put (someone or something) on the back foot

put (someone or something) on the back foot

To bring someone or something into a position of disadvantage, retreat, or defeat. When a large portion of our funding was cut at the last minute, it put us on the back foot right from the get-go. The once-dominant airline company has been put the back foot by several no-frills competitors who have entered the market.

See also: back, foot, on, put

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.