be on the back foot
be on the back foot
To be in a position of disadvantage, retreat, or defeat. A large portion of our funding was cut at the last minute, so this project has been on the back foot from the get-go. The once-dominant airline company has been on the back foot ever since several no-frills competitors entered the market.
See also: back, foot, on
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
- on the back foot
- burn one's bridges/boats, to
- beat back
- pull back
- fall back
- roar back
- draw/pull in one's horns, to
- row back
- beat a (hasty/quick) retreat, to
- leeway