show

== English == === Alternative forms === shew (archaic) shewe, showe (obsolete) === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ʃəʊ/ (General American) enPR: shō, IPA(key): /ʃoʊ/ (Canada) IPA(key): [ʃoː], [ʃow] (South Asia) IPA(key): /ʃo(w)/, (without the toe–tow merger) /ʃɔw/ (Ireland) IPA(key): /ʃəʊ/ (Dublin) IPA(key): /ʃʌo̞/ Rhymes: -əʊ === Etymology 1 === 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 caveat, Sanskrit कवि (kaví, “seer, prophet, bard”), Proto-Slavic *čuti (whence Russian чу́ять (čújatʹ) and many more). ==== Verb ==== show (third-person singular simple present shows, present participle showing, simple past showed or (archaic) shew, past participle shown or (US or rare) showed) (transitive) To display or exhibit; to have somebody see (something); to direct attention to something. (transitive) To indicate. (transitive) To guide or escort; to show the way. (transitive) To bestow; to confer. (transitive) To put on a movie, TV show, etc; to be presented in this way. (transitive) To display artwork in a gallery or museum. (transitive) To display on offer. (transitive, card games) To give hints to the apparent or purported nature of one's hand of cards. (intransitive, card games) To reveal one's hand of cards. (intransitive or transitive) To participate in a dog show, cat show, etc. (transitive) To indicate (a fact) to be true; to demonstrate; to instruct. 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. (reflexive or transitive) To reveal one's condition or nature. (transitive, usually emphasized) To demonstrate to another that they are wrong; to vindicate to someone; to prove something to someone who doubts it; to suffice as revenge against someone. (intransitive) To be or become visible; to be seen; to appear. (intransitive, informal) To put in an appearance; show up. (intransitive, motor racing) To finish third, especially in horse or dog racing. (intransitive) To come into view on a screen. (intransitive, informal) To have an enlarged belly and thus be recognizable as pregnant. (intransitive, copulative, archaic) To appear, look (a certain way). (obsolete) To appear or suit; to reflect well or poorly on someone; to be fitting. ===== 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, visiblize (indicate a fact to be true): demonstrate, prove (put in an appearance): arrive, show up ===== Antonyms ===== (antonym(s) of “display”): conceal, cover up, hide (antonym(s) of “indicate a fact to be true”): disprove, refute ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Translations ===== ===== See also ===== showcase showdown === Etymology 2 === From Middle English schewe, from the verb (schewen). ==== Noun ==== show (countable and uncountable, plural shows) (countable) A play, dance, or other entertainment. (countable) An exhibition of items. (countable) A broadcast program, especially a light entertainment program. 2016, VOA Learning English (public domain) Every day I do my morning show. (countable) A movie. (Australia, New Zealand, countable) An agricultural exhibition. A project or presentation. (countable) A demonstration. (uncountable) Mere display or pomp with no substance. (Usually seen in the phrases "all show" and "for show".) Outward appearance; wileful or deceptive appearance. (baseball, with "the") The major leagues. (mining, obsolete) A pale blue flame at the top of a candle flame, indicating the presence of firedamp. (archaic) Pretence. (archaic) Sign, token, or indication. (obsolete) Semblance; likeness; appearance. (obsolete) Plausibility. (medicine) A discharge, from the vagina, of mucus streaked with blood, occurring a short time before labor. (military, slang) A battle; local conflict. [from 1892] A circular impression on sand, indicating the presence of a clam by its siphon. ===== 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 ===== === Etymology 3 === Variant of shove, itself a variant of shive. ==== Noun ==== show (plural shows) Synonym of shive (“wood fragment of the husk of flax or hemp”). === References === === Anagrams === Hows, how's, hows, who's, whos == Chinese == === Pronunciation === === Etymology 1 === From English show. ==== Noun ==== show (Hong Kong Cantonese) alