hold the stage

English

Verb

hold the stage (third-person singular simple present holds the stage, present participle holding the stage, simple past and past participle held the stage)

1. (theater, of a play) To continue to be produced.
2. (idiomatic) To dominate a debate or field of interest; to be the main subject of attention.
   • 1976 March 27, F. Dudley Hart, “History of the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis”, in British Medical Journal, volume 1, number 6012, →DOI, →JSTOR, page 764:

     At this time Selye’s theories of stress held the stage, and the beneficial effects of spa treatment were considered in 1950 to be possibly due to adrenocortical stimulation and increased glucocorticoid output, rather than to simple physical and psychological factors.

Further reading

• “hold the stage”, in Collins English Dictionary.