[Vocabulary] woman behind a man

Dear all,

A woman says "After my husband died, I still run the business like the woman behind the man"

What does she mean by "the woman behind the man"?

Thanks a lot.

It sounds rather strange - there's no 'like' about it. There's a much-used saying, that uses various pairs of adjectives: 'Behind every <adj> man there's an <adj> woman'. Example adjectives: 'successful/over-worked', 'contented/frustrated', 'forgetful/well-organised'... Often the second adjective is an adjectival phrase - like 'with an <appropriate-noun>'.

I think what the woman you quote is saying is 'His success depended largely on me when he was alive, now he's dead I'm just carrying on as before'. But it's an odd way of saying it.

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maiabulela said:

Dear all,

A woman says "After my husband died, I still run the business like the woman behind the man"

What does she mean by "the woman behind the man"?

Thanks a lot.

Click to expand...

I assume she means that when her husband was alive, he was at the front of the business and she worked in a less visible capacity, in the background. After he died, you would expect her to become more visible, more involved, but it appears that she has continued in her old role as if her husband is still there at the front, and she is behind.

emsr2d2 said:

I assume she means that when her husband was alive, he was at the front of the business and she worked in a less visible capacity, in the background. After he died, you would expect her to become more visible, more involved, but it appears that she has continued in her old role as if her husband is still there at the front, and she is behind.

Click to expand...

YES!!! I got it. Thanks a lot. That's what she means yes. It makes sense.
That's why she made renovations to feel reborn as she said later. :up::up::up:

Thanks my friend.