take a back seat
/ˌteɪk ə ˌbæk ˈsiːt/NEUTRAL · B2
Meaning
to let other people have control or attention
Examples
- 1After thirty years running the shop, Dad has decided to take a back seat and let my brother manage it.
- 2Maria usually leads the team, but this time she took a back seat so the juniors could present.
- 3Once the grandchildren arrived, Gran took a back seat and let the younger ones cook Christmas dinner.
- 4I'm happy to take a back seat at the meeting and let you do the talking.
- 5Why is Tom taking a back seat this year when he organised everything last time?
Grammar
Only take changes: takes, taking, took, taken. Keep a and the singular seat.
Similar in meaning
More idioms about travel
All 20 idioms and the topic quiz →plain sailingeasy and without any problemsa dead enda situation in which no more progress is possiblewater under the bridgepast problems that no longer matter or cause bad feelingshit the roadto leave a place and start a journeyin the middle of nowherefar from any towns, with very few people arounda stone's throwa very short distance away
English Idioms400 idioms in 20 topics — with reviews that keep them from fading
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