take a back seat

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take a back seat

1. if an activity takes a back seat, you spend less time doing that than other things He's been putting all his energies into house-hunting recently so his studies have had to take a back seat. (sometimes + to ) In my early twenties, politics very much took a back seat to sport and socializing.

2. to let other people take a more active and responsible part in an organization or a situation I was content to take a back seat and let the rest of my family deal with the crisis.

See also: back, seat, take

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"Look here," he exclaimed, "I don't think you ought to force me to give myself away like this, but, after all, you are an Englishman, with a stake in your country, and I presume you don't want her to take a back seat for the next few generations. The Vanished Messenger by Oppenheim, E. Phillips View in context and that nigger was corked up and had to take a back seat. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Twain, Mark View in context Give a Martian woman a chance and death must take a back seat. A Princess of Mars by Burroughs, Edgar Rice View in context			synchronize with system tab tab for table table a motion tack tack down tack on tack onto tack up tag tag along tag out tail tail after tail between legs tail off tail wagging the dog tailor tailor to tailor-made tailor-made for taint with take take a back seat take a backseat take a bath take a beating take a bite out of take a blind bit of notice take a bow take a break take a chance take a chance on take a cold shower take a collection up take a course take a crack at take a deep breath take a dig at take a dim view take a dim view of take a dirt nap take a fall take a fancy to take a firm grip on take a gander take a guess take a hand in take a hard line			take (one's) breath away take (one's) breath away take (one's) breath away take (one's) hat off to take (one's) hat off to take (one's) life take (one's) life take (one's) life take (one's) life take (one's) life in (one's) hands take (one's) life in (one's) hands take (one's) life in (one's) hands take (one's) life in (one's) hands take (one's) time take (one's) time take (one's) time take (one's) time take (one's) time take (someone's) life take (someone's) life take (someone's) life take (someone's) life take (someone's) part take (someone's) part take (someone's) part take (someone's) part take (someone) down a peg take (someone) down a peg take (someone) down a peg take (someone) down a peg take a back seat take a backseat take a bath take a bath take a bath take a bath take a bath take a bath take a bead on take a beating take a beating take a beating Take A Big Bite of My Ass Take A Big Bite Out Of My Ass take a bite out of take a blind bit of notice take a bow take a bow Take a Break Take a Break take a breath take a breather take a breather take a butcher's take a butcher's Take a Call take a census take a chance take a chance take a chance take a chance

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