They are expected to face tough questions from MPs, and to give their views on the state of the BBC and its journalism, and give their accounts of events behind the scenes.

Read more on BBC

"What is true for all periods is that studying how people imagined Scandinavian paganism in their particular time and how they sought to convey this image to others -- this speaks volumes about their goals and mindsets. Our research allows us to peek behind the scenes of our own knowledge -- or of what we think we know."

Read more on Science Daily

Behind the scenes, curator Carl Strehlke worked with a team of art historians and conservators to clean and reconstruct numerous multipanel altarpieces, or polyptychs, which an earlier era of rogue art dealers broke up and sold piecemeal.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

A late-2009 YouTube upload from the NYC-based photographer Dorothy Shi takes us behind the scenes of a photo shoot for Livvy Grant herself.

Read more on Slate