“Be on the back foot”
WorkDefinition
To be at a disadvantage and forced to react rather than take the initiative.
Examples
Examples
1 / 2“The unexpected question put the speaker on the back foot.”
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The unexpected question put the speaker on the back foot.Compare with the original example
The unexpected question put the speaker on the back foot.
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Check the expression in a dictionaryFrequently asked questions
- What does "Be on the back foot" mean?
- "Be on the back foot" means to be at a disadvantage and forced to react rather than take the initiative.
- How do you use "Be on the back foot" in a sentence?
- Example: "The unexpected question put the speaker on the back foot."
- Should I interpret "Be on the back foot" word for word?
- Understand the expression as a whole. Use the definition and example to learn its meaning rather than translating each word separately.