backseat

backseat — phrase

1. One of the seats at the back of a car, bus, van, or any other motor vehicle, loc

1.片語A2
釋義

One of the seats at the back of a car, bus, van, or any other motor vehicle, located behind the front row where the driver and front passenger sit.

例句

The children climbed into the backseat and buckled their seat belts before the car moved.

collocation: "the backseat of [vehicle]"

Henrik folded down the backseat of his station wagon to fit the wooden bookshelf inside.

同義詞
  • rear seat

    more formal or technical; used in car manuals and official descriptions

反義詞

文法句型

the backseat of [vehicle]

常見錯誤

❌He sat in the backseat driver and gave directions.
✅He was a backseat driver, always telling the driver what to do.
💡'backseat driver' is an idiom for a person who gives unwanted advice, not a place to sit.

2. A position of less power, importance, or attention compared to someone or someth

2.片語B2
釋義

A position of less power, importance, or attention compared to someone or something else, often because of a conscious choice or because other priorities take over.

例句

After the merger, customer service took a backseat to cost-cutting and profit targets.

pattern: take a backseat to [something]

Ayana took a backseat in the committee to let new members share their ideas.

pattern: take a backseat in [something]

同義詞
反義詞

文法句型

take a backseat to [something/someone]

take a backseat in [something]

用法筆記

This sense almost always appears in the fixed phrase 'take a backseat (to/in)'. The subject is commonly a person, a plan, an issue, or a priority. It is rarely used in other grammatical contexts.

常見錯誤

❌He gave a backseat to his work.
✅His work took a backseat to his family.
💡'take a backseat' is the correct fixed phrase, not 'give a backseat'.
❌She took the backseat.
✅She took a backseat.
💡the indefinite article 'a' is used, not 'the'.