cage stage

9.8

A short time of very strong enthusiasm after a big personal change that makes people act overly excited or extreme

noun

: etapa de jaula

The cage stage can sometimes strain relationships with friends who do not share the same enthusiasm.

Examples

He is definitely in the cage stage after his recent conversion.
Many people remember their own cage stage and laugh about how intense they were.
After joining the group, he went through a cage stage where he talked about it constantly.
Many people experience a cage stage after a major life change.
Many people remember their own cage stage and laugh about how intense they were.
After joining the group, he went through a cage stage where he talked about it constantly.
The cage stage can sometimes strain relationships with friends who do not share the same enthusiasm.

Antonyms

maturity

101 3.3

A state of being fully grown in body, mind, or feelings

calm

52 1.0

A quiet, peaceful feeling that helps you stay steady

How Zealous

fanaticism

16 7.4

cage stage

9.8

zeal

36 5.8

enthusiasm

288 2.2

interest

∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

cage stage singular

cage stages plural

Morphology

cage + stage

The attested meaning — a period of intense enthusiasm or overzealous behavior — is not predictably built from 'cage' (restriction) + 'stage' (phase); there is no clear compositional or metaphorical path from ‘being confined’ to ‘overenthusiasm’. The expression appears to be specialized/slang and would be unfamiliar to most learners without prior exposure, so a B1 learner knowing the words would not reliably infer the idiomatic sense.

Etymology

Cage stage may come from the image of an animal put into a new cage that paces and makes noise for a short stage before it settles down. That's why the phrase is used for a 'short period' of very strong enthusiasm or extreme behavior after a big change.