“Be on the back foot”
Work定義
處於劣勢，被迫被動應對，而不是主動出擊。
English: To be at a disadvantage and forced to react rather than take the initiative.
例句
範例
1 / 2“The unexpected question put the speaker on the back foot.”
這個出乎意料的問題讓發言者處於不利地位，迫使他做出反應。
Use this idiom in context
Rewrite this example in plain English without the idiom. Preserve who is speaking, the time and the meaning.
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.
這個出乎意料的問題讓發言者處於不利地位，迫使他做出反應。
Write a two-line conversation using “Be on the back foot”. Make the situation clear enough that a reader can infer the meaning. Then replace the idiom with a plain-English explanation: does your conversation still mean the same thing?
Check the expression in a dictionary常見問題
- What does "Be on the back foot" mean?
- "Be on the back foot" means 處於劣勢，被迫被動應對，而不是主動出擊。.
- 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.