stage

be/take centre stage (British, American)

to be the most important thing or person at an event or in a situation, or to be the thing or person that people notice most. A new range of electric cars will be centre stage at next month's exhibition.

See also: centre, take

set the stage for something

if you set the stage for something, you make it possible or likely to happen. The purpose of that first meeting was to set the stage for future co-operation between Russia and the USA.

See also: set

the stage is set for something

set the stage for something - if you set the stage for something, you make it possible or likely to happen. The stage is now set for a really exciting climax to this year's championship.

See also: set

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at this stage of the game

at a particular place in a process. At this stage of the game, it's really too late to switch computer software.

See also: game, this

set the stage for something

to prepare the way for something else to happen. This new information sets the stage for a long and interesting trial.

Etymology: from the preparation of the stage in a theater for the performance of a play

See also: set

take center stage

to be the center of interest. Collecting food and clothes for disaster victims has taken center stage in our town. A new line of electric cars took center stage at the automobile show.

See also: center, take