understudy an actor

  • 1understudy — [un′dər stud΄ē] n. pl. understudies 1. an actor who learns the part of another actor so as to serve as a substitute when necessary 2. any person who learns the duties of another so as to serve as a substitute vt., vi. understudied, understudying… …

    English World dictionary

  • 2understudy — ► NOUN (pl. understudies) ▪ an actor who learns another s role in order to be able to act in their absence. ► VERB (understudies, understudied) ▪ study (a role or actor) as an understudy …

    English terms dictionary

  • 3Understudy — Un der*stud y, v. t. & i. (Theater) To study, as another actor s part, in order to be his substitute in an emergency; to study another actor s part. [1913 Webster] …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 4actor — [n] person who performs, entertains by role playing amateur, artist, barnstormer, bit player, character, clown, comedian, entertainer, extra, foil, ham*, hambone*, headliner, idol, impersonator, ingénue, lead, mime, mimic, pantomimist, performer …

    New thesaurus

  • 5Understudy — An understudy is a theatrical term for someone who learns the lines and blocking/choreography of a leading actor or actress in a theatrical play. Should the lead actor or actress be unable to appear on stage because of illness or accident, the… …

    Wikipedia

  • 6understudy — I UK [ˈʌndə(r)ˌstʌdɪ] / US [ˈʌndərˌstʌdɪ] noun [countable] Word forms understudy : singular understudy plural understudies theatre an actor whose job is to learn someone else s part in a play so that they can perform if that person is ill II UK… …

    English dictionary

  • 7actor — I actor, actress (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) n. performer, player; tragedian, comedian, Thespian; playactor; doer, worker. See agent, drama. II (Roget s IV) n. 1. [A theatrical performer] Syn. player, performer, star, character,… …

    English dictionary for students

  • 8understudy — /un deuhr stud ee/, v., understudied, understudying, n., pl. understudies. v.t. 1. to learn (a role) in order to replace the regular actor or actress when necessary. 2. to act as understudy to (an actor or actress): to understudy the lead. v.i. 3 …

    Universalium

  • 9understudy — un|der|stud|y1 [ˈʌndəˌstʌdi US ər ] n plural understudies an actor who learns a part in a play so that they can act the part if the usual actor is ill understudy 2 understudy2 past tense and past participle understudied present participle… …

    Dictionary of contemporary English

  • 10understudy — /ˈʌndəstʌdi / (say unduhstudee) noun 1. an actor who stands by to replace a performer when the latter is unable to appear. –verb (understudied, understudying) –verb (t) 2. to act as an understudy to (an actor). 3. to be the understudy for (a… …