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.

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.

Informal . 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.

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. Compare place ( def. 27b ) , win 1 ( def. 16 ) .

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.

Informal . a chance

to get a fair show.

Medicine/Medical .

the first appearance of blood at the onset of menstruation.

a blood-tinged mucous discharge from the vagina that indicates the onset of labor.

Chiefly British Informal . any undertaking, group of persons, event, etc.; affair; thing. ?

show off,

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.

show up,

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. ?

make a show of

to be ostentatious about; affect

Whenever there are visitors, the bosses make a show of being nice to their employees.

run the show, to control a business, situation

etc.; be in charge

My father runs the show in our house.

steal 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.

stop the show

to win such enthusiastic applause that a theatrical performance is temporarily interrupted.

verb

be absent , depart , leave , miss , conceal , hide , secrete

verb

appear , be conspicuous , be visible , blow in * , come , get , get in , make an appearance , put in appearance , reach , show , stand out , turn up , belittle , convict , debunk , defeat , discover , discredit , highlight , invalidate , lay bare , let down , mortify , pinpoint , put spotlight on , put to shame , reveal , shame , show in bad light , uncloak , undress , unmask , unshroud , worst