I. ˈshō verb
( showed ; shown ˈshōn sometimes ˈshōən ; or showed ; showing ; shows )
Etymology: Middle English shewen, showen (also, to look at), from Old English scēawian to look, see, look at; akin to Old Frisian skāwia, skōwia to look, see, look at, Old Saxon skauwon, Old High German scouwōn to look, see, look at, Latin cavēre to be on one's guard — more at hear
transitive verb
1. : to cause or permit to be seen: as
a. : to put on view
would have showed us their sacristy — Thomas Gray
had shown his strength, the power of reason over panic — Victor Canning
b. : to present (as oneself) to public notice in a personal appearance
showed himself in public places to quiet rumors that he was ill
c. : to hold (a light) in the dark or as a signal
d. : to present (as a sign or indication) to view or observation
showed every mark of extreme agitation
2.
a. : to offer for inspection
showed his ticket at the gate
had to show their passports
b. : to set out for sale : place on view for customers : offer
stores were showing luxury goods of every kind
showing new spring suits
3. : to make evident or apparent : serve as the means to reveal or make visible
a style that showed a lovely figure to perfection
a basement window showed him just the feet of passersby
4. : to wear (colors) in indication of loyalty : hang out or carry (a flag)
openly showed royalist colors
5. : to present as a public spectacle : perform
a play that had been shown in every town hall and opera house
6. : to make deliberate or conscious display of for the notice or admiration of others
showed the trimmest of well-turned ankles and the demurest of pert smiles
7. : to present (a part or aspect) to view : make (a particular appearance) noticeable
trees were showing the first light shimmer of green
a rundown house showed a blind and vacant face to the street
8. : to offer to the sight of eye or mind : present for consideration or reflection
lies in a valley as beautiful as France can show — A.B.Osborne
attractions for tourists such as only a metropolis can show
9. : to reveal (something) by one's condition or nature : make conspicuous
a light-colored overcoat that showed soil readily
10.
a. : to give a reading of : indicate
a lighted tower clock showed the time to be 2:15
speedometer showed 70
b. : to exhibit when counted, recorded, or reported
utilities showed slight gains in generally erratic trading
major crops continued to show a surplus
showed a loss for the first time in several years
11.
a. : to point out (as an object, a place) to someone : conduct (as a person, a group) to or about a place or thing : act as cicerone or conductor in guiding or exhibiting
showed him the house and grounds
showed the view of the distant mountaintops to his companion
showed them around the city
b. : escort , usher
showed me to an aisle seat
showed him to his room
showed him over the property
12.
a. : to reveal or display (an inward disposition, feeling, or trait) by appearance or behavior
his speech and bearing showed a mind at ease
showed the generosity and freedom of gentle breeding
b. : to prove (oneself) to be of a particular disposition or kidney
showed himself kind no less than brave
c. : to make (itself) evident, apparent, or manifest — used of a condition or trait
a strange deviousness showed itself in everything he did
13. : to accord (favor) to : do (kindness) to : exhibit (a disposition) toward
render true judgments, show kindness and mercy each to his brother — Zech 7:9 (Revised Standard Version)
14.
a. : to set forth in a statement, account, or description : make evident or clear : assert , declare
presented a carefully worked out report showing the benefits to be expected from a system of expressways
a composition that shows predominantly classical influences
b. archaic : announce , communicate , tell
c. : allege , plead , present — used especially in law
show cause why judgment should not be entered
15.
