| 释义 |
set the scene for (something) set the scene for (something)To be the catalyst for something that happens later. Their squabbling at Thanksgiving set the scene for a total screaming match on Christmas. A positive conversation with the CEO today could set the scene for a promotion tomorrow.See also: scene, setset the scene forAlso, set the stage for. Provide the underlying basis or background for, make likely or inevitable, as in Their fights about money set the scene for a divorce, or The comptroller's assessment of the firm's finances set the stage for a successful bond issue . These expressions allude to arranging a play's actors and properties on a theatrical stage. The first term dates from the late 1700s, the variant from the late 1800s. See also: scene, set |