upstage adj.
(US) conceited, snobbish.
Down the Line 56: Clara Jane had about decided that Bohemia was away up stage. | ||
Score by Innings (2004) 430: So long as he’s hitting .325 [...] he can be as upstage as he likes. | ‘Mister Conley’||
Nightmare Town (2001) 221: Quite a few of the guys [...] had been knocking me — saying I was up-stage and so on. | ‘The Second-Story Angel’||
🌐 ‘Up stage’ was used to indicate proud and aloof manners. For example: George Hoofer lands a few big time dates and assumes a superior and patronizing attitude towards his old small time comrades, who remark: ‘George is getting up stage lately.’ ‘Yeah, what has he got to be up stage about?’. | ‘Vaudeville’ in Mss. from the Federal Writers’ Project||
(con. WWI) Fighting American (1945) 426: Don’t be so up-stagy just because you have one of those what-you-may-call-’ems on your shoulders. | ‘Good Morning, Major!’ in Mason||
It’s Always Four O’Clock 91: Lonny was doing a local show on TV now and was getting a little upstage. | [W.R. Burnett]||
Nobody Stops Me 66: She’s decent enough, even if she’s a bit up-stage. |
In derivatives
arrogantly.
Man’s Grim Justice 36: We saunter into the dining room [...] We act very upstageish. |