up stage
Preserved but no longer current.
As a technical theatrical direction this means at the back of the stage, which in many theatres slopes down slightly to the footlights. Colloquially the phrase up-stage means aloof, putting on airs of consequence or superiority.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “up stage” mean?
As a technical theatrical direction this means at the back of the stage, which in many theatres slopes down slightly to the footlights. Colloquially the phrase up-stage means aloof, putting on airs of consequence or superiority.
Is “up stage” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.