behind the scenes

Scene \Scene\, n. [L. scaena, scena, Gr. skhnh` a covered place,
   a tent, a stage.]
   1. The structure on which a spectacle or play is exhibited;
      the part of a theater in which the acting is done, with
      its adjuncts and decorations; the stage.
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   2. The decorations and fittings of a stage, representing the
      place in which the action is supposed to go on; one of the
      slides, or other devices, used to give an appearance of
      reality to the action of a play; as, to paint scenes; to
      shift the scenes; to go behind the scenes.
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   3. So much of a play as passes without change of locality or
      time, or important change of character; hence, a
      subdivision of an act; a separate portion of a play,
      subordinate to the act, but differently determined in
      different plays; as, an act of four scenes.
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            My dismal scene I needs must act alone. --Shak.
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   4. The place, time, circumstance, etc., in which anything
      occurs, or in which the action of a story, play, or the
      like, is laid; surroundings amid which anything is set
      before the imagination; place of occurrence, exhibition,
      or action. "In Troy, there lies the scene." --Shak.
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            The world is a vast scene of strife.  --J. M. Mason.
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   5. An assemblage of objects presented to the view at once; a
      series of actions and events exhibited in their
      connection; a spectacle; a show; an exhibition; a view.
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            Through what new scenes and changes must we pass!
                                                  --Addison.
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   6. A landscape, or part of a landscape; scenery.
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            A sylvan scene with various greens was drawn,
            Shades on the sides, and in the midst a lawn.
                                                  --Dryden.
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   7. An exhibition of passionate or strong feeling before
      others; often, an artifical or affected action, or course
      of action, done for effect; a theatrical display.
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            Probably no lover of scenes would have had very long
            to wait for some explosions between parties, both
            equally ready to take offense, and careless of
            giving it.                            --De Quincey.
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   {Behind the scenes}, behind the scenery of a theater; out of
      the view of the audience, but in sight of the actors,
      machinery, etc.; hence, conversant with the hidden motives
      and agencies of what appears to public view.
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99 Moby Thesaurus words for "behind the scenes":
      DR, alive to, appreciative of, apprised of, awake to, aware of,
      back to back, backstage, before an audience, before the footlights,
      behind, behind the curtain, behind the veil, camouflaged, causal,
      causative, cognizant of, concealed, conscious of, constitutive,
      covertly, decisive, determinative, disguised, down left,
      down right, downstage, effectual, etiological, formative, hep to,
      hidden, imperceptible, in a corner, in a whisper, in back of,
      in darkness, in hidlings, in secret, in the background,
      in the dark, in the know, in the limelight, in the rear,
      in the secret, indiscernible, informed of, insensible, institutive,
      invisible, latent, let into, mindful of, no stranger to,
      nobody the wiser, occasional, off stage, on the stage, on to,
      onstage, originative, out of sight, pivotal, privy to, secret,
      secretly, seized of, sensible of, sensible to, sightless,
      sotto voce, streetwise, sub rosa, submerged, tandem, unapparent,
      unbeheld, unbeholdable, undeceived, under the breath,
      under the rose, undercover, underground, undiscernible, unnoticed,
      unobserved, unperceivable, unperceived, unrealized, unseeable,
      unseen, unviewed, unwitnessed, up left, upright, upstage, viewless,
      wise to, with bated breath