show

views updated May 14 2018

show / shō/ • v. (past part. shown / shōn/ or showed) 1. be or allow or cause to be visible: [intr.] wrinkles were starting to show on her face | [intr.] the muscles of her jaws showed white through the skin | [tr.] a white blouse will show the blood. ∎  [tr.] offer, exhibit, or produce (something) for scrutiny or inspection: an alarm salesperson should show an ID card | he wants to show you all his woodwork stuff. ∎  [tr.] put on display in an exhibition or competition: he ceased early in his career to show his work | [intr.] other artists who showed there included Robert Motherwell. ∎  [tr.] present (a movie or television program) on a screen for public viewing. ∎  [intr.] (of a movie) be presented in this way: a movie showing at the Venice Film Festival. ∎  [tr.] indicate (a particular time, measurement, etc.): a travel clock showing the time in different cities. ∎  [tr.] represent or depict in art: a postcard showing the Wicklow Mountains. ∎  (show oneself) allow oneself to be seen; appear in public: he was amazed that she would have the gall to show herself. ∎  [intr.] inf. arrive or turn up for an appointment or at a gathering: her date failed to show. ∎  [intr.] finish third or in the first three in a race. ∎  [intr.] inf. (of a woman) be visibly pregnant: Shirley was four months pregnant and just starting to show.2. [tr.] display or allow to be perceived (a quality, emotion, or characteristic): it was Frank's turn to show his frustration his sangfroid showed signs of cracking. ∎  accord or treat someone with (a specified quality): he urged his soldiers to fight them and show no mercy | he has learned to show women some respect. ∎  [intr.] (of an emotion) be noticeable: he tried not to let his relief show.3. [tr.] demonstrate or prove: experts say this shows the benefit of regular inspections | the figures show that the underlying rate of inflation continues to fall. ∎  (show oneself) prove or demonstrate oneself to be: she showed herself to be a harsh critic | he showed himself to be an old-fashioned Baptist separatist. ∎  cause to understand or be capable of doing something by explanation or demonstration: he showed the boy how to operate the machine. ∎  [tr.] conduct or lead: show them in, please.• n. 1. a spectacle or display of something, typically an impressive one: spectacular shows of bluebells.2. a public entertainment, in particular: ∎  a play or other stage performance, esp. a musical. ∎  a program on television or radio. ∎  an event or competition involving the public display or exhibition of animals, plants, or products: the annual agricultural show. ∎ inf. an undertaking, project, or organization: I man a desk in a little office. I don't run the show. ∎  inf. an opportunity for doing something; a chance: I didn't have a show.3. an outward appearance or display of a quality or feeling: Joanie was frightened of any show of affection. ∎  an outward display intended to give a particular, false impression: Drew made a show of looking around for firewood | they are all show and no go. 4. Med. a discharge of blood and mucus from the vagina at the onset of labor or menstruation.PHRASES: for show for the sake of appearance rather than for use.get (or keep) the show on the road inf. begin (or succeed in continuing with) an undertaking or enterprise: “Let's get this show on the road—we're late already.”good (or bad or poor) show! Brit., inf., dated used to express approval (or disapproval or dissatisfaction).have something (or nothing) to show for have a (or no) visible result of (one's work or experience): a year later, he had nothing to show for his efforts.on show being exhibited.show one's cardsanother way of saying show one's hand below.show cause Law produce satisfactory grounds for application of (or exemption from) a procedure or penalty.show someone the door dismiss or eject someone from a place.show one's face appear in public: she had been up in court and was so ashamed she could hardly show her face.show the flagsee flag1 .show one's hand (in a card game) reveal one's cards. ∎ fig. disclose one's plans: he needed hard evidence, and to get it he would have to show his hand.show of force a demonstration of the forces at one's command and of one's readiness to use them.show of hands the raising of hands among a group of people to indicate a vote for or against something, with numbers typically being estimated rather than counted.show the way indicate the direction to be followed to a particular place. ∎  indicate what can or should be done by doing it first: Morgan showed the way by becoming Deputy Governor of Jamaica.PHRASAL VERBS: show something forth archaic exhibit: the heavens show forth the glory of God.show off inf. make a deliberate or pretentious display of one's abilities or accomplishments.show someone/something off display or cause others to take notice of someone or something that is a source of pride: his jeans were tight-fitting, showing off his compact figure.show out Bridge reveal that one has no cards of a particular suit.show someone around act as a guide for someone to points of interest in a place or building.show through (of one's real feelings) be revealed inadvertently.show up1. be conspicuous or clearly visible.2. inf. arrive or turn up for an appointment or gathering.show someone/something up make someone or something conspicuous or clearly visible: a rising moon showed up the wild seascape. ∎  expose someone or something as being bad or faulty in some way: it's a pity they haven't showed up the authorities for what they are. ∎  (show someone up) inf. embarrass or humiliate someone: she says I showed her up in front of her friends.

show

views updated May 11 2018

show, shew pt. showed, pp. shown †look at, examine OE.; cause to be seen, point out, exhibit; make known, explain XII; be seen, appear XIII. OE. sċēawian = OS. skawon (Du schouwen), OHG. scouwōn (G. schauen) :- W Gmc. wk. vb. *skauwōjan, f. *skau-see, look:- IE. *skou-, repr. in Gr. thuoskǒ()os priest lit., ‘one who attends to sacrifices’, a form without initial s- being repr. by Skr. kaví. sage, poet, Gr. keein observe, L. cavēre beware. The reversal of meaning from ‘see’ to ‘cause to be seen’ is unexpl. The str. pp. shown is attested XII; the wk. showed, shewed continued till XIX. The sp. shew, shewn, repr. orig. a falling diphtong (sċēaw-), as against show, which repr. a rising diphthong (sċeāw-), is now of limited currency.
Hence show sb. XIII; whence showy (-Y1) XVIII.

show

views updated May 23 2018

show Show Me State informal name for Missouri; ‘Show Me’ here refers to what was regarded as the characteristically sceptical approach of the people of Missouri.

See also dog and pony show, show the white feather, show the flag.

Show

views updated May 21 2018

Show

a body or exhibition of persons, 1889; animals or things on exhibition; the exhibiting of an emotion, etc.

Examples : show of alarm, 1841; of attention, 1872; of foxes, 1885; of gladiators, 1770; of hands, 1789; of horses, 1864; of interest; of livestock, 1840; of people, 1889; of questions, 1581; of reason, 1604; of vegetables, 1695.

show

views updated May 11 2018

show (shoh) n. Informal. a discharge of blood-stained mucus from the vagina that occurs at the start of labour.

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