Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Topic: THEATRE

Date: 1500-1600
Language: French
Origin: scène, from Latin scena, scaena 'stage, scene', from Greek skene 'tent, building against which a play is performed, stage'

scene

 noun
     
scene S2 W2
1

play/film

[countable]
a) APT part of a play during which there is no change in time or place:
Hamlet, Act 5 Scene 2
b) A a single piece of action that happens in one place in a film, book etc:
The film contains some violent scenes.
colourful pictures depicting scenes from the Bible
2

activities

[singular] a particular set of activities and the people who are involved in them:
I'm not into the club scene (=going to night clubs).
a newcomer to the political scene
3

accident/crime

[singular] the place where an accident, crime etc happened:
The police soon arrived at the scene of the crime.
at the scene
Investigators are now at the scene, searching for clues.
on the scene
Journalists were on the scene within minutes.
4

view/picture

[countable] a view of a place as you see it, or as it appears in a picture:
He photographed a wide range of street scenes.
scene of
She returned home to find a scene of devastation.
5

event/situation

[countable] what is happening in a place, or what can be seen happening
scene of
There were scenes of rejoicing after the election.
bad scene American English
'It's a bad scene here,' she said. 'Jamie is very sick.'
6

argument

[countable] a loud angry argument, especially in a public place:
There were angry scenes in parliament today.
I was mad, but I didn't want to make a scene.
7

not be your scene

informal to not be the type of thing you like:
Loud discos aren't really my scene.
8

behind the scenes

secretly, while other things are happening publicly:
Behind the scenes, both sides are working towards an agreement.
9

set the scene

a) to provide the conditions in which an event can happen
set the scene for
The prison riots have set the scene for major reform.
b) to describe the situation before you begin to tell a story:
A few words on the rules of English law will help to set the scene.
10

be/come on the scene

to be or become involved in a situation, activity etc:
By then, there was a boyfriend on the scene.

➔ a change of scene

at change2 (3)

; ➔ steal the scene

at steal1 (4)
Definition of scene from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English within
the topic THEATRE
Word of the Day
The THEATRE
Word of the Day is:
exeunt

Other related topics