theatrethea‧tre British English, theater American English /ˈθɪətə $ -ər/ ●●● S2 W2 noun 
an open-air theatre (=a theatre that is outside) the Mercury Theater2plays [uncountable] a)plays as a form of entertainment: I enjoy theater and swimming.the theatre He’s really interested in literature and the theatre. Yeats’ plays are great poetry but they are not good theatre (=good entertainment). b)the work of acting in, writing, or organizing plays: classes in theater and musicin the theatre She’s been working in the theatre over thirty years.3place to see a film [countable] American English a building where films are shown SYN movie theater American English, cinema British English: ‘Bambi’ was the first movie I ever saw in the theater.4hospital [countable, uncountable] British English a special room in a hospital where medical operations are done SYN operating room American Englishin theatre Marilyn is still in theatre.5war [countable] formal a large area where a war is being fought: the Pacific theater during World War IITHESAURUSstage the raised area on which the actors, musicians etc perform: · He came on stage to rapturous applause.· The band will appear live on stage for the first time in three years.the stalls British English, the orchestra American English the lower level of seats: · He had a seat in the stalls.· We paid $100 for a seat in the orchestra.the circle British English, the balcony the higher level of seats: · They were sitting in the balcony.the orchestra pit the space below the stage where the musicians sit: · The actress fell into the orchestra pit.box office the place in a theatre where you buy tickets: · Collect your tickets at the box office.programme British English, program American English a small book that you buy when you go to the theatre that gives information about the play and the performers: · His name is not in the programme.· Do you want me to buy you a program?interval British English, intermission BrE formal and AmE a short period of time between the parts of a play or show when the audience can talk or have a drink: · We got a drink in the interval.
WORD ORIGINtheater
Origin:
1300-1400 Old French theatre, from Latin, from Greek theatron, from theasthai ‘to watch’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Many of NATO's nuclear weapons in the European theatre are obsolete.
- She does some TV work, but theatre remains her first love.
- the use of theatre in primary school education
- Anyhow, I married her out of lust and a sort of snobbism for the theatre in general and pretty actresses in particular.
- I've never been in a fire in a theatre before - thankfully they're almost unheard of.
- In the 1870s his career as a theatre architect started rapidly.
- In theory the theatre can hold about 2,800 people, although new security measures limit this on most occasions to around 2,000.
- It will probably be among the most wonderful experiences you've had in any theatre.
- The utopian theatre of 1917 Berlin and Vienna was still on the horizon.
- Those enthusiasms right now center on the theatre.
THESAURUS
the raised area on which the actors, musicians etc perform: · He came on stage to rapturous applause.· The band will appear live on stage for the first time in three years.
British English, the orchestra American English the lower level of seats: · He had a seat in the stalls.· We paid $100 for a seat in the orchestra.
British English, the balcony the higher level of seats: · They were sitting in the balcony.
the space below the stage where the musicians sit: · The actress fell into the orchestra pit.
the place in a theatre where you buy tickets: · Collect your tickets at the box office.
British English, program American English a small book that you buy when you go to the theatre that gives information about the play and the performers: · His name is not in the programme.· Do you want me to buy you a program?
British English, intermission BrE formal and AmE a short period of time between the parts of a play or show when the audience can talk or have a drink: · We got a drink in the interval.
Longman Language Activatorthe activity or study of acting the job or skill of being an actor: · You shouldn't take up acting as a career; it's a very risky business.· Gloria Reuben quit acting to join Tina Turner on stage as a backing singer and dancer.
British /theater American the business and activity of arranging, acting in, and performing plays in theatres: · She does some TV work, but theatre remains her first love.· the use of theatre in primary school educationthe theatre/the theater: · Shakespeare's plays were written for the theater, but many people study them as literature.
the study of acting and plays as a subject at school, college, or university: · He studied English and Drama at Manchester University.· a drama student· I was never much good at drama when I was a kid - probably because I was very shy.
acting in plays as an activity that you do in your free time for enjoyment, not as a job you get paid for: · Jonathan once appeared in a local amateur dramatics production of 'Death of a Salesman'.· Her hobbies include amateur dramatics and horse riding.
the place where a war is fought the place where two armies fight a battle: · Thousands died on the battlefields of northern France.
the place where an army is closest to the enemy and where the fighting takes place: · We were now just a few kilometres behind the front line.the Western/Eastern/Russian etc front: · Her grandfather had four years on the Western Front.
an area which is very dangerous because a war is being fought there: · the latest news from the war zone· Aid workers returning from the war zone reported seeing groups of rebels waving white flags.
the time or the place where there is fighting - use this especially to talk about fighting in general: on the field of battle: · It is better to negotiate than to settle political disputes on the field of battle.in the field: · The new weapon has not yet been tried out in the field.· He was awarded a medal for distinguished service in the field.
