A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

before Christ • before God
before Christ—(abbreviated 
B
.
C
.) before the Christian era (of
a date calculated backwards from the birth of Christ): Morrison
mentions a dictionary in the Chinese language as having been
compiled 
11
00 years before Christ.
before God —(used as a solemn declaration) as God sees me;
as God is my witness: “I will bring up your son as if he were
my own,” he told the dying woman. “I promise you that, be-
fore God.”
behind one’s time • past one’s time
behind one’s time —
1
. after the usual or proper time: Master
Gammon was half an hour behind his time for bed, and had
dropped asleep in his chair. 2. using things not in style; fol-
lowing old ways: I started to think that either Ben had been
so ahead of his time when he first came to us, or I was behind
my time.
past one’s time —
1
. = behind one’s time 
1
: By the time Kewaa
got home, it was past her time for bed and her mother was
concerned that something had happened to her. 2. be late in
menstruating (the usual implication being that of unwanted
pregnancy): It’s this way — I’m just married and my wife is past
her time and I can’t afford to have any children. 3. past one’s
prime; no longer young or efficient enough: I have sat in on
school board meetings and while Jeanie may mean well she is
past her time for effectiveness.
behind the times • behind time
behind the times —
1
. (of things) old-fashioned or out of date:
The science books of twenty years ago are behind the times
now. 2. (of people) using things not in style; following old
ways: Mary thinks her parents are behind the times because
they still do the foxtrot.
behind time —
1
. (of a clock) slow; behind the correct time:
This option lets you set your computer clock several minutes
ahead or behind time. 2. behind schedule; after the usual or
proper time: The train was a good deal behind time, and
therefore the stop was curtailed as much as possible.