a. : to demonstrate or establish by argument or reasoning : prove
show … that the method of knowledge-by-definition is and long has been in standard use — Vilhjalmur Stefansson
shows the futility of many accepted inferences
this is shown by every test of reason and tradition
b. : to constitute evidence of : amount to proof of : establish by inference
uneven inking shows carelessness in the pressroom
this habit shows that discipline has been long continued
c. : to give an explanation of : teach , inform , instruct
showed me how to solve the problem
16. : to present the image or likeness of
a photograph showing his whole family
a painting that shows the author as a young man
17. : to claim (points won) in cribbage
showed eight and won the game
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to be or come in view : be visible
the lovely peaks … showed for a while as spectral shapes above the tree tops — E.E.Shipton
b. : to put in an appearance : join a gathering : appear in company
the guest of honor failed to show — Newsweek
c. : to come as expected : be on hand : turn up
I'm glad you showed, kid — H.A.Sinclair
shad have begun to show at the dam
2.
a. : to give a particular appearance : have a particular look or quality
his nature showed strong in adversity
b. : to appear in a particular way or manner — used with an adverb
slackness among civilians … showed plainly in public life — Dixon Wecter
c. obsolete : to have an appearance implying or suggesting something not actually so or not known to be so — used with as if
3. : to give a theatrical performance
a tough town to show in
4. : to appear as a contestant (as in entering a prize ring)
5. : to finish third or at least third especially in a horse race
6. : to indicate and claim cribbage points for the combinations in one's hand and crib after the play
Synonyms:
evince , manifest , evidence , demonstrate : in this series show is a general term, usually interchangeable with any of the others, for indicating, revealing, displaying
in this decision he showed his capacity for extreme boldness — John Buchan
evince in today's English may designate revealing, or making perceptible, for inspection or consideration
the two phases seem to draw apart, or at least to evince themselves in distinct expression — H.O.Taylor
proposal evinces a change of attitude — New Republic
manifest may designate fuller, plainer, or more obvious revelation or indication requiring no examination or attention for perception
a wealth of creative design as is manifested in these prints — Laurence Binyon
the power the Western democracies can wield is greater than that which Soviet Communism can manifest in aggression — Sumner Welles
evidence may occasionally suggest indication or display which on consideration could serve as valid evidence
she was a good business woman, as is evidenced by the success of her petition, November 4, 1779, to the General Assembly — R.W.Thorp
retains a strong appreciation of its history, evidenced in the collections of antiquities — American Guide Series: New Hampshire
demonstrate may indicate most obvious revelation or indication, either full and orderly or marked and palpable
undertook both to demonstrate and popularize the Copernican hypothesis — Stringfellow Barr
one whose entire life had demonstrated an inability to grapple successfully with business and financial problems — Edna Yost
Synonyms:
exhibit , display , parade , flaunt , expose : show is the general term for presenting in such way as to invite notice. exhibit applies to putting forward prominently, openly, or conspicuously to attract rather than merely permit attention and inspection
he exhibited with peculiar pride two cream-colored mules — Willa Cather
we are sure that she would like to hurl the prayer book, exhibited so ostentatiously before the dowagers, in the face of the congregation — E.K.Brown
can exhibit a contempt of death because of the exaltation of her faith — F.R.Leavis
display may indicate an unfolding, stretching out, spreading out, or otherwise showing in full detail or to best advantage
displaying the new fabrics to the buyers
certain events considered important were displayed under six-column headlines — Jacques Kayser
parade suggests sustained ostentatious, arrogant, or defiant display
he did not parade his knowledge. Indeed he seemed honestly apologetic because he knew so little — L.C.Douglas
they could not parade their virtue. They had lost, and that was the end — Irving Stone
flaunt , a close synonym of parade , may suggest ostentatious challenging, boasting, or mocking
ladies of the bluest blood and the highest social rating flippantly flaunted their lovers and their husbands made no secret of their mistresses — C.G.Bowers
the grandees no longer flaunted their wealth in exotic entertainments, for most were dead or bankrupt — John Buchan
and ye vaunted your fathomless power, and ye flaunted your iron pride — Rudyard Kipling
expose may indicate a displaying after being brought out of concealment or from under cover or being discovered or unmasked
he … looked me over as though I had been exposed for sale — Joseph Conrad
he shrinks from exposing his mind. He is bashful, constrained, often resentful — H.A.Overstreet
a vitriolic joy in exposing their pretentions and their hypocrisy — Van Wyck Brooks
•
- show one's hand
- show one's heels to
- show the door
II. noun
( -s )
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English shewe, from shewen, showen, v.
