stage

I UK [steɪdʒ] / US noun
Word forms "stage":
singular stage plural stages
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1) [countable] a particular point in time during a process or set of events

The negotiations had reached a delicate stage.

at this stage:

There's no point arguing about it at this stage.

an early/initial stage:

They had the ball more often in the early stages of the game.

a final/closing stage:

The issue was only raised in the closing stage of the election campaign.

a) a particular part of a process that has several different parts

She likes to involve herself in every stage of the film-making process.

The project is still at a planning stage.

Atkins outlined a three-stage programme for resolving the crisis.

b) a part of a journey that has several different parts

The last stage of the journey was the train north.

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Collocations:
Adjectives frequently used with stage
▪  advanced, closing, early, final, formative, halfway, initial, late, preliminary

2) [countable] theatre the part of a theatre where the actors or musicians perform

take/leave the stage (= come onto/go off the stage):

The musicians didn't take the stage until after ten o'clock.

on stage:

They had now been on stage for over four hours.

a) [singular] the theatre, rather than films, books, or other forms of art

She's written a number of things for the stage.

b) the stage life as a performer, especially the profession of acting

go on the stage (= become a professional performer):

Do you think your children will go on the stage?

3) [singular] the place or situation in which something happens, especially in politics

the world/political/international stage:

He is a skilled performer on the political stage.

She's not yet a politician of significance on the world stage.

4) [countable] informal a stagecoach

II UK [steɪdʒ] / US verb [transitive]
Word forms "stage":
present tense I/you/we/they stage he/she/it stages present participle staging past tense staged past participle staged

1) to organize an event

You cannot stage a Verdi opera without a chorus.

The protest was a well-planned and carefully staged affair.

2) to be the place where an event happens

the city that so successfully staged the 2000 Olympics