scene Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun the place where some action occurs
    • the police returned to the scene of the crime
  2. noun an incident (real or imaginary)
    • their parting was a sad scene
  3. noun the visual percept of a region
    prospect; vista; panorama; aspect; view.
    • the most desirable feature of the park are the beautiful views
  4. noun a consecutive series of pictures that constitutes a unit of action in a film
    shot.
  5. noun a situation treated as an observable object
    picture.
    • the political picture is favorable
    • the religious scene in England has changed in the last century
  6. noun a subdivision of an act of a play
    • the first act has three scenes
  7. noun a display of bad temper
    conniption; tantrum; fit.
    • he had a fit
    • she threw a tantrum
    • he made a scene
  8. noun graphic art consisting of the graphic or photographic representation of a visual percept
    view.
    • he painted scenes from everyday life
    • figure 2 shows photographic and schematic views of the equipment
  9. noun the context and environment in which something is set
    setting.
    • the perfect setting for a ghost story
  10. noun the painted structures of a stage set that are intended to suggest a particular locale
    scenery.
    • they worked all night painting the scenery

WordNet

Scene noun
Etymology
L. scaena, scena, Gr. a covered place, a tent, a stage.
Definitions
  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.
  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.
  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.
    My dismal scene I needs must act alone. Shak.
  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 occurence, exhibition, or action. "In Troy, there lies the scene." Shak.
    The world is a vast scene of strife. J. M. Mason.
  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.
    Through what new scenes and changes must we pass! Addison.
  6. A landscape, or part of a landscape; scenery.
    A sylvan scene with various greens was drawn, Shades on the sides, and in the midst a lawn. Dryden.
  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.
    Probably no lover of scenes would have had very long to wait or some explosions between parties, both equally ready to take offense, and careless of giving it. De Quincey.
Scene transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To exhibit as a scene; to make a scene of; to display. Obs. Abp. Sancroft.

Webster 1913