knew one's place

Verb

know one's place (third-person singular simple present knows one's place, present participle knowing one's place, simple past knew one's place, past participle known one's place)

1. To understand one's rank or status and behave accordingly; to act humbly.
   • Had he been taught early and thoroughly to know his place, and be content with his faculty, he would have been one of the happiest and most serviceable of men.1871 September 1, John Ruskin, “Letter IX”, in Fors Clavigera. Letters to the Workmen and Labourers of Great Britain, volume I, Orpington, Kent: George Allen, →OCLC, page 7

   Synonyms:

   stay in one's lane, know some manners

   1. (sometimes) To avoid intermixing and interacting with people of other races.