show: Meaning and Definition of

show

Pronunciation: (shō), [key]
— v., n. showed, shown showed, show•ing,
—v.t.
  1. to cause or allow to be seen; exhibit; display.
  2. to present or perform as a public entertainment or spectacle: to show a movie.
  3. to indicate; point out: to show the way.
  4. to guide, escort, or usher: He showed me to my room. Show her in.
  5. to explain or make clear; make known: He showed what he meant.
  6. to make known to; inform, instruct, or prove to: I'll show you what I mean.
  7. to prove; demonstrate: His experiment showed the falsity of the theory.
  8. to indicate, register, or mark: The thermometer showed 10 below zero.
  9. to exhibit or offer for sale: to show a house.
  10. to allege, as in a legal document; plead, as a reason or cause.
  11. to produce, as facts in an affidavit or at a hearing.
  12. to express or make evident by appearance, behavior, speech, etc.: to show one's feelings.
  13. to accord or grant (favor, kindness, etc.): He showed mercy in his decision.
—v.i.
  1. to be seen; be or become visible: Does my slip show?
  2. to be seen in a certain way: to show to advantage.
  3. to put on an exhibition or performance; display one's goods or products: Several dress designers are showing in New York now.
  4. to be present or keep an appointment; show up: He said he would be there, but he didn't show.
  5. to finish third in a horse race, harness race, etc.
  6. The parade was designed to show off all the latest weapons of war.
    1. to display ostentatiously:The parade was designed to show off all the latest weapons of war.
    2. to seek to gain attention by displaying prominently one's abilities or accomplishments.
  7. White shows up well against a blue background.
    1. to make known, as faults; expose; reveal.
    2. to exhibit in a certain way; appear:White shows up well against a blue background.
    3. to come to or arrive at a place:We waited for two hours, but he didn't show up.
    4. to make (another) seem inferior; outdo.
—n.
  1. a theatrical production, performance, or company.
  2. a radio or television program.
  3. a motion picture.
  4. 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.
  5. any kind of public exhibition or exposition: a show of Renoirs.
  6. ostentatious display: nothing but mere show.
  7. a display, exhibition, or demonstration: a true show of freedom.
  8. an indication; trace: He frowned on the slightest show of emotion.
  9. the position of the competitor who comes in third in a horse race, harness race, etc. Cf.(def. 27b), (def. 17).
  10. appearance; impression: to make a sorry show.
  11. a sight or spectacle.
  12. an unreal or deceptive appearance: The actress's tears had the show of grief.
  13. an act or instance of showing.
  14. a motion-picture theater.
  15. a chance: to get a fair show.
    1. the first appearance of blood at the onset of menstruation.
    2. a blood-tinged mucous discharge from the vagina that indicates the onset of labor.
  16. any undertaking, group of persons, event, etc.; affair; thing.
  17. to be ostentatious about; affect: Whenever there are visitors, the bosses make a show of being nice to their employees.
  18. to control a business, situation, etc.; be in charge: My father runs the show in our house.
  19. That woman can act, but the child stole the show. He did all the work, but his partner stole the show.
    1. 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.
    2. to be the most pleasing or spectacular item or person in a group.
  20. to win such enthusiastic applause that a theatrical performance is temporarily interrupted.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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