26984 words

stage

19 definitions • 37 examples
1
a part of an activity or a period of development:

Examples:

in a stage The project is in its final stages and should be completed by August.
They did the last stage of their journey on foot.
Our marriage is going through a difficult stage at the moment.
at the stage where Their youngest child is at the stage where she can say individual words but not full sentences.
at some stage I'm not tired at the moment but I will need a rest at some stage (= at some time) during the walk.
just a stage someone is going through Andrew spends all his spare time playing with his computer but it's probably just a stage he's going through (= a period of development that will end soon).
2
If you do something in stages, you divide the activity into parts and complete each part separately:

Examples:

We're decorating the house in stages so it won't be ready for another couple of months.
3
one of the separate parts of a rocket, each part having its own engine:

Examples:

Once its fuel supply runs out, each stage separates from the main part of the rocket and falls back to earth.
4
the area in a theatre that is often raised above ground level and on which actors or entertainers perform:

Examples:

on stage Hamlet is on stage for most of the act.
go on/off stage The orchestra went on/off stage to great applause.
The play is a stage adaptation of William Golding's novel.
The singer returns to the Oslo stage (= will perform again in Oslo) this summer.
5
a particular area of public life:

Examples:

world stage The president was extremely popular on the world stage but was disliked in his own country.
6
to go onto the stage and start to perform:

Examples:

She was waiting to take the stage at a rally in Ohio.
7
to arrange and perform a play or show:

Examples:

8
to organize an event:

Examples:

London staged the Olympic Games in 2012.
9
a part of an activity, or a period of development:

Examples:

The software is in the early stages of development.
At that stage of my life, I was married but didn’t have any children.
10
If you do something in stages, you divide the activity into parts and complete each part separately:

Examples:

We’re repairing the house in stages – first the roof and chimney, then the windows.
11

Examples:

[ C ] When you’re sitting in the balcony, you see more of the ceiling than the stage.
[ U ] Berlin’s most successful stage musical was "Annie Get Your Gun."
[ U ] She was a popular star of the musical stage (= of this type of theater).
As a child, he appeared on stage (= performing in theaters).
12
A stage is also a particular area of public life:

Examples:

[ C ] His novel includes such actors on the world stage as Fidel Castro and the Pope.
13
to arrange the performance of a play or other entertainment:

Examples:

Bejart was staging his own ballets.
14
If you stage an event, you organize it:

Examples:

Bus drivers are planning to stage a 24-hour strike.
15
one of a series of periods of development in a process:

Examples:

Flotation is a key stage in the group's development plans.
From an early stage financial regulators blamed a lack of internal controls for the bank's failure.
At this stage, there is no proposal to change the existing management structure of the group.
Negotiations with the union have reached a critical stage.
first/final/next stage
16
a particular area of public life where important events happen:

Examples:

global/international/world stage His speech at the party conference propelled him onto the international stage.
17
if you do something in stages, you divide the activity into parts and complete each part separately:

Examples:

The proposed budget cuts would be made in stages over the next five years.
18
to organize a large or important event for a large number of people:

Examples:

London won the bid to stage the 2012 Olympics.
19
to start to happen:

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