Etymology Journal · O
On the back burner
Meaning
- When a project or task is put on the back burner, it is being postponed or given low priority for the time being. It is not forgotten, but it is not being worked on right now.
Business-like, pragmatic
Used in a sentence
- We have to put the expansion plans on the back burner until next year.
- Let us keep that idea on the back burner for now.
- My hobby has been on the back burner since the baby arrived.
The backstory
This refers to an old stove where the front burners were used for active cooking. The back burners were kept for low heat or keeping items warm while the real work happened in front.
Heard in
Nationwide
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