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take a backseat

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take a backseat (to someone or something)

Fig. to become less important than someone or something else. My homework had to take a backseat to football during the playoffs. Jimmy always took a backseat to his older brother, Bill, until Bill went away to college.

See also: backseat, take

take a backseat (to somebody)

to let someone else deal with something I was happy to take a backseat and let my brother deal with the family crisis.

Etymology: based on the idea of sitting in the backseat of a car and letting someone else drive

See also: backseat, take

take a backseat (to something)

to be considered to be less important than something else For many kids, homework takes a backseat to sports.

See also: backseat, take