English idiom

on the back burner

Register · Informal CEFR B2

Post

Figurative meaning

given low priority and left for later

Why this phrase?

From cooking, where a pot is moved to a low-heat back burner; figuratively means delayed.

Example

“We've put the redesign on the back burner until next year.”

Dictionary details

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

buy time

to create a delay that provides extra time to prepare or decide

hang on a minute

used to ask someone to wait, or to express surprise or objection

easier said than done

Something that sounds simple to do but is actually hard.

for the time being

temporarily, until circumstances change

golden rule

the most important rule or principle to follow

sleep on it

to delay a decision until the next day

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

External links

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