exit stage left

Etymology

Definitions

1. 1

   An orderly and uneventful departure, timed so as not to detract or distract.

   • We played until our fellow participants began to reenter the gym. Then we pulled on our shirts, left the ball for dead on the foul line, and made a quick exit stage left.
   • But like the career paths of so many Israeli politicians, his exit stage left was really a prelude to entering stage right: "I'll continue to serve," Peres told NEWSWEEK...
2. 2

   To exit or disappear in a quiet, non-dramatic fashion, making way for more interesting…

   To exit or disappear in a quiet, non-dramatic fashion, making way for more interesting events.

   • "Bears are at their most dangerous when taken by surprise... If you do happen to come across one, you should exit stage left at normal pace (you won't outrun a bear) and without your picnic basket.".
3. 3

   Leave the scene, and don't make a fuss.

   • Exit stage left 47 dead bodies of the 112 known people who suffered from the unexplained attacks. This is a mortality rate of 42 percent.
   • Suddenly, all the animals we see around dive into and disappear into the bush. […] There was some kind of communication (that we humans didn’t hear) among the animals that said, “Exit stage left, now!”

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