Dear teachers,
Would you be kind enough to explain to me the meaning of the bolded word which drew my attention by reading the following excerpt of a NYT’s article.
The humiliation that NATO expansion bred in Russia was critical in fueling Putin’s rise after Boris Yeltsin moved on. And America’s addiction to oil helped push up energy prices to a level that gave Putin the power to act on that humiliation. This is crucial backdrop.
I know two meanings of the term “backdrop” but in my opinion they aren’t suitable for the present case. I would use the term “cover”, “screen” or “cloak”.
- Scenery hung at back of stage
- The setting, as of a historical event; the background.
scenery = hangings, furnishings, and other accessories on a stage that represent the location of a scene.
I remembered the expression ”cloak and degger”.
Thank you for your efforts.
Regards,
V