British /theater American a large area in which a war is being fought, especially when the war is taking place in several different areas or countries: Pacific/European/Middle East etc theatre: · It was in the Pacific theater of the war that the US won its first major victories.· Many of NATO's nuclear weapons in the European theatre are obsolete.
relating to an area where a lot of damage has been caused by war and fighting: · In 1941, Margaret E. Ray escaped war-torn France and landed in New York.· The plan offered long-term aid to war-torn Europe.
WORD SETSadjoin, verbalcove, nounantechamber, nounanteroom, nounapartment block, nounapse, nounarcade, nounart gallery, nounatrium, nounattic, nounauditorium, nounawning, nounback door, nounback-to-back, nounbailey, nounbalcony, nounbalustrade, nounbanister, nounbarn, nounbasilica, nounbastion, nounbay window, nounblock, nounbrownstone, nounbungalow, nounbunkhouse, nounbyre, nouncabin, nouncampanile, nouncanteen, nouncarport, nouncasement, nouncastle, nounceiling, nouncellar, nouncentre, nounchalet, nounchamber, nounchancel, nounchanging room, nounchateau, nounchimney, nounchimney breast, nounchimney pot, nounchimney stack, nouncladding, nounclerk of works, nouncloakroom, nouncloister, nounclubhouse, nouncoatroom, nouncocktail lounge, nouncolonnade, nouncolumn, nouncommon room, nouncomplex, nouncompound, nounconcourse, nouncondominium, nounconservatory, nounconvent, nouncoping, nouncornerstone, nouncorn exchange, nouncorridor, nouncottage, nouncountry house, nouncountry seat, nouncourthouse, nouncowshed, noundado, noundance hall, noundetached, adjectivedoor, noundoorpost, noundormer, nounedifice, nounentry, nounentryway, nounestate, nounestate agent, nounextension, nouneyrie, nounfacade, nounfallout shelter, nounfamily room, nounfarmhouse, nounfire door, nounfire escape, nounfire station, nounfitment, nounfixture, nounflatlet, nounflight, nounfloor, nounfolly, nounforecourt, nounfort, nounfortress, nounfoyer, nounfrontage, nounfront room, nounfuneral home, noungable, noungabled, adjectivegargoyle, noungrandstand, noungrange, noungranny flat, noungrille, nounground floor, nounguardhouse, nounguesthouse, nounguildhall, noungutter, nounguttering, noungym, noungymnasium, nounhabitation, nounhall, nounhallway, nounhatch, nounhatchway, nounhayloft, nounhealth centre, nounhigh-rise, adjectivehospice, nounhospital, nounlaboratory, nounlanding, nounleaded lights, nounlean-to, nounledge, nounlightning conductor, nounlintel, nounlobby, nounlodge, nounloft, nounlog cabin, nounlounge, nounlouvre, nounmaisonette, nounmezzanine, nounmilking parlour, nounmoving staircase, nounmullion, nounnave, nounniche, nounoast house, nounobelisk, nounoffice building, nounoratory, nounoutbuilding, nounouthouse, nounoverhang, nounparapet, nounparty wall, nounpediment, nounpenthouse, nounperistyle, nounpicture window, nounpilaster, nounpillar, nounpinnacle, nounplatform, nounplumber, nounplumbing, nounpodium, nounpoint, verbPortakabin, nounpotting shed, nounpresbytery, nounpress gallery, nounprivy, nounpublic convenience, nounpyramid, nounrafter, nounrail, nounrampart, nounribbon development, nounrotunda, nounsanctuary, nounschoolhouse, nounscience park, nounsepulchre, nounservice charge, nounshack, nounshed, nounshop front, nounskylight, nounskyscraper, nounsliding door, nounsmokestack, nounsmoking room, nounspiral staircase, nounspire, nounsports centre, nounstack, nounstadium, nounstair, nounstaircase, nounstairway, nounstairwell, nounstall, nounstately home, nounstateroom, nounstation, nounsteeple, nounstep, nounstonework, nounstoop, nounstoreroom, nounstorm cellar, nounstory, nounstudio, nountenement, nountepee, nounterrace, nountheatre, nountoilet, nountool shed, nountower block, nountown hall, nountownhouse, nountransept, nountransom, nountrapdoor, nountreasury, nounturret, nounvault, nounvaulted, adjectivevaulting, nounventilator, nounvestibule, nounvilla, nounwalkway, nounwall, nounwatchtower, nounwater tower, nounweatherboard, nounwedding chapel, nounwing, nounwoodshed, nounworkhouse, nounworkroom, nounworkshop, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY Yeats’ plays are great poetry but they are not good theatre (=good entertainment).COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES Tucson’s alternative radio station a 20-minute puppet show
1building [countable] a building or place with a stage where plays and shows are performed: Yeats’ plays are great poetry but they are not good theatre (=good entertainment). Tucson’s alternative radio station British English, a theater critic American English (=of plays)
British English, a theater director American English:· Laura Thompson is a theatre director now in the middle of rehearsals for 'Romeo and Juliet'.
