scene S2 W2 /siːn/ BrE AmE noun
[ 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' ]
1 . PLAY/FILM [countable]
a) part of a play during which there is no change in time or place:
Hamlet, Act 5, Scene 2
the opening scene
b) a single piece of action that happens in one place in a film, book etc:
battle scenes
tender love scenes
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) .
LA’s music scene
the drug scene
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 ↑ change 2 (3), ⇨ steal the scene at ↑ steal 1 (4)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 2)
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + scene
▪ the political scene
This issue is going to continue to dominate the political scene.
▪ the social scene
She loved the city, and really enjoyed the social scene.
▪ the music/jazz etc scene
She’s still involved in the music scene in London.
▪ the arts scene
Britain has a lively contemporary arts scene.
▪ the literary scene
He had a huge influence on the literary scene.
▪ the club scene (=going to nightclubs)
I was really into the club scene.
▪ the drug scene (=taking illegal drugs)
He regrets getting caught up in the drug scene.
▪ the gay scene (=clubs and pubs where gay people go)
He knew his way around the New York gay scene.
▪ the national scene
The magazine gives an overview of the national music scene.
▪ the international/world scene
He is still a major figure on the international political scene.
■ verbs
▪ be part of a scene
Formal receptions were an important part of the social scene.
▪ be involved in a scene
I knew that he was involved in the drugs scene.
▪ appear/arrive on a scene (=become known)
He first appeared on the arts scene in the 1960s.