ʃəu v. & n. --v. (past
part.
shown or showed) 1 intr. & tr.
be, or
allow or
cause to be,
visible; manifest;
appear (the buds are
beginning to show;
white shows
the dirt). 2 tr. (often foll. by to)
offer,
exhibit, or
produce (a thing)
for scrutiny etc. (show
your tickets
please; showed
him my poems). 3 tr. a
indicate (one's feelings) by one's
behaviour etc. (showed
mercy to him). b indicate (one's feelings to a
person etc.) (showed him
particular favour). 4 intr. (of feelings etc.) be manifest (his
dislike shows). 5 tr. a
demonstrate;
point out;
prove (has shown it to be
false; showed
that he
knew the answer). b (usu. foll. by how to + infin.) cause (a person) to
understand or be
capable of
doing (showed
them how to knit). 6 tr. (refl.) exhibit
oneself as
being (showed
herself to be fair). 7 tr. & intr. (with
ref. to a film) be presented or cause to be presented. 8 tr. exhibit (a
picture,
animal,
flower, etc.) in a show. 9 tr. (often foll. by
in, out,
up, etc.)
conduct or lead (showed them to
their rooms). 10 intr. = show up 3 (waited but he didn't show). 11 intr. US
finish in the
first three in a race. --n. 1 the
act or an
instance of
showing; the
state of being shown. 2 a a
spectacle,
display,
exhibition, etc. (a fine show of blossom). b a
collection of things etc. shown for
public entertainment or in
competition (dog show; flower show). 3 a a
play etc.,
esp. a
musical. b a
light entertainment
programme on
television etc. c
any public entertainment or
performance. 4 a an
outward appearance,
semblance, or display (made a show of agreeing; a show of strength). b
empty appearance; mere display (did it for show; that's
all show). 5 colloq. an
undertaking,
business, etc. (sold the
whole show). 6 colloq. an
opportunity of
acting, defending oneself, etc. (gave him a fair show;
made a
good show of it). 7
Med. a
discharge of
blood etc.
from the
vagina at the
onset of
childbirth. øgive the show (or whole show)
away demonstrate the inadequacies or reveal the
truth. good (or
bad or poor) show! colloq. 1 that
was well (or badly)
done. 2 that was
lucky (or unlucky).
nothing to show for no visible
result of (effort etc.). on show being exhibited. show business colloq. the
theatrical profession. show-card a card used for advertising. show one's cards = show one's
hand. show cause
Law allege with justification. show a
clean pair of heels colloq.
retreat speedily;
run away. show one's colours
make one's
opinion clear. show a person the
door dismiss or
eject a person. show one's
face make an appearance; let oneself be
seen. show
fight be
persistent or
belligerent. show the flag see
FLAG(1). show
forth archaic exhibit;
expound. show one's hand 1
disclose one's plans. 2 reveal one's cards. show
house (or flat etc.) a
furnished and decorated house (or flat etc.) on a
new estate shown to
prospective buyers. show in see
sense 9 of v. show a
leg colloq.
get out of
bed. show
off 1 display to
advantage. 2 colloq. act pretentiously; display one's
wealth,
knowledge, etc. show-off n. colloq. a person
who shows off. show of force
proof that
one is prepared to
use force. show of hands raised hands indicating a
vote for or
against, usu.
without being counted. show oneself 1 be seen in public. 2 see sense 6 of v. show out see sense 9 of v. show-piece 1 an
item of
work presented for exhibition or display. 2 an
outstanding example or
specimen. show-place a house etc. that tourists go to see. show
round take (a person) to places of
interest; act as
guide for (a person) in a
building etc. show-stopper colloq. a performance receiving prolonged
applause. show one's
teeth reveal one's
strength; be
aggressive. show
through 1 be visible
although supposedly concealed. 2 (of real feelings etc.) be revealed inadvertently. show
trial esp.
hist. a
judicial trial designed by the State to
terrorize or impress the public. show up 1 make or be
conspicuous or clearly visible. 2
expose (a
fraud,
impostor,
inferiority, etc.). 3 colloq. appear; be present;
arrive. 4 colloq.
embarrass or
humiliate (don't show me up by wearing jeans). show the
way 1 indicate
what has to be done etc. by attempting it first. 2 show others
which way to go etc. show the white
feather appear
cowardly (see
also white feather). show
willing display a willingness to
help etc. show-window a
window for exhibiting goods etc. [ME f. OE sceawian f. WG:
cf. SHEEN]