upstage

Meanings

Noun

• The part of a stage that is farthest from the audience or camera.

Adverb

• Toward or at the rear of a theatrical stage.
• Away from the audience or camera.

Adjective

• At the rear of a stage.
• Haughty, aloof.

Verb

• To draw attention away from others, especially on-stage.
• To force other actors to face away from the audience by staying upstage.
• To treat snobbishly.
• To restage upward; to restage (a case of a disease, usually a cancer) to a higher stage than that found at last assessment.

Origin

• 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.