Meaning of "understudy" in the English dictionary

PRONUNCIATION OF UNDERSTUDY

understudy  [ˈʌndəˌstʌdɪ]

GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF UNDERSTUDY

Understudy is a verb and can also act as a noun.

A noun is a type of word the meaning of which determines reality. Nouns provide the names for all things: people, objects, sensations, feelings, etc.

The verb is the part of the sentence that is conjugated and expresses action and state of being.

See the conjugation of the verb understudy in English.

WHAT DOES UNDERSTUDY MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Understudy

In theater, an understudy is a performer who learns the lines and blocking/choreography of a regular actor or actress in a play. Should the regular actor or actress be unable to appear on stage because of illness or emergencies, the understudy takes over the part. Usually when the understudy takes over, the theater manager will make a relevant announcement prior to the start of the performance. In the opera world, the term cover or covering is used. More recently, the term "understudy" has generally only been applied to performers who will cover a part, but still regularly perform in another role within the show; usually a minor, extra role.

Definition of understudy in the English dictionary

The first definition of understudy in the dictionary is to study so as to be able to replace the usual actor or actress if necessary. Other definition of understudy is to act as understudy to. Understudy is also an actor or actress who studies a part so as to be able to replace the usual actor or actress if necessary.

CONJUGATION OF THE VERB TO UNDERSTUDY

PRESENT

Present

I understudy

you understudy

he/she/it understudies

we understudy

you understudy

they understudy

Present continuous

I am understudying

you are understudying

he/she/it is understudying

we are understudying

you are understudying

they are understudying

Present perfect

I have understudied

you have understudied

he/she/it has understudied

we have understudied

you have understudied

they have understudied

Present perfect continuous

I have been understudying

you have been understudying

he/she/it has been understudying

we have been understudying

you have been understudying

they have been understudying

Present tense is used to refer to circumstances that exist at the present time or over a period that includes the present time. The present perfect refers to past events, although it can be considered to denote primarily the resulting present situation rather than the events themselves.

PAST

Past

I understudied

you understudied

he/she/it understudied

we understudied

you understudied

they understudied

Past continuous

I was understudying

you were understudying

he/she/it was understudying

we were understudying

you were understudying

they were understudying

Past perfect

I had understudied

you had understudied

he/she/it had understudied

we had understudied

you had understudied

they had understudied

Past perfect continuous

I had been understudying

you had been understudying

he/she/it had been understudying

we had been understudying

you had been understudying

they had been understudying

Past tense forms express circumstances existing at some time in the past,

FUTURE

Future

I will understudy

you will understudy

he/she/it will understudy

we will understudy

you will understudy

they will understudy

Future continuous

I will be understudying

you will be understudying

he/she/it will be understudying

we will be understudying

you will be understudying

they will be understudying

Future perfect

I will have understudied

you will have understudied

he/she/it will have understudied

we will have understudied

you will have understudied

they will have understudied

Future perfect continuous

I will have been understudying

you will have been understudying

he/she/it will have been understudying

we will have been understudying

you will have been understudying

they will have been understudying

The future is used to express circumstances that will occur at a later time.

CONDITIONAL

Conditional

I would understudy

you would understudy

he/she/it would understudy

we would understudy

you would understudy

they would understudy

Conditional continuous

I would be understudying

you would be understudying

he/she/it would be understudying

we would be understudying

you would be understudying

they would be understudying

Conditional perfect

I would have understudy

you would have understudy

he/she/it would have understudy

we would have understudy

you would have understudy

they would have understudy

Conditional perfect continuous

I would have been understudying

you would have been understudying

he/she/it would have been understudying

we would have been understudying

you would have been understudying

they would have been understudying

Conditional or "future-in-the-past" tense refers to hypothetical or possible actions.

IMPERATIVE

Imperative

you understudy
we let´s understudy
you understudy

The imperative is used to form commands or requests.

NONFINITE VERB FORMS

Infinitive

to understudy

Past participle

understudied

Present Participle

understudying

Infinitive shows the action beyond temporal perspective. The present participle or gerund shows the action during the session. The past participle shows the action after completion.

SYNONYMS OF «UNDERSTUDY»

The following words have a similar or identical meaning as «understudy» and belong to the same grammatical category.

synonyms of understudy

double · fill-in · replacement · reserve · stand-in · sub · substitute

TRANSLATION OF UNDERSTUDY

Find out the translation of understudy to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.

The translations of understudy from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «understudy» in English.

• Translator English - Chinese: 替补
• Translator English - Spanish: suplente
• English: understudy
• Translator English - Hindi: डब
• Translator English - Arabic: الجاهز
• Translator English - Russian: дублер
• Translator English - Portuguese: substituta
• Translator English - Bengali: উপস্থিতির
• Translator English - French: doublure
• Translator English - Malay: Understudy
• Translator English - German: Stellvertreter
• Translator English - Japanese: 代役
• Translator English - Korean: 대역 배우
• Translator English - Javanese: Understudy
• Translator English - Vietnamese: người học để đóng thế vai trò
• Translator English - Tamil: கொள்ளப்பட்டவராக
• Translator English - Marathi: मर्यादा
• Translator English - Turkish: yardımcı oyuncu
• Translator English - Italian: understudy
• Translator English - Polish: dublerem
• Translator English - Ukrainian: дублер
• Translator English - Romanian: dublura
• Translator English - Greek: understudy
• Translator English - Afrikaans: adjudant
• Translator English - Swedish: study
• Translator English - Norwegian: stedfortreder

6 QUOTES WITH «UNDERSTUDY»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word understudy.

1

John Cullum

I got into musical comedy because of Shakespeare, not because of singing. They needed someone to understudy Richard Burton. I was also going to musical auditions because the agent I had insisted I go to them.