British English, a theater district American English:· The restaurant is located in the middle of New York’s theater district.
(=people who work or are involved in the theatre etc) The hotel was full of business people.
The hotel was full of business people. a 20-minute puppet show· The special rate includes theatre tickets and transport from the hotel to the theatre.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE· Designed by the eminent architect C. J. Phipps, the Royal has enjoyed a history of live theatre since 1884.· The site promises to be strong on interactivity, boasting online tours of museums and live theatre workshops.· One natural source of finance and experience was the world of show business - live theatre and cinema.· Colours of a dancer's mettle A stint in television made choreographer Lea Anderson long for the pure movement of live theatre.· If live theatre turns you on you can choose from several plays or musicals each night.
· More than 40 homes were flooded, valuable shop stocks were ruined, and the local theatre turned into a swimming pool.· Roy and Joyce Lee will arrange activities for you, including trips to the local theatre, and horse-riding.· Why not support your local theatre?· Everyone locally is keen to support their local theatre.· Our team visited schools, colleges, libraries, hospitals and even backstage at the local theatre.· It includes everything from when the hairdresser is coming, to appointments at the hospital or outings to the local theatre.· In addition, local theatre company Stage Beyond will provide street theatre, storytelling and face painting.
· The most notable of these is the widespread use of popular theatre throughout the region.· Richmond Theatre, a popular touring theatre, frequently shows West End productions.
NOUN· Currently at the Haymarket Theatre, Basingstoke, the theatre company are doing just that.· Ghatak was a committed Marxist, who began his career working in a political theatre company.· Academics will work with theatre companies to find ways of involving the public in social research.· A leftwing theatre company sponsored the follow-up, organised on stage by a budding theatre director, Joseph Losey.· See the famous plays of the Bard performed by one of the world's greatest theatre companies.· Three of the six theatre companies selected to take part in this year's festival come from Northern Ireland.· The Armada Festival, which also visited Derry last year, promotes contact between different theatre companies.
· Indeed, his position as Town's theatre critic meant that she was getting some evenings out free as well.· We challenged them to make our theatre critic, Joe Riley, laugh.· Brandon Thomas opted to unveil his Aunt away from London fearful that the capital's theatre critics would tear it to pieces.
· The theatre director Schuh was there and he saw me sitting by myself during the interval.· A leftwing theatre company sponsored the follow-up, organised on stage by a budding theatre director, Joseph Losey.· In his speech he made no mention of her second husband, the emigre theatre director Fyodor Komisarjevsky.· Stuart Browne, a playwright and theatre director whose only book this is, died just before Christmas.· Philip who's a theatre director planned to follow in a week.
· We consider bingo in Plaistow. Fringe theatre in Islington is too bourgeois.· Mime has never enjoyed a place on centre stage, it lives in the shadows of fringe theatre and the Big Top.
· There was a mushroom growth of grant-aided housing associations, community advice centres, radical theatre groups and co-operative bicycle repair shops.· Another letter from the middle school was about a visiting theatre group and asked for money as well as a tear-off slip.· At the age of 12, Tupac joined a Harlem theatre group and studied ballet and acting.· Betty Caplan on the blossoming of an experimental theatre group Magdalena takes root.· He spent two years with the Link-Up community theatre group and has directed for the Compass Theatre.· Among the cast of clowns is the Brouhaha theatre group and poet Jegsy Dodd.· A small theatre group takes on the task of mounting a Passion Play in Montreal.
· The centre also has a lecture theatre and processing lab.· Everybody was assembled in the lecture theatre at the appointed time, but no lecturer had arrived.· The interior, now a lecture theatre, has stucco decoration from the mid-17C.· The lecture theatre disgorged its students.· Kara was sitting on the far side of the lecture theatre, well away from the source of the cry.· Magician's Road, in the well equipped lecture theatre or in the Museum galleries.· A group of students hard at work in a lecture theatre in the University Building.
