show
Pronunciation: (shō), [key] — v., n. showed, shown showed, show•ing,
—v.t. - to cause or allow to be seen; exhibit; display.
- to present or perform as a public entertainment or spectacle: to show a movie.
- to indicate; point out: to show the way.
- to guide, escort, or usher: He showed me to my room. Show her in.
- to explain or make clear; make known: He showed what he meant.
- to make known to; inform, instruct, or prove to: I'll show you what I mean.
- to prove; demonstrate: His experiment showed the falsity of the theory.
- to indicate, register, or mark: The thermometer showed 10 below zero.
- to exhibit or offer for sale: to show a house.
- to allege, as in a legal document; plead, as a reason or cause.
- to produce, as facts in an affidavit or at a hearing.
- to express or make evident by appearance, behavior, speech, etc.: to show one's feelings.
- to accord or grant (favor, kindness, etc.): He showed mercy in his decision.
—v.i. - to be seen; be or become visible: Does my slip show?
- to be seen in a certain way: to show to advantage.
- to put on an exhibition or performance; display one's goods or products: Several dress designers are showing in New York now.
- to be present or keep an appointment; show up: He said he would be there, but he didn't show.
- to finish third in a horse race, harness race, etc.
- The parade was designed to show off all the latest weapons of war.
- to display ostentatiously:The parade was designed to show off all the latest weapons of war.
- to seek to gain attention by displaying prominently one's abilities or accomplishments.
- White shows up well against a blue background.
- to make known, as faults; expose; reveal.
- to exhibit in a certain way; appear:White shows up well against a blue background.
- to come to or arrive at a place:We waited for two hours, but he didn't show up.
- to make (another) seem inferior; outdo.
—n. - a theatrical production, performance, or company.
- a radio or television program.
- a motion picture.
- an exposition for dealers or the public of products by various manufacturers in a particular industry, usually held in an exhibition hall, convention facility, or the like: the annual boat show.
- any kind of public exhibition or exposition: a show of Renoirs.
- ostentatious display: nothing but mere show.
- a display, exhibition, or demonstration: a true show of freedom.
- an indication; trace: He frowned on the slightest show of emotion.
- the position of the competitor who comes in third in a horse race, harness race, etc. Cf.(def. 27b), (def. 17).
- appearance; impression: to make a sorry show.
- a sight or spectacle.
- an unreal or deceptive appearance: The actress's tears had the show of grief.
- an act or instance of showing.
- a motion-picture theater.
- a chance: to get a fair show.
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- the first appearance of blood at the onset of menstruation.
- a blood-tinged mucous discharge from the vagina that indicates the onset of labor.
- any undertaking, group of persons, event, etc.; affair; thing.
- to be ostentatious about; affect: Whenever there are visitors, the bosses make a show of being nice to their employees.
- to control a business, situation, etc.; be in charge: My father runs the show in our house.
- That woman can act, but the child stole the show. He did all the work, but his partner stole the show.
- to usurp the credit or get the applause for something:That woman can act, but the child stole the show. He did all the work, but his partner stole the show.
- to be the most pleasing or spectacular item or person in a group.
- to win such enthusiastic applause that a theatrical performance is temporarily interrupted.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.