1. : an exhibition or display intended as a demonstration of strength (as of military power)
sent a squadron to make a show of force
2.
a. archaic : outward appearance
command him in show at least — Robert Burton
b. : a vain or empty semblance or pretense or one intended to deceive
made a plausible show of being a man of means and position
c. : an appearance or semblance more or less consonant with reality, fact, or substance
seemed to be acting with some show of reason
d. : an appearance or suggestion of a particular kind
the place made a poor show of domestic comfort and warmth
carefully tended shrubs and flowers made a striking show
e. : a display meant to impress others : ostentation , parade
in moments of introspection, when there is no longer a necessity of putting off with a show of wisdom the uninitiated interlocutor — B.N.Cardozo
3. : a favorable opportunity (as to prove oneself) : chance , probability
his background was irregular but they gave him a show
do you see any show of discovering who fired the gun
4. : something or someone exhibited or proposed for regard of any kind (as wonder or ridicule) : cynosure , spectacle
she was a boast, a marvel, and a show — Lord Byron
between the cliffs it booms, a mighty show , then softly laps the shore — P.A.Cole
5. obsolete : the apparition either of beings held to be supernatural or of visions seeming to present such beings
6. : a large display arranged or organized to arouse interest or enthusiasm or to stimulate sales : exposition
a state flower show
the national motorboat show
7.
a. : a theatrical presentation (as a play or motion picture)
significant steps forward in the development of the musical show in this country from … operetta — H.W.Wind
show people are a hardy and resilient lot
b. : a dramatic or other radio or television program
hundreds of cowboy movies and television shows are watched … by millions of Americans — D.B.Davis
top-drawer radio shows began to be presented from recordings
c. : an act by singers, dancers, instrumentalists, or other performers presented as entertainment in a nightclub or cabaret or the entire program of such acts given at one time
d. : a pageant, contest, or other large spectacular presentation intended to amuse or inform large numbers of people
the Romans had some success in low comedy … but their instinct turned to shows and circuses — T.S.Eliot
you get more free shows in Britain than anywhere else on earth — Anthony Day
e. : a circus or carnival or any of its acts or sideshows — compare ride
8. : a public art exhibition (as of paintings or sculpture) in a museum or gallery intended to display an artist's work or promote its sale
a sidewalk show of watercolors
9.
a. : a military operation or engagement : action
pilots … who had not gone out with us were pretty peeved to think that they had missed the show — McGill News
that battle was the fleet's big show
b. : a unit or group engaged in a military operation or mission
the other member of my show rode at my wing tip, a big black shape, sinister in the half-light — J.L.Rhys
10.
a. : an event or performance regarded as carried off well or especially as visually or theatrically satisfying
the first stake race of the season was a good show — G.F.T.Ryall
b. : personal or group conduct regarded as meeting or falling short of some test or standard or as meriting praise or blame
good show , his flying that old crate to get here when you were ill
the department had been drained of morale and pride and was putting on a pretty poor show
11. : an effort or operation (as a business enterprise) taken as a whole or regarded as to its success or prospects
a new president who tried at first to run the whole show in all its details himself
logging proved a poor show that winter
12. : a trace or indication showing that a mine contains metal or a well gas or oil
widely used to test cores, samples, and drilling mud for oil shows — C.G.Lalicker
13.
a. : a discharge of mucus streaked with blood from the vagina at the onset of labor
b. : the first appearance of blood in a menstrual period
14. : cap I 9
15. : third place at the finish of a horse race
paid $2.60 for show
— compare win , place
III. intransitive verb
: to present an animal (as a dog or horse) for judging in a show or competition