See Also: Show One, Show All - Poker(gambling)
no-show(dictionary)
show and tell(dictionary)
Show(medicine)
show(1)(dictionary)
show-off(dictionary)
show(2)(dictionary)
show-off(dictionary)
show(dictionary)
tab show(dictionary)

show (iou)



show verb. . Also (arch.) shew, pa. pple shewn, shewed.

I. verb trans. Look at, gaze on; inspect, consider; reconnoitre (land etc.); read or find (in a book). OE-ME.
II. Make known by statement or argument.
verb trans. Award or assign (to a person) in a legal or formal manner; fix or appoint authoritatively; decree (that). In later use Scot. OE-M16.
verb trans.
a. Point out, reveal; make clear or explain (that, what, etc.). Orig. also, confess (one's sins). ME.
A. Livingstone Nietzsche could praise intelligence while showing the ambiguity of all its achievements. Anthony Smith Innumerable..memories have been shown as wrong when confronted with the facts. P. Fitzgerald The books showed that the..business would have to be wound down.
b. Teach (a person); instruct in a skill or course of action by example. (Foll. by how, to.) M16.
D. Profumo He showed the boy how to operate the hand-line.
verb trans.
a. Communicate, announce, tell, (a fact, story, etc.); describe, give an account of. (Foll. by that.) arch. ME.
b. Now chiefly Law. State, allege, plead, (a cause, reason, etc.). ME.
c. Tell or inform (a person) of something. ME-L16.
d. Set out or allege in a legal document. LME.
verb trans. Prove or demonstrate (a fact or statement) by argument, experiment, etc.; prove (a person or thing) to be something. Also foll. by that. ME.
verb trans. Of a thing: be proof or an indication of. Also foll. by that, to be. ME.
J. Conrad A businesslike air about him..showed he had been on such service before.
III. Cause or allow to be seen.
a. verb trans. Present or display (an object) in order that it may be looked at; expose to view; exhibit (to a person). Also foll. by double obj. ME.
G. M. Fraser She smiled back timidly, showing rather pretty teeth.
b. verb refl. Present oneself (to a person or persons) to be looked at; appear, become visible; allow oneself to be seen. ME.
c. verb trans. Display in a specified condition or with a specified appearance. ME.
d. verb trans. Exhibit (a sign); work (a miracle). arch. ME.
e. verb trans. Hold up or place (a light) where it can be seen as a signal etc. LME.
f. verb trans. Hang out or unfurl (a banner, ensign, etc.). Also foll. by out. LME.
g. verb trans. Exhibit (a spectacle, interesting object, etc.) for the amusement of the public; make a show of. Also, perform (a play, trick, etc.) for (a person). L15.
C. P. Snow I'm just showing your mother some tricks.
h. verb trans. Exhibit (a picture, animal, etc.) in a show or competition. M19.
R. Berthoud Some Moores were shown at the Musee des Beaux Arts.
i. verb trans. Display or present (a film, television programme, slide, etc.) on a screen for public viewing. E20.
L. Spalding Mr. Ray Jerome Baker..is going to show a travel film. W. McIlvanney The television was showing some kind of afternoon chat-show.
j. verb intrans. Of an artist, fashion designer, etc.: hold an exhibition of one's work. E20.
verb trans. Produce or submit for inspection (something in one's possession); spec. (a) produce (a legal document etc.) for official inspection; (b) exhibit (something) as proof of possession; (c) fig. present or demonstrate (an achievement, historical record, etc.). ME.
Raritan Employers came under pressure to show a profit.
verb trans. Bring or put forward for some purpose or use. ME-M17.
verb trans. Perform openly (a deed, feat, etc.); demonstrate (something declared or proposed) to be carried out. ME-M18.
verb trans.
a. Enable (a person) to discover or identify (a place or object) by pointing to it or taking him or her to a place where it can be seen; point out or indicate the parts or features of (a town, building, etc.) to (a person). ME.
S. Leacock He took me about his place, to show it to me. fig.: E. G. White Show me a man's books..and I will show you the man himself.
b. Guide or lead (a person) to, into, over, or through a place, house, etc. LME.
J. Dickey A fellow in white showed us into the ward where Lewis was. E. North 'This is a very fine room,' said Campbell on being shown into the study.
c. With double obj.: let (a person) read or examine (a book etc.); bring to (a person's) notice. L17.
verb trans.
a. Of a plant, season, etc.: display, cause to appear (fruit, flowers, etc.). ME.
b. Of the moon, sun, stars, etc.: display or shine (light). LME.
c. Of an animal or plant: exhibit (colour, beauty, etc.). M17.
verb trans. Allow (esp. a part of the body) to be seen; reveal, expose (a feature, mark, etc.); serve to exhibit or indicate. ME.
N. Freeling A white blouse will show the blood. G. Greene A tall..figure in an out-dated skirt which showed to advantage her fine ankles.
b. Wear or display (an expression, look, etc.) of a specified sort. LME-L16.
c. Of a list, instrument, etc.: be found on inspection to indicate. M19.
I. Wallace His watch..showed sixteen minutes after five o'clock.
verb trans. Display deliberately or ostentatiously in order to gain attention or admiration. E16.
refl.: M. Keane I had meant to..pivot about and show myself from every side to papa.
verb trans. Represent in art, sculpture, or film. M17.
K. Clark There is a marginal drawing by Holbein, showing Erasmus at his desk. D. Piper All Surrey's portraits show him as courtier and aristocrat.
IV. Exhibit or manifest by outward signs.
verb trans. Display, indicate, or allow to be seen (some inward quality, condition, sign, etc.) by outward appearance or behaviour; refl. exemplify a specified quality or character, exhibit oneself to be. Also foll. by that. ME.