· Spiralling leg fractures, cysts, ventricle failure also saw her whisked into the operating theatre.· From the small gallery above the operating theatre the whole process was obscure, if sickeningly bloody, to the watching Cowley.· You closed the door like a surgeon entering the operating theatre.· His shaping room had the brightly lit intensity of an operating theatre, the mystery of a chemical laboratory.· Once again she was aware of the sounds in the operating theatre.· At the hospital, a surgeon was called and the boy was taken immediately into the operating theatre.· A young woman is wheeled into the operating theatre for laparoscopy.
· I know theatre people are hardly your choice of party companions.· There had been no announcement of her substitution, but theatre people were notoriously careless about such things.
· The workroom was extremely tidy and four chairs were set in a row in front of the puppet theatre.· Last weekend the highlights were marionettes miming to Die Fledermaus at the puppet theatre and a country music festival.
· Beforehand there will be a historical walk around the city, a street theatre show and an ecumenical service.· There will be celebrations, a writers' conference, a number of important art shows, street theatre and circuses.· Nearby, there's an international festival of children's theatre and another of street theatre and music.· In addition, local theatre company Stage Beyond will provide street theatre, storytelling and face painting.· There was music, puppet shows, street theatre, side shows, stalls.
· Milton would get you theatre tickets, special hotel rates, restaurant reservations and still wonder if you needed anything more.· This includes theatre tickets, and transport from the hotel to the theatre.· The theatre special of £38.00 per person includes en-suite room, Yorkshire breakfast and theatre ticket.· Reasonably priced theatre tickets and affordable health care are tangible.· One concert or theatre ticket is included in the price, other tickets are available on request.
VERB· A.R. You both went into the theatre together from the same drama school?· She had to go back to the theatre and see this thing through, for tonight, at least.· We looked forward to going to the theatre every evening.· That is why we are going to the theatre.· Stella and Geoffrey went back to the theatre without collecting the paint.· Aristotle wrote about it in relation to drama and what we can gain by going to the theatre.· For him, looking at X-rays is like going to the theatre or watching a good film.· We did other things like going to the theatre and doing improvisation.
· Just before Lisa left for the theatre I had a word with her.· He'd come straight to her after leaving the theatre, and his impatience thrilled her to the core.· But you left the theatre three months ago, Lee.· The doorkeeper said nobody in costume had left the theatre.· We can't wait to leave this theatre, this atmosphere, this trap.· Her father was unwell, she explained; it would be helpful if everyone would leave the theatre as quickly as possible.
· Ghatak was a committed Marxist, who began his career working in a political theatre company.· Do you enjoy working in the theatre?· Many people involved in film work as directors, writers and actors also work in advertising, theatre and television.· The readings are given by Vanessa Rosenthal who has worked extensively in theatre, television and film.· Academics will work with theatre companies to find ways of involving the public in social research.· Is it coincidence that all your main actors usually work in the theatre?· I got this idea then because I was working in the theatre, so I was interested in the effects of light.· Brooklyn born, he gave up academia in the 70's to work in theatre and write plays.
an open-air theatre (=a theatre that is outside) the Mercury Theater2plays [uncountable] a)plays as a form of entertainment: I enjoy theater and swimming.the theatre He’s really interested in literature and the theatre. Yeats’ plays are great poetry but they are not good theatre (=good entertainment). b)the work of acting in, writing, or organizing plays: classes in theater and musicin the theatre She’s been working in the theatre over thirty years.3place to see a film [countable] American English a building where films are shown SYN movie theater American English, cinema British English: ‘Bambi’ was the first movie I ever saw in the theater.4hospital [countable, uncountable] British English a special room in a hospital where medical operations are done SYN operating room American Englishin theatre Marilyn is still in theatre.5war [countable] formal a large area where a war is being fought: the Pacific theater during World War IITHESAURUSstage the raised area on which the actors, musicians etc perform: · He came on stage to rapturous applause.· The band will appear live on stage for the first time in three years.the stalls British English, the orchestra American English the lower level of seats: · He had a seat in the stalls.· We paid $100 for a seat in the orchestra.the circle British English, the balcony the higher level of seats: · They were sitting in the balcony.the orchestra pit the space below the stage where the musicians sit: · The actress fell into the orchestra pit.box office the place in a theatre where you buy tickets: · Collect your tickets at the box office.programme British English, program American English a small book that you buy when you go to the theatre that gives information about the play and the performers: · His name is not in the programme.· Do you want me to buy you a program?interval British English, intermission BrE formal and AmE a short period of time between the parts of a play or show when the audience can talk or have a drink: · We got a drink in the interval.