backdrop
/ˈbækdrɒp/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈbækdrɑːp/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈbak-ˌdräp/ (ame, mw)
backdrop — noun
1. a tall sheet of fabric, usually painted to show a scene such as a forest, city s
a tall sheet of fabric, usually painted to show a scene such as a forest, city street, or mountain range, which hangs vertically behind the actors on a theatre stage throughout a performance.
The school painted a snowy mountain backdrop for the winter play.
noun in object position with descriptive adjective
Two stagehands lowered the painted backdrop just before Act Two began.
collocation: painted backdrop
Noa admired the castle backdrop while waiting for her cue offstage.
The opera company hired an artist to paint a new backdrop showing Venice at sunset.
Behind the dancers, a forest backdrop swayed gently in the draft from the wings.
用法筆記
Almost always paired with a descriptive word naming the painted scene (forest, castle, beach). Distinguish from sense 2: this sense is a physical theatrical prop, not a real-world view.
常見錯誤
2. the scenery, buildings, or landscape that you can see in the area behind a perso
the scenery, buildings, or landscape that you can see in the area behind a person or object, often making the foreground look more striking in a photograph or film.
The bride posed for photos against a backdrop of pink cherry trees.
fixed phrase: against a backdrop of [view]
Snowy peaks formed a stunning backdrop to the small fishing village.
pattern: form a backdrop to [place]
Sami filmed the interview with the harbour as a backdrop.
From our hotel window, the desert provided a dramatic backdrop for breakfast.
The old stone church made a beautiful backdrop for the wedding photographs.
- background
more general; backdrop emphasises that the view is visually striking or scenic
- setting
highlights the whole surrounding place rather than just what is behind
- foreground
the part of a view nearest to the viewer, opposite of what lies behind
文法句型
against the backdrop of [view]
用法筆記
Frequently appears in photography, film, and travel writing. Often modified by visual adjectives (stunning, dramatic, picturesque). Distinguish from sense 1: this is a real outdoor or architectural view, not a theatrical prop.
常見錯誤
3. the wider set of social, political, or economic conditions surrounding an event,
the wider set of social, political, or economic conditions surrounding an event, used to help explain why the event is happening or what makes it significant.
The election took place against a backdrop of rising unemployment and public anger.
fixed phrase: against a backdrop of [conditions]
Against the backdrop of the pandemic, small bookshops in Taipei struggled to survive.
sentence-initial: Against the backdrop of...
The peace talks opened against a tense backdrop of border clashes between the two armies.
Journalists reported the festival against the backdrop of severe drought across the region.
Her novel is set against a backdrop of civil war and family loss in 1940s Spain.
- context
neutral; backdrop adds a sense of dramatic or contrasting circumstances
- climate
emphasises the prevailing mood or atmosphere of the period
- background
more neutral; backdrop suggests the situation visibly shapes the event
文法句型
against a backdrop of [situation]
against the backdrop of [situation]
用法筆記
Almost always appears inside the prepositional phrase 'against (a / the) backdrop of'. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense is abstract (situations, events, trends), while sense 2 is a literal visible view.