show definition

English show definition

Alternative forms

• shew (archaic)
• shewe (obsolete)
• showe (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English schewen, from Old English scēawian (“to look, look at, exhibit, display”), from Proto-West Germanic *skauwōn, from Proto-Germanic *skawwōną (“to look, see”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kewh₁- (“to heed, look, feel, take note of”); see haw, gaum, caveat, caution.

Cognate with Scots shaw (“to show”), Dutch schouwen (“to inspect, view”), German schauen (“to see, behold”), Danish skue (“to behold”). Related to sheen.

Wider cognates include Ancient Greek κῦδος (kûdos), Latin caveō whence English caution, and Sanskrit कवि (kaví, “seer, prophet, bard”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation): IPA^(key): /ʃəʊ/
• (General American): enPR: shō, IPA^(key): /ʃoʊ/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Audio (UK)

  (file)

• Rhymes: (Received Pronunciation) -əʊ, (General American) -oʊ

Verb

show (third-person singular simple present shows, present participle showing, simple past showed or (archaic) shew, past participle shown or (now rare, US) showed)

1. (transitive) To display, to have somebody see (something).

   The car's dull finish showed years of neglect.

   All he had to show for four years of attendance at college was a framed piece of paper.

   • 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XXII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:

     Not unnaturally, “Auntie” took this communication in bad part. Thus outraged, she showed herself to be a bold as well as a furious virago. Next day she found her way to their lodgings and tried to recover her ward by the hair of the head.

2. (transitive) To bestow; to confer.

   to show mercy; to show favour; (dialectal) show me the salt please

3. (transitive) To indicate (a fact) to be true; to demonstrate.
   • 2012 March-April, John T. Jost, “Social Justice: Is It in Our Nature (and Our Future)?”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, page 162:

     He draws eclectically on studies of baboons, descriptive anthropological accounts of hunter-gatherer societies and, in a few cases, the fossil record. With this biological framework in place, Corning endeavors to show that the capitalist system as currently practiced in the United States and elsewhere is manifestly unfair.

   • 2018, VOA Learning English > China's Melting Glacier Brings Visitors, Adds to Climate Concerns

     A report this year in the Journal of Geophysical Research showed that the glacier has lost 60 percent of its mass.

4. (transitive) To guide or escort.

   Could you please show him on his way. He has overstayed his welcome.

   They showed us in.

5. (intransitive) To be visible; to be seen; to appear.

   Your bald patch is starting to show.

   At length, his gloom showed.

   • 1690, [John] Dryden, Don Sebastian, King of Portugal: […], London: […] Jo. Hindmarsh, […], →OCLC, (please specify the page number):

     Just such she shows before a rising storm.

   • 1842, Alfred Tennyson, “The Day-Dream. The Sleeping Palace.”, in Poems. […], volume II, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 151:

     All round a hedge upshoots, and shows / At distance like a little wood.

   • 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, chapter 1, in Mr. Pratt's Patients:

     'Twas early June, the new grass was flourishing everywheres, the posies in the yard—peonies and such—in full bloom, the sun was shining, and the water of the bay was blue, with light green streaks where the shoal showed.

6. (intransitive, informal) To put in an appearance; show up.

   We waited for an hour, but they never showed.

7. (intransitive, informal) To have an enlarged belly and thus be recognizable as pregnant.
8. (intransitive, motor racing) To finish third, especially of horses or dogs.

   In the third race: Aces Up won, paying eight dollars; Blarney Stone placed, paying three dollars; and Cinnamon showed, paying five dollars.

9. (intransitive, card games) To reveal one's hand of cards.
   • 2017, Nathan Schwiethale, Ace High: Mastering Low Stakes Poker Cash Games, page 70:

     He called instantly but was too ashamed to show until the river.

10. (obsolete) To have a certain appearance, such as well or ill, fit or unfit; to become or suit; to appear.
    • c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:

      My lord of York, it better showed with you.

Usage notes

• The past participle shown was uncommon before the 19th century, but is now the preferred form in standard English. In the UK, showed is regarded as archaic or dialectal. In the US, it is considered a standard variant form, but shown is more common. Garner's Modern American Usage favors shown over showed as past participle and claims it is mandatory for passives.
• In the past, shew was used as a past-tense form and shewed as a past participle of this verb; both forms are now archaic.

