upstage

WOTD – 13 November 2006    

English

Etymology

up +‎ stage

Pronunciation

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -eɪdʒ

Noun

upstage (uncountable)

1. The part of a stage that is farthest from the audience or camera.

Coordinate terms

• center stage
• downstage
• stage left
• stage right

Adverb

upstage (comparative more upstage, superlative most upstage)

1. toward or at the rear of a theatrical stage.

   The actor turned and walked upstage.

2. away from a motion-picture or television camera.

Adjective

upstage (comparative more upstage, superlative most upstage)

1. At the rear of a stage.

   The minimalist play used no upstage scenery.

Verb

upstage (third-person singular simple present upstages, present participle upstaging, simple past and past participle upstaged)

1. (transitive) To draw attention away from.

   She only wore that dress to upstage everyone.

2. (transitive) To force other actors to face away from the audience by staying upstage.
3. (transitive) To treat snobbishly.

See also

• Rake (theatre) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia:Rake (theatre)