back burner

back burner

Where low-priority tasks figuratively reside. Typically used in the phrase "put (something) on the back burner." The phrase refers to the back burner of a stove, which is where pots are usually placed to simmer on low heat. I know you're eager to start on this new project, but I'm afraid it's going on the back burner—we just don't have the budget for it right now. You need to go to a doctor! You can't put your health on the back burner any longer!
See also: back, burner
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • backburner
  • burner
  • back-to-back-to-back
  • come back anytime
  • backed up
  • come back and see us
  • back
  • back at (something or some place)
  • echo back to
  • be/go back to square one
References in periodicals archive
The race was won by a big-priced newcomer, but Back Burner finished one place ahead of the 79-rated Joe Eile.
Andrew Tebbutt, county council executive member for corporate resources, said: "We have decided that parking charges at County Hall is not a priority this year, and have put it on the back burner. We believe our staff have enough to cope with at present without this as well.
She added that equality was "not something that can be put on the back burner when economic times are difficult".
Their first venture was an electronic cookbook which didn't take off, so it was put on the back burner. Then came the plug-in bible, which to be honest didn't really have a prayer.
But it only happened during those two days--so off to the back burner.
For the past six years LGBT issues have been sitting on the back burner of Washington politics--that is, unless the issue was about limiting our rights.
In response to resulting financial pressures as well as a lack of alternative resources, many building owners, real estate investors and state officials have decided to put their sustainable aspirations on the back burner.
School quality, equity and funding got pushed to the back burner.
Though supported by the Bush administration, the FTAA has fortunately been temporarily put on a back burner.
Since then, Steen has put her freelance design career on the back burner and focused on Walldrops for both residential and commercial customers, creating custom designs of all shapes, hues and fabrications, $1,500 and up retail.
After this I didn't hear from anyone else at the school and put the issue on the back burner, hoping that my efforts had done some good.
In January, Bombardier put the CSeries on the back burner but pledged to keep it alive for at least this year with $100 million earmarked for continued development.
It left small builders not named Bombardier on the back burner.
John Maloney, MP, chairman of the Commons Justice Committee, proposes to put it on the back burner in order to tackle some other commonplace criminal justice bills that have been lying around for some time.
In the fierce competition for the time of a typical small-businessman or woman, things that go beyond payroll, accounting and general operations, including IP protection, often get put on the back burner, leaving small businesses at risk.