Conjugation

Synonyms

• (display): display, exhibit, flaunt, indicate, parade, point out, reveal, rub one's nose in, show off
• (indicate a fact to be true): demonstrate, prove
• (put in an appearance): arrive, show up

Antonyms

• (display): conceal, cover up, hide
• (indicate a fact to be true): disprove, refute

Derived terms

Translations

See also

• showcase
• showdown

Noun

show (countable and uncountable, plural shows)

1. (countable) A play, dance, or other entertainment.

   There were a thousand people at the show.

   • 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, chapter 4, in Mr. Pratt's Patients:

     Then he commenced to talk, really talk. and inside of two flaps of a herring's fin he had me mesmerized, like Eben Holt's boy at the town hall show. He talked about the ills of humanity, and the glories of health and Nature and service and land knows what all.

3. (countable) An exhibition of items.

   art show;  dog show

4. (countable) A broadcast program, especially a light entertainment program.

   radio show;  television show

   They performed in the show.

   I spotted my neighbour on the morning TV show.

   • 2016, VOA Learning English (public domain)

     Every day I do my morning show.

     Audio (US)

     (file)

5. (countable) A movie.

   Let's catch a show.

6. (Australia, New Zealand, countable) An agricultural show.

   I'm taking the kids to the show on Tuesday.

   • 1924 October 6, The Examiner, Launceston, page 2, column 6:

     E. C. McEnulty, who won the chop at the show on Thursday, cut through a foot lying block in 34 seconds

7. A project or presentation.

   Let's get on with the show.

   Let's get this show on the road.

   They went on an international road show to sell the shares to investors.

   It was Apple's usual dog and pony show.

8. (countable) A demonstration.

   show of force

9. (uncountable) Mere display or pomp with no substance. (Usually seen in the phrases "all show" and "for show".)
   • 1725–1728, [Edward Young], “(please specify the page)”, in Love of Fame, the Universal Passion. In Seven Characteristical Satires, 4th edition, London: […] J[acob] and R[ichard] Tonson […], published 1741, →OCLC:

     I envy none their pageantry and show.

   The dog sounds ferocious but it's all show.

10. Outward appearance; wileful or deceptive appearance.
    • c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:

      So may the outward shows be least themselves:
      The world is still deceived with ornament.

11. (baseball, with "the") The major leagues.

    He played AA ball for years, but never made it to the show.

12. (mining, obsolete) A pale blue flame at the top of a candle flame, indicating the presence of firedamp^[1].
13. (archaic) Pretence.
14. (archaic) Sign, token, or indication.
15. (obsolete) Semblance; likeness; appearance.
    • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Luke 20:46-47:

      Beware of the scribes, […] which devour widows' houses, and for a shew make long prayers.

    • 1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:

      He through the midst unmarked,
      In show plebeian angel militant
      Of lowest order, passed.

16. (obsolete) Plausibility.
17. (medicine) A discharge, from the vagina, of mucus streaked with blood, occurring a short time before labor.
18. (military, slang) A battle; local conflict. [1892^[2]]
    • 1918, Denis Garstin, The Shilling Soldiers‎^[1], London: Hodder and Stoughton, page 116:

      A subaltern, wearing a glengarry, came out of a house, playing with the nose of a shell. He walked a little way with me.
      “Going into the show?”

Synonyms

• (exhibition): exhibition, exposition
• (demonstration): demonstration, illustration, proof
• (broadcast program(me)): program(me)
• (mere display with no substance): façade, front, superficiality
• (baseball): big leagues

Derived terms

Descendants

Translations

See also

References

Anagrams

• Hows, how's, hows, who's, whos

Chinese show definition

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

From English show.

Noun

show

1. (Hong Kong Cantonese) Alternative form of 騷／骚 (sou¹, “show”)

Verb

show

1. (Hong Kong Cantonese) to show; to display
2. (Hong Kong Cantonese) to turn up

   no show [Cantonese]  ―  nou¹ sou¹ [Jyutping]  ―  no-show

Etymology 2

Verb

show

1. (Hong Kong Cantonese, eye dialect) Alternative form of so (sou¹, “to respond; to pay attention to”)

Danish show definition

Etymology

Borrowed from English show.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɕɔːw/, /ˈɕɔw/

Noun

show n (singular definite showet, plural indefinite shows or show)

1. show (play, dance, or other entertainment)
2. show (exhibition of items)
3. show (broadcast program, especially a light entertainment program)

Declension

References

• “show” in Den Danske Ordbog

Dutch show definition

Etymology

Borrowed from English show.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃoː/

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: show

Noun

show m (plural shows, diminutive showtje n)

1. A show (entertainment).

Derived terms

• modeshow
• showbiz
• showen
• talkshow

Descendants

• →? Sranan Tongo: syow
  • → Caribbean Javanese: so

Finnish show definition

Etymology

From English show.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈʃou̯/, [ˈʃo̞u̯]
• IPA^(key): /ˈʃoː/, [ˈʃo̞ː]
• IPA^(key): /ˈsoː/, [ˈs̠o̞ː]

Noun

show

1. show (entertainment)

Usage notes

In plural usually substituted with a synonym, as the word does not easily fit into any Finnish declension category.

