SHOW Show, v. t. [imp. Showed; p. p. Shown or Showed; p. pr. & vb. n. Showing. It is sometimes written shew, shewed, shewn, shewing.] Etym: [OE. schowen, shewen, schewen, shawen, AS. sceáwian, to look, see, view; akin to OS. scaw, OFries. skawia, D. schouwen, OHG. scouw, G. schauen, Dan. skue, Sw. sk, Icel. sko, Goth. usskawjan to waken, skuggwa a mirror, Icel. skuggy shade, shadow, L. cavere to be on one's guard, Gr. kavi wise. Cf. Caution, Scavenger, Sheen.]
1. To exhibit or present to view; to place in sight; to display; — the thing exhibited being the object, and often with an indirect object denoting the person or thing seeing or beholding; as, to show a house; show your colors; shopkeepers show customers goods (show goods to customers). Go thy way, shew thyself to the priest. Matt. viii. 4. Nor want we skill or art from whence to raise Magnificence; and what can heaven show more Milton.
2. To exhibit to the mental view; to tell; to disclose; to reveal; to make known; as, to show one's designs. Shew them the way wherein they must walk. Ex. xviii. 20. If it please my father to do thee evil, then I will shew it thee, and send thee away. 1 Sam. xx. 13.
3. Specifically, to make known the way to (a person); hence, to direct; to guide; to asher; to conduct; as, to show a person into a parlor; to show one to the door.
4. To make apparent or clear, as by evidence, testimony, or reasoning; to prove; to explain; also, to manifest; to evince; as, to show the truth of a statement; to show the causes of an event. I 'll show my duty by my timely care. Dryden.
5. To bestow; to confer; to afford; as, to show favor. Shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me. Ex. xx. 6. To show forth, to manifest; to publish; to proclaim. — To show his paces, to exhibit the gait, speed, or the like; — said especially of a horse. — To show off, to exhibit ostentatiously. — To show up, to expose. [Colloq.]
SHOW
Show, v. i. Etym: [Written also shew.]
1. To exhibit or manifest one's self or itself; to appear; to look; to be in appearance; to seem. Just such she shows before a rising storm. Dryden. All round a hedge upshoots, and shows At distance like a little wood. Tennyson.
2. To have a certain appearance, as well or ill, fit or unfit; to become or suit; to appear. My lord of York, it better showed with you. Shak. To show off, to make a show; to display one's self.
SHOW
Show, n. Etym: [Formerly written also shew.]