- 1 [countable] a period or state that something/somebody passes through while developing or making progress This technology is still in its early stages. The children are at different stages of development. The product is at the design stage. People tend to work hard at this stage of life. At one stage it looked as though they would win. Don't worry about the baby not wanting to leave you—it's a stage they go through. see also end-stage Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivedistinct, beginning, early, … verb + stagego through, move through, pass through, … prepositionat a/the stage, by stages, during a/the stage, … phrasesthe beginning of a stage, the end of a stage, a stage further, … See full entry part of process
- 2 [countable] a separate part that a process, etc. is divided into synonym phase We did the first stage of the trip by train. The police are building up a picture of the incident stage by stage. The pay increase will be introduced in stages (= not all at once). We can take the argument one stage further. Language BankprocessDescribing a process This diagram illustrates the process of paper-making./This diagram shows how paper is made. First/First of all, logs are delivered to a paper mill, where the bark is removed and the wood is cut into small chips. Next/Second, the wood chips are pulped, either using chemicals or in a pulping machine. Pulping breaks down the internal structure of the wood and enables/allows the natural oils to be removed. Once/After the wood has been pulped, the pulp is bleached in order to remove impurities. /…is bleached so that impurities can be removed. The next stage is to feed the pulp into the paper machine, where it is mixed with water and then poured onto a wire conveyor belt. As the pulp travels along the conveyor belt, the water drains away. This causes the solid material to sink to the bottom, forming a layer of paper. At this point the new paper is still wet, so it is passed between large heated rollers, which press out the remaining water and simultaneously dry the paper/…dry the paper at the same time. The final stage is to wind the paper onto large rolls./Finally, the paper is wound onto large rolls. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivedistinct, beginning, early, … verb + stagego through, move through, pass through, … prepositionat a/the stage, by stages, during a/the stage, … phrasesthe beginning of a stage, the end of a stage, a stage further, … See full entry theatre
- 3 [countable] a raised area, usually in a theatre, etc. where actors, dancers, etc. perform The audience threw flowers onto the stage. There were more than 50 people on stage in one scene. They marched off stage to the sound of trumpets. see also backstage, offstage, onstage Wordfindertheatreartistic director, auditorium, balcony, box office, circle, director, foyer, stage, the stalls, theatre Wordfinderstagebackdrop, costume, curtain, footlights, prop, proscenium, scenery, set, stage, the wings Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivecentre/center, main, empty, … verb + stagego on, hit, step on, … stage + nounmusical, play, production, … phrasesthe back of the stage, the edge of the stage, the front of the stage, … See full entry See related entries: In the theatre, Live music
- 4 (also the stage) [singular] the theatre and the world of acting as a form of entertainment His parents didn't want him to go on the stage (= to be an actor). She was a popular star of stage and screen (= theatre and cinema/movies). Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivecentre/center, main, empty, … verb + stagego on, hit, step on, … stage + nounmusical, play, production, … phrasesthe back of the stage, the edge of the stage, the front of the stage, … See full entry in politics
- 5[singular] an area of activity where important things happen, especially in politics She was forced to the centre of the political stage. Germany is playing a leading role on the international stage. see also centre stage Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivecentre/center, main, empty, … verb + stagego on, hit, step on, … stage + nounmusical, play, production, … phrasesthe back of the stage, the edge of the stage, the front of the stage, … See full entry carriage
- 6[countable] (old-fashioned, informal) = stagecoach see also landing stage Word OriginMiddle English (denoting a floor of a building, platform, or stopping place): shortening of Old French estage ‘dwelling’, based on Latin stare ‘to stand’. Current senses of the verb date from the early 17th cent.Extra examples A fan jumped up onto the stage. A group of tables were converted into a makeshift stage. A new actress will take centre stage in next month’s production of ‘The Doll’s House’. A trumpet sounded off stage. As the stage directions indicate, it is early morning in Moscow. China is now a major player on the world stage. Colombia’s win sent them through to the knockout stage of the tournament. David Bowie returned to the concert stage last week. David Harries adopted the stage name Dixon Hare when he became a full-time actor. Even experienced actors can suffer from stage fright. Fans hung around the stage door hoping to meet the band. Gore has stepped back onto the political stage. He once shared the stage with Frank Sinatra. He was always unwilling to take centre/center stage. He was too nervous to go on stage. Her husband was in the advanced stages of cancer. His stage persona was that of a foolish drunk. I was shaking as I took the stage. It was hard to forget her powerful stage presence. Pupils are tested at the end of each stage of the course. Shakespeare’s famous stage direction: ‘Exit, pursued by a bear.’ She is one of the finest actors ever to grace the stage. She left the stage to tumultuous applause. She made her stage debut at the age of four. She took to the stage when she was at university. She was booed off the stage. Stravinsky’s last stage work The book guides you through making your own website in easy stages. The entire cast is on stage in the final scene. The process has three distinct stages. The project is still at the planning stage. The stage set is the most expensive ever built. The thrilling semi-finals set the stage for what should be a great game. The university was put together by stages. The water goes through three stages of purification. They played the main stage at Glastonbury. This adaptation represented an important stage in human evolution. We renovated the house in two stages. We’ve entered a crucial stage in the project. You should read this article at some stage. a process that by stages led to the Cold War a young entertainer at the formative stages of his career an important stage in her life take the investigation one stage further the different life stages of insects and fish the latter stages of the race the stage version of ‘The Lion King’ At one stage it looked as though they would win. Don’t worry about the baby not wanting to leave you—it’s a stage they all go through. Germany is playing a leading role on the world stage. His parents didn’t want him to go on the stage. She came off stage to great applause. She was a popular star of stage and screen. She was forced to the centre of the political stage. The pay increase will be introduced in stages. The police are building up a picture of the incident stage by stage. The tension was high in the closing stages of the debate. This technology is still in its early stages. When he was on stage he became another person.Idioms
period/state
to make it possible for something to happen; to make something likely to happen Family problems in childhood can set the stage for stress in adult life.
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