upstage

/' pi / Cách viết khác : (uppity) /' piti/ (upstage) /' p'steid /

Thân thiện

The actor tried to upstage his co-star during the final scene.

Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Aloof or haughty in manner: Describes someone who behaves in a distant, remote, or condescending way.
   • Relating to the rear part of a stage: In theater, pertaining to the area of the stage farthest from the audience.

2. Adverb:

   • At or toward the rear of a stage: A direction for movement or position on a theatrical stage, away from the audience.

3. Noun:

   • The rear part of a stage: The section of a theatrical stage that is farthest from the audience.

4. Verb:

   • To draw attention away from someone, especially another performer: To outshine or steal focus from another actor or person.
   • To force another actor to face away from the audience: In theater, to move to a position that compels another actor to turn their back to the audience.
   • To treat someone in a snobbish or condescending manner: To behave haughtily toward someone, putting them in their place.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective:

  • His upstage demeanor made it difficult to approach him.
  • The actor waited in the upstage area for his cue.

• Adverb:

  • The director instructed the chorus to move upstage.

• Noun:

  • The mysterious figure appeared from the upstage.

• Verb:

  • The comedian's hilarious ad-lib completely upstaged the lead actor's serious monologue.
  • By standing downstage, she deliberately upstaged her scene partner.
  • He felt upstaged by the new manager's know-it-all attitude.

Advanced Usage

• "To be upstaged": To have one's attention or glory taken by someone or something else.

  • The CEO was upstaged by the intern's brilliant presentation.

• Technical Theater Usage: The concept of "upstaging" is a specific technique or problem in blocking, where an actor's position forces others into a less favorable orientation toward the audience.

Variants and Related Words

• Upstager (noun): A person who habitually upstages others.
• Upstaging (noun/gerund): The act of upstaging someone.

Synonyms

• Outshine: To be much better than someone else.
• Overshadow: To appear more important or successful than someone else.
• Snub: To insult someone by ignoring them or behaving rudely.
• Condescending: Behaving as though you are more important or intelligent than others.

Related Phrasal Verbs/Phrases

(Note: "Upstage" itself is not typically used in phrasal verb constructions. The advanced usages above cover its idiomatic applications.)

Related Idioms

• "To steal the show": This idiom is closely related to the verb "to upstage." It means to attract the most attention and praise, often unexpectedly.
  • The child actor stole the show with her natural performance.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. remote in manner
   • stood apart with aloof dignity
   • a distant smile
   • he was upstage with strangers
2. of the back half of a stage
   • she crossed to the upstage chair forcing the lead to turn his back to the audience

Adverb

1. at or toward the rear of the stage
   • the dancers were directed to move upstage

Noun

1. the rear part of the stage

Verb

1. steal the show, draw attention to oneself away from someone else
   • When the dog entered the stage, he upstaged the actress
2. move upstage, forcing the other actors to turn away from the audience
3. treat snobbishly, put in one's place

Từ đồng nghĩa

• aloof
• distant