Oxford Dictionary English

    backdrop

    noun
    noun
    BrE BrE//ˈbækdrɒp//
    ; NAmE NAmE//ˈbækdrɑːp//
    (British English also backcloth) In the theatre
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  1. 1a painted piece of cloth that is hung behind the stage in a theatre as part of the scenery Wordfinderstagebackdrop, costume, curtain, footlights, prop, proscenium, scenery, set, stage, the wings Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivedramatic, magnificent, perfect, … verb + backdrophave, create, form, … prepositionagainst a/​the backdrop of, backdrop for, backdrop of, … See full entry See related entries: In the theatre
  2. 2everything that can be seen around an event that is taking place, but which is not part of that event The mountains provided a dramatic backdrop for our picnic. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivedramatic, magnificent, perfect, … verb + backdrophave, create, form, … prepositionagainst a/​the backdrop of, backdrop for, backdrop of, … See full entry
  3. 3the general conditions in which an event takes place, which sometimes help to explain that event It was against this backdrop of racial tension that the civil war began. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivedramatic, magnificent, perfect, … verb + backdrophave, create, form, … prepositionagainst a/​the backdrop of, backdrop for, backdrop of, … See full entry
    4. Extra examples The Alps provided the perfect backdrop for a romantic holiday. The beautiful gardens provided a scenic backdrop for the wedding ceremony. The conference begins this week against a backdrop of unmitigated gloom. The large bay has a superb backdrop of mountains. The photographer poses his subjects against painted backdrops. Their lives played out against a historical backdrop of conflict. War is more than just a dramatic backdrop to the novel. Worsening economic conditions have created an unfavorable backdrop for global markets. The Irish Sea forms a backdrop to all the views to the south and east. The events took place against the dramatic backdrop of the Atlas mountains. The movie is set against the stunning backdrop of Lake Garda. White walls provide the perfect backdrop for wooden furniture.
See backdrop in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic EnglishSee backdrop in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
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