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Tread the boards

//ˌtɹɛd ðə ˈbɔːdz// verb

Definitions

Verb

1
To work as a theatre actor. dated, humorous, idiomatic, intransitive
"He seems to think that he's the greatest actor who's ever trod the boards."
2
To write plays for the theatre. dated, figuratively, humorous, idiomatic, intransitive
"After years of acting, she decided to tread the boards as a playwright instead, penning three successful comedies for the local theater company."

Etymology

From the fact that theatre stages are often made of wooden boards which are trodden by actors. Compare French monter sur les planches (literally “to get up onto the boards”). The term boards (“a theatrical stage”) was first attested in the mid-1700s, this idiom itself was first attested in the mid-1800s, and was preceded by the idiom tread the stage, first attested in 1691.

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