To be glad to see the back of



Context #1: Kim and Derek are at work sitting in the break room. They begin talking about their co-worker, Fred.

Kim: You know – Fred was late again today.
Derek: I’m not surprised. I had to finish his last project because he wasn’t here to do it.
Kim: Does the boss know?
Derek: The boss knows now. He is pretty angry. I heard the boss tell Fred the next time he’s late or his work isn’t finished, he’ll be fired.
Kim: That’s fine by me. Fred’s lazy. Actually, I’ll be glad to see the back of him!

Context #2 : Joe is writing a post card about his experience at summer camp…

Dear Mom and Dad,

I can’t believe I’m still here. Every hour seems to take a week! I really miss you and I miss home. It’s cold here. The other kids are really mean. I can’t sleep in this uncomfortable bed. Also, the activities are boring. I’ll be glad to see the back of this place!

Love, Joe.

Meaning: We use this idiom when a person or thing is part of our life and is not liked. A similar idiom is “to be glad to get rid of.” When you “see the back of” a person, it means that person is leaving. In other words, if you are “glad” to “see the back of” someone, you are happy that person is leaving.
https://languagesystems.edu/ 

3 Responses

  1. Thanks a lot for sharing, guys … Can we also say 'glad to see the LAST of someone' to mean the same? … We love you …

    Russian ESL students
    Moscow

    1. You're very welcome, guys … Can't wait for more of your super awesome expressions … Keep up the good work …

      Your Russian fans
      Moscow

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Categories

You may also like

Language Systems International (LSI) hosted its annual soccer tournament, marking the first year since the pause due to the COVID-19...

At Language Systems, we believe in creating a vibrant community both inside and outside the classroom. That’s why we organize...

At Language Systems International, we always encourage our students to make the most of their free time by exploring the...