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Upstage

//ʌpˈsteɪd͡ʒ// adj, adv, noun, verb

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    At the rear of a stage.

    "The minimalist play used no upstage scenery."

  2. 2
    Haughty, aloof. figuratively, obsolete

    "If she hasn't time for this or that, if she refuses to make or keep appointments, if her face does not greet all comers with a sweet and charming smile, then the word is passed around that ‘So-and-So is getting high-hat and up-stage.’"

Adjective
  1. 1
    remote in manner wordnet
  2. 2
    of the back half of a stage wordnet
Adverb
  1. 1
    Toward or at the rear of a theatrical stage.

    "The actor turned and walked upstage."

  2. 2
    Away from the audience or camera.
Adverb
  1. 1
    at or toward the rear of the stage wordnet
Noun
  1. 1
    The part of a stage that is farthest from the audience or camera. uncountable
  2. 2
    the rear part of the stage wordnet
Verb
  1. 1
    To draw attention away from others, especially on-stage. figuratively, transitive

    "She only wore that dress to upstage everyone."

  2. 2
    steal the show, draw attention to oneself away from someone else wordnet
  3. 3
    To force other actors to face away from the audience by staying upstage. transitive
  4. 4
    move upstage, forcing the other actors to turn away from the audience wordnet
  5. 5
    To treat snobbishly. broadly, transitive
Show 2 more definitions
  1. 6
    treat snobbishly, put in one's place wordnet
  2. 7
    To restage upward; to restage (a case of a disease, usually a cancer) to a higher stage than that found at last assessment. transitive

    "Almost one-third of patients were upstaged after re-exploration, three-quarters of whom actually had stage III disease."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From up- + stage. The figurative uses “haughty” and “to draw attention away” derive from actors moving to a higher and thus more visible position on a sloped stage.

Etymology 2

From up- + stage. The figurative uses “haughty” and “to draw attention away” derive from actors moving to a higher and thus more visible position on a sloped stage.

Etymology 3

From up- + stage. The figurative uses “haughty” and “to draw attention away” derive from actors moving to a higher and thus more visible position on a sloped stage.

Etymology 4

From up- + stage. The figurative uses “haughty” and “to draw attention away” derive from actors moving to a higher and thus more visible position on a sloped stage.

See also for "upstage"

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