To vie for the lead and fear falling behind; to compete eagerly to be first.
抢着向前，唯恐落后。
清·张春帆《宦海》第十四回一个个争先恐后的直抢上来。”
The students scrambled to answer the question, each one eager to demonstrate their knowledge.
Learn the next connected idiom: 争先恐后 (zhēng xiān kǒng hòu) → 后顾之忧 (hòu gù zhī yōu)
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