understudy

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++

Related topics: Theatre

un·der·stud·y1 /ˈʌndəˌstʌdi $ -ər-/ noun (plural understudies) [countable]  APTan actor who learns a part in a play so that they can act the part if the usual actor is ill 候补演员，替角► see thesaurus at actor

Examples from the Corpus

understudy• Drew became less punctual, he muffed his lines, and was often replaced by an understudy.• In her place was her understudy, Miss Lisa Fennell, a young dancer usually seen in the chorus.• The role, after all, was written for the actress, considered so indispensable that she had no understudy.• Since the understudy was off with flu, there could be no show.• Désirée was Countess Maud, and here he was in such a short time, having to use the understudy again.• Couldn't go on with the performance even with the understudies because of the police coming in.• For her last week, Cuka had been appearing with understudy Richard Franklin because Crawford had laryngitis.• In a company without understudies, this presented a problem, but the Ailey dancers were used to last-minute adjustments.

Related topics: Theatre

understudy2 verb (understudied, understudying, understudies) [transitive]  APTto be an understudy for a particular actor in a play 当…的替角，做…的候补演员→ See Verb table

un·der·stud·y1 noununderstudy2 verbChineseSyllable  

part an learns actor a who Corpus in

understudy

I

un‧der‧stud‧y¹ /ˈʌndəˌstʌdi $ -ər-/ noun (plural understudies) [countable]
an actor who learns a part in a play so that they can act the part if the usual actor is ill
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ actor someone who performs in a play or film: Her son wants to be an actor. | Both my parents are actors.
   ▪ actress a woman who performs in a play or film. Many women prefer to be called actors rather than actresses: Who was the actress who played Jane Eyre? | She’s one of my favourite actresses.
   ▪ star a famous actor: Julia Roberts is a famous Hollywood star. | The hotel is popular with movie stars.
   ▪ the star someone who plays the most important part in a play or film: Daniel Radcliffe is the star of the ‘Harry Potter’ films.
   ▪ co-star one of two or more famous actors who have important parts in a play or film: Her co-star Jodie Foster won the Best Actress Award.
   ▪ the lead the main acting part in a play or film: He will play the lead in a new version of ‘Dracula’.
   ▪ extra an actor in a film who does not say anything but is part of a crowd: She started her career as an extra in TV soap operas.
   ▪ understudy an actor who learns a part in a play so that they can act the part if the usual actor is ill: Vanessa had flu, and her place was taken by her understudy, Miss Lisa Fennell.

II

understudy² verb (past tense and past participle understudied, present participle understudying, third person singular understudies) [transitive]
to be an understudy for a particular actor in a play