take a back seat
accept a poorer or lower position；be second to sth．or sb．else；take second place 接受较差或较低的位置；成为次要的人或事情；退居其次
With no hope of winning，he had to take a back seat in the contest．眼看自己在比赛中无望获胜，他只得甘拜下风。
During the war all manufacturing had to take a back seat to military needs．在战争期间，一切生产都要服从军事需要。