backdrop
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. A painted cloth or set of panels hung at the back of a stage to represent a scene or location: This is the primary theatrical meaning, referring to the scenic background against which a performance takes place. 2. The setting or background for a particular event, situation, or story: This figurative meaning extends the theatrical concept to describe the general conditions or context in which something happens.
Examples of Usage
- Noun (Theatrical):
- The painter created a beautiful forest backdrop for the play's opening scene.
- The actors performed in front of a simple blue backdrop.
- Noun (Figurative):
- The political turmoil served as a backdrop to the peace negotiations.
- The novel is set against the backdrop of the French Revolution.
Advanced Usage
- "Against the backdrop of...": This is a common phrase used to introduce the contextual background for an event or narrative.
- Against the backdrop of economic crisis, the government announced new austerity measures.
- Their love story unfolds against the backdrop of a changing society.
Variants and Related Words
- Backcloth (n): A synonym, primarily used in British English, for the theatrical .
- Background (n): A more general term for the setting or context. ( often implies a more visually evocative or dramatic setting).
- Scenery (n): The aggregate of painted backdrops, stage furniture, and other items used on a stage to represent the location.
Synonyms
- Setting: The time and place in which a story or event is set.
- Context: The circumstances that form the setting for an event, statement, or idea.
- Environment: The surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant lives or operates.
- Scene: The place where an incident occurs or the painted representation of a place on a stage.
Related Phrases
- To set against a backdrop: To place a narrative or event within a specific contextual framework.
- The director set the modern adaptation against the backdrop of a futuristic city.
Noun
- scenery hung at back of stage