"the entire scenery and properties of a stage play," 1830, from French mise en scène, literally "setting on the stage," from mise (13c.) "a putting, placing," noun use of fem. past participle of mettre "to put, place," from Latin mittere "to send" (see mission). Hence, figuratively, "the surroundings of an event" (1872).

"amorous or designing widow," 1907, from the English title of Franz Lehar's operetta "Die Lustige Witwe" (1905). "The Lusty Widow" would have been more etymological (see lust (n.)), but would have given the wrong impression in English. Meaning "a type of wide-brimmed hat" (popularized in the play) is attested from 1908.

"occasion on which entertainment or profit is derived from injury or death of another," 1860, originally in reference to holidays for gladiatorial combat; the expression seems to be entirely traceable to an oft-quoted passage on a dying barbarian gladiator from the fourth canto (1818) of Byron's "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage":

But where his rude hut by the Danube lay

There were his young barbarians all at play,

There was their Dacian mother. He, their sire,

Butcher'd to make a Roman holiday!