J. Conrad Mr. Verloc showed himself the most generous of lodgers. D. Hammett I grunted to show scepticism. G. Vidal Those who show particular aptitude for therapy are assigned clinical work. Observer He showed signs..of physical and mental degeneration.
b. refl. Of a quality, condition, etc.: manifest itself, become evident. ME.
verb trans.
a. Demonstrate (kindness, rudeness, etc.) to or towards a person by one's actions or behaviour; accord or grant (favour, honour, etc.). Also with double obj. ME.
L. Steffens No more mercy was shown Democrats than Republicans. O. Manning Mrs. Mackie had never shown friendliness to Ellie. American Speech A country that once showed me the greatest respect as a..scholar. P. Kavanagh The men..would show their gratitude by working harder.
b. Set or be (an example). ME-L15.
verb trans. Exert or wield (power, strength, etc.) (on, against). LME-L16.
V.
verb intrans.
a. With compl.: look, seem, appear. Also foll. by like. ME.
J. Gardner With the veil lifted up her face showed angular and grim.
b. Present a specified appearance; make a (good, bad, etc.) show or display. LME.
B. Webb Lloyd George showed at his best in his lack of self-consciousness.
c. Appear or seem (as if, to do, etc.); claim or pretend to be. LME-E18.
verb intrans.
a. Be or become visible or apparent; make an appearance; colloq. (of a woman) manifest visible signs of pregnancy. LME.
J. Steinbeck Actual alarm showed in the nurses' eyes. D. Hewett Shirl was..four months gone and just starting to show. I. Murdoch Its bright surface showed against the dark material of her dress. Vogue When you look after your skin every dayit shows.
b. Of a thing: be seen through, under, etc., something that partly covers or conceals it (see also show through below). Also, be visible as a fault or defect. M19.
A. S. Neill The plaster of the ceiling came down..and the lathes are still showing. J. Moore Small ruffians..had..bottoms showing through ragged trousers.
c. Of an oil well: give an indication of the presence of oil. E20.
verb intrans.
a. Appear in public, make a display in public; colloq. make an appearance at a gathering, arrive, turn up. E17.
E. Birney I stood hoping for a taxi to show. Tennis World A good field..showed for the Dow Chemical Classic.
b. Boxing. Enter the ring as a combatant. E19.
c. Commerce. Of a commodity: appear or be prominent in the market. E20.
d. Horse-racing. Finish third or in the first three in a race. N. Amer. E20.
verb intrans. Of a film or play: be presented at a cinema, theatre, etc. M20.
F. Wyndham A good picture, too. If it's..showing anywhere near you..take my advice and go.
Phrases etc.: go to show: see GO verb. have nothing to show for, have something to show for be able to exhibit nothing, something, as a result of (one's efforts etc.). I'll show you, that'll show him, etc. expr. defiance: I'll teach you a lesson, that will teach him a lesson, etc. show a clean pair of heels: see CLEAN adjective. show a leg: see LEG noun. show a person the DOOR. show a person the ropes: see ROPE noun1. show a thing or two: see THING noun1. show fight: see FIGHT noun. show one's cards display one's cards face upwards; fig. disclose one's plans. show one's colours: see COLOUR noun. show one's face allow oneself to be seen, make an appearance. show one's hand = show one's card above. show one's head = show one's face above. show one's mettle: see METTLE noun. show one's teeth: see TOOTH noun. show one's colours, show one's true colours: see COLOUR noun. show SEMBLANCE. show sport: see SPORT noun. show temper: see TEMPER noun. show the cloven foot, show the cloven hoof betray something devilish or sinister in one's character or motives. show the flag: see FLAG noun4. show the way guide in the required direction by leading or giving instructions. show the white feather: see FEATHER noun. show willing display readiness to help etc. your slip is showing fig. you are unwittingly exposing a fault.
With adverbs & prepositions in specialized senses: show for (a) claim to be, have, or do; (b) dial. be a sign of, suggest, portend. show forth arch. exhibit; expound. show in bring (a person) into a house or room. show off (a) display ostentatiously or to advantage; (b) act or talk for show; make a deliberate or pretentious display of one's abilities or accomplishments. show out (a) take (a person) to the exit; turn out of doors; (b) become visible; fig. exhibit one's true character; (c) Bridge show that one has no more cards of a particular suit. show round show (a person) over a place, show the sights to. show through be visible although supposedly concealed; (of feelings etc.) be revealed inadvertently; see also sense 20b above. show up (a) lead or take (a person) upstairs; (b) hand in (work) for inspection by a teacher or examiner; (c) disgrace or discredit by exposure; show (a person) to be an impostor; expose (a person's fault, misdeed, etc.); (d) be conspicuous or clearly visible; (e) colloq. put in an appearance, be present, turn up; (f) colloq. embarrass, humiliate.
Comb.: show-and-tell (orig. N. Amer.) a method used in teaching young children, by which they are encouraged to bring objects to school and describe them to their classmates; freq. attrib.; show-cause adjective (Law) requiring a party to produce a satisfactory explanation of a failure to comply with a court order etc.; show-me adjective (US) believing nothing until it is demonstrated, very sceptical; show-through Printing the fact of print on one side of a sheet of paper being visible from the other side; show-up (a) the action of exposing someone to ridicule; an expose; (b) US slang a police identification parade.
showable adjective (a) demonstrative, able to prove; (b) demonstrable, provable; (c) that can be shown or presented for viewing: LME.