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to lie behind
01
to be the true cause of something, often not immediately apparent
Grammatical Information
Composition
phrasal
State verb
Regular
Inseparable
Particle
behind
Base verb
lie
Present tense
lie behind
3rd person singular
lies behind
Present participle
lying behind
Past simple
lay behind
Past participle
lain behind
Examples
The search for power and control often lies behind manipulative behavior and toxic relationships.
