curtain raiser
1
5.6
- noun
- /ˈkɜrtən ˈreɪzər/
:
preludio
- He was a curtain raiser several times on Boulevard Beaumarchais, didn't impress anyone, and in a few days became an unemployed singer.
Examples
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The play started with a brief curtain raiser that set the tone for the main performance.
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Hurry up, come on or we'll miss the curtain-raiser.
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I mean, it's the curtain raiser on the guy that's gonna win the presidency, so...
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For Premier League winner City, it was a first success since 1972 in the annual curtain raiser between the English champions and the FA Cup holders.
Blog text (12) -
Before the main concert began, there was a curtain raiser featuring a local band.
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The festival included a curtain raiser event to introduce the headlining performers.
Synonyms
65
2.5
The first event in a series, often a performance or game
9
4.9
A short introduction before the main part of a talk or story
7
7.2
An event or action that comes before something more important
4
7.2
A short match that happens before the main event in sports or shows
2
3.9
An event before a main show that entertains or prepares the audience
How Long
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'an opening performance before the main show' is directly derivable from combining 'curtain' (the stage curtain) with the agentive/nominal '-er' idea of 'raiser' — i.e., something or someone that raises the curtain or opens the show. This compounding pattern (X + -er = one that causes X) is morphologically regular and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents would readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Curtain raiser comes from the theatre: a short act played while the curtain is raised before the main show, so it 'introduces' the event. That's why the phrase now means 'an event or short performance that comes before and introduces the main event'.