2

Glenn Ford

I don't know how it is now but the assistant stage manager had to understudy several parts. You had to be ready to go on at any time if the actor couldn't make it to the play. I didn't think anything of it.

3

James Lecesne

As an actor you make choices that are either right or wrong, and you find the ones that are right for you. As an understudy, the choices have been made, so you have to make those choices right. Going into the role, you can't really question it.

4

Patina Miller

All my graduation money went to paying for bartending classes so I could have a side gig. I bartended for two months before I was supposed to move to New York and then two months later I got the job as an understudy in 'Sister Act' and haven't looked back since.

5

Elizabeth Mitchell

I did theater for 15 years, and I spent a lot of time as an understudy.

6

Alessandra Torresani

Adam Lambert is one of my best friends. I've known him since he was an understudy in 'Wicked.' Such a doll.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «UNDERSTUDY»

Discover the use of understudy in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to understudy and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.

Covering McKellen: An Understudy's Tale

Punctuated with hilarious celebtiry anecdotes, insightful travelling tales, and lessons for any aspiring thespian, David Weston deftly lifts the curtain on the Royal Shakepeare Company's King Lear tour and reveals the chaos underneath.

David Weston, 2011

Understudy

Robin Mulcahey is one of the country's hottest soap opera stars. She's just won a Daytime Emmy and she wed Declan Blair, an up-and-coming Irish film actor. So what's the problem? The real Robin Mulcahey is dead.

Carole Bellacera, 2005

The Understudy

THE STORY: Franz Kafka's undiscovered masterpiece in its Broadway premiere is the hilarious and apropos setting for Theresa Rebeck's exploration of the existential vagaries of show business and life.

Theresa Rebeck, 2010

Cromwell's understudy: the life and times of General John ...

"Pamphlets (military and political) relating to Lambert": p. 458-461.

William Harbutt Dawson, 1938

The Understudy: A Novel

A Novel David Nicholls. ALSO BY DAVID NICHOLLS .\'IuI'lvl'_/in' '11'/1 THE UNDERSTUDY THE UNDERSTUDY ' A NOVEL I DAVID NICHOLLS.

David Nicholls, 2007

Human Resource Development: Today and Tomorrow

Understudy Assignments This method is a form of management modeling that assigns a current or future manager to work with another manager for a certain time period. If the organization is grooming the person for a specific management  ...

Ronald R. Sims, 2006

The Understudy's Revenge

When mysterious Oliver Parry walks into the King's Company's rehearsal rooms to audition for Hamlet, Millie Osborne is intrigued.

Sophie Masson, 2011

Theatre Magazine

The understudy is an important member of every theatrical organization—from the managerial viewpoint. Although cast for a minor role, perhaps that of a footman or a maid, the understudy must be letter-perfect in another and more important ...

‎1919

American Gas Journal

Value of an Understudy Why Assistant Who Has Been in Charge of Certain Branch of the Department's Work Is Not Fitted to Take Over Department Without Hitch in Case of Executive's Absence By RALPH ELSMAN General Manager, Kings ...

‎1919

American Gas Engineering Journal

Value of an Understudy Why Assistant Who Has Been in Charge of Certain Branch of the Department's Work Is Not Fitted to Take Over Department Without Hitch in Case of Executive's Absence By RALPH ELSMAN General -Manager, Kings ...

‎1919

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «UNDERSTUDY»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term understudy is used in the context of the following news items.

On Call to Be on Stage: An Understudy's Suitcase

Zander Meisner says he is living a dream: He is touring the U.S. as a cast member in the Tony award-winning Broadway show “Once the Musical.” He gets to ... «Wall Street Journal, Jul 15»

The Understudy: See This Comical Play-Within-a-Play at Abingdon's …

Beginning July 1, Barter Theatre will present “The Understudy.” Set in a present day theatre, “The Understudy” features two actors and a stage manager who just ... «High Country Press, Jun 15»

Fulham want Newcastle United understudy goalkeeper Rob Elliot

Sources in the capital say that Elliot is keen on a return to London and Craven Cottage could be a destination. Elliot still has another year left on his contract at St ... «ChronicleLive, May 15»

Update on DWTS's Derek Hough's Injury & Spring Spectacular …

Derek Hough, whose role of Jack was played by understudy Taylor Frey on ... and his understudy will be filling in for him for New York Spring Spectacular at ... «Broadway.com, Apr 15»

Tam Mutu's Understudy Bradley Dean to Play Title Role in Doctor …

Broadway vet Bradley Dean will step in for Tam Mutu in the title role in Doctor Zhivago on April 3. The April 2 evening performance of the epic romance was ... «Broadway.com, Apr 15»

Joe Biden is Democrats' 2016 understudy

Joe Biden still wants to run for president. At least, his friends tell me, a big part of him does. He talks about the prospect readily, whenever reporters or voters ask. «The Desert Sun, Mar 15»

ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY Update - Show Back on Today …

The show was canceled (because as is normal for a show in early previews), the understudy - James Moye - was not yet fully rehearsed. Good news for ... «Broadway World, Feb 15»

REVIEW: Låpsley - Understudy EP

ONE of the year's key newcomers, Liverpudlian Holly Lapsley Fletcher is among those nominated for the BBC's annual Sound of... poll, and has already bagged ... «Hartlepool Mail, Jan 15»

Reina happy to play understudy to Bayern Munich star Neuer

Bayern Munich goalkeeper Pepe Reina has revealed his happiness at living a life of obscurity in Germany and has no problem with his role as understudy to ... «Goal.com, Dec 14»

Theater review: 'The Understudy'

What's it like to work in show business? According to Theresa Rebeck, whose play, “The Understudy,” just opened at McCarter Theatre in Princeton, it's a lot like ... «Asbury Park Press, Oct 14»