leaving someone in the dust

Verb

leave someone in the dust (third-person singular simple present leaves someone in the dust, present participle leaving someone in the dust, simple past and past participle left someone in the dust)

1. (idiomatic, informal) To completely overtake a competitor.
   • The company has currently no plans to switch away from the old designs, so they could very easily be left in the dust.

   Synonyms:

   leave for dust

2. (dated) To abandon; to leave behind.
   • In like manner, our great Henry, was not he forſaken? Left in the duſt of disfauour, and neglected all the time of his childhood?1619, Thomas Milles, ΑΡΧΑΙΟ-ΠΛΟΥΤΟΣ. Containing, Ten following Bookes to the former Treasurie of Auncient and Moderne Times