Declension

Inflection of show (Kotus type 22/parfait, no gradation)
nominative		show	show’t
genitive		show’n	show’iden show’itten
partitive		show’ta	show’ita
illative		show’hun	show’ihin
		singular	plural
nominative		show	show’t
accusative	nom.	show	show’t
	gen.	show’n
genitive		show’n	show’iden show’itten
partitive		show’ta	show’ita
inessive		show’ssa	show’issa
elative		show’sta	show’ista
illative		show’hun	show’ihin
adessive		show’lla	show’illa
ablative		show’lta	show’ilta
allative		show’lle	show’ille
essive		show’na	show’ina
translative		show’ksi	show’iksi
abessive		show’tta	show’itta
instructive		—	show’in
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of show (type parfait)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative show’ni show’ni accusative nom. show’ni show’ni gen. show’ni genitive show’ni show’ideni show’itteni partitive show’tani show’itani inessive show’ssani show’issani elative show’stani show’istani illative show’huni show’ihini adessive show’llani show’illani ablative show’ltani show’iltani allative show’lleni show’illeni essive show’nani show’inani translative show’kseni show’ikseni abessive show’ttani show’ittani instructive — — comitative — show’ineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative show’si show’si accusative nom. show’si show’si gen. show’si genitive show’si show’idesi show’ittesi partitive show’tasi show’itasi inessive show’ssasi show’issasi elative show’stasi show’istasi illative show’husi show’ihisi adessive show’llasi show’illasi ablative show’ltasi show’iltasi allative show’llesi show’illesi essive show’nasi show’inasi translative show’ksesi show’iksesi abessive show’ttasi show’ittasi instructive — — comitative — show’inesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative show’mme show’mme accusative nom. show’mme show’mme gen. show’mme genitive show’mme show’idemme show’ittemme partitive show’tamme show’itamme inessive show’ssamme show’issamme elative show’stamme show’istamme illative show’humme show’ihimme adessive show’llamme show’illamme ablative show’ltamme show’iltamme allative show’llemme show’illemme essive show’namme show’inamme translative show’ksemme show’iksemme abessive show’ttamme show’ittamme instructive — — comitative — show’inemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative show’nne show’nne accusative nom. show’nne show’nne gen. show’nne genitive show’nne show’idenne show’ittenne partitive show’tanne show’itanne inessive show’ssanne show’issanne elative show’stanne show’istanne illative show’hunne show’ihinne adessive show’llanne show’illanne ablative show’ltanne show’iltanne allative show’llenne show’illenne essive show’nanne show’inanne translative show’ksenne show’iksenne abessive show’ttanne show’ittanne instructive — — comitative — show’inenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative show’nsa show’nsa accusative nom. show’nsa show’nsa gen. show’nsa genitive show’nsa show’idensa show’ittensa partitive show’taan show’tansa show’itaan show’itansa inessive show’ssaan show’ssansa show’issaan show’issansa elative show’staan show’stansa show’istaan show’istansa illative show’hunsa show’ihinsa adessive show’llaan show’llansa show’illaan show’illansa ablative show’ltaan show’ltansa show’iltaan show’iltansa allative show’lleen show’llensa show’illeen show’illensa essive show’naan show’nansa show’inaan show’inansa translative show’kseen show’ksensa show’ikseen show’iksensa abessive show’ttaan show’ttansa show’ittaan show’ittansa instructive — — comitative — show’ineen show’inensa

Synonyms

• esitys, näytös

Compounds

• jääshow
• lavashow
• muotishow
• ravintolashow
• televisioshow
• valoshow

Further reading

• "show" in Kielitoimiston sanakirja (Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish).

French show definition

Etymology

Borrowed from English show.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃo/

• Audio

  (file)

• Homophones: chaud, chauds, chaut, chaux, cheau, cheaux, shows

Noun

show m (plural shows)

1. show (entertainment program)

Further reading

• “show”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Hungarian show definition

Etymology

From English show. ^[1]

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈʃoː]

• Audio

  (file)

• Homophone: só
• Hyphenation: show
• Rhymes: -ʃoː

Noun

show (plural show-k)

1. show (entertainment, programme, production, performance)

Declension

Inflection (stem in long/high vowel, back harmony)
	singular	plural
nominative	show	show-k
accusative	show-t	show-kat
dative	show-nak	show-knak
instrumental	show-val	show-kkal
causal-final	show-ért	show-kért
translative	show-vá	show-kká
terminative	show-ig	show-kig
essive-formal	show-ként	show-kként
essive-modal	—	—
inessive	show-ban	show-kban
superessive	show-n	show-kon
adessive	show-nál	show-knál
illative	show-ba	show-kba
sublative	show-ra	show-kra
allative	show-hoz	show-khoz
elative	show-ból	show-kból
delative	show-ról	show-król
ablative	show-tól	show-któl
non-attributive possessive - singular	show-é	show-ké
non-attributive possessive - plural	show-éi	show-kéi

Possessive forms of show
possessor	single possession	multiple possessions
1st person sing.	show-m	show-im
2nd person sing.	show-d	show-id
3rd person sing.	show-ja	show-i
1st person plural	show-nk	show-ink
2nd person plural	show-tok	show-itok
3rd person plural	show-juk	show-ik

Derived terms

Related terms

References

Norwegian Bokmål show definition

Etymology

Borrowed from English show.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃɔʋ/, /ʃɔʊ/
• Rhymes: -ɔʋ, -ɔʊ

Noun

show n (definite singular showet, indefinite plural show, definite plural showa or showene)

1. a show (play, concert, entertainment)

Derived terms

• moteshow
• sceneshow

References

• “show” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk show definition

Etymology

Borrowed from English show.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʂɔʋ/, /ʂɔu/
• Rhymes: -ɔʋ, -ɔu

Noun

show n (definite singular showet, indefinite plural show, definite plural showa)

1. a show (play, concert, entertainment)

Derived terms

• moteshow
• sceneshow

References

• “show” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Polish show definition

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English show, from Middle English schewen, schawen, scheawen, from Old English scēawian, from Proto-Germanic *skawwōną, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kewh₁-.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʂɔw/

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔw
• Syllabification: show

Noun

show m inan (indeclinable)

1. show (exhibition)

Further reading

• show in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• show in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Portuguese show definition

Alternative forms

• chou (rare)
• xou (rare)

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English show.

Pronunciation

Noun

show m (plural shows)

1. show (a entertainment performance event)

   Synonyms: espetáculo, apresentação

   1. (especially) concert (musical presentation)
2. (Brazil, colloquial) an act or performance that demonstrates high skill; spectacle; display; feat

   Synonym: espetáculo

   Aquela aula foi um show.

   That class was amazing.

3. (colloquial, often used in dar um show) the action of crying or yelling out loud in order to protest or complain about something, often in the context of a discussion or argument

   Synonym: fazer uma cena

Derived terms

• dar um show
• show de bola
• showmício

Adjective

show (invariable)

1. (Brazil, slang) amazing; awesome

   Synonyms: espetacular, excelente, maravilhoso

Romanian show definition

Etymology

Borrowed from English show.

Noun

show n (plural show-uri)

1. show

Declension

Spanish show definition

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English show.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈʃou/ [ˈʃou̯], /ˈt͡ʃou/ [ˈt͡ʃou̯], /ˈsou/ [ˈsou̯]
• Rhymes: -ou

Noun

show m (plural shows)

1. show, spectacle

   Synonym: espetáculo

2. (informal) a scene, i.e. an exhibition of passionate or strong feeling before others, creating embarrassment or disruption

   Synonym: escena

Usage notes

According to Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) prescriptions, unadapted foreign words should be written in italics in a text printed in roman type, and vice versa, and in quotation marks in a manuscript text or when italics are not available. In practice, this RAE prescription is not always followed.

Derived terms

Further reading

• “show”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014

Swedish show definition

Etymology

From English show.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɧɔ͡ʊ/, [ɧɔ͡ʊ], [ʂɔ͡ʊ]
• IPA^(key): /ɧɔv/, [ɧɔvː], [ʂɔvː]
• IPA^(key): /ɧoː/ (dated)

Noun

show c

1. show; a play, dance, or other entertainment.

Declension

Declension of show
	Singular		Plural
	Indefinite	Definite	Indefinite	Definite
Nominative	show	showen	shower	showerna
Genitive	shows	showens	showers	showernas

References

• show in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• show in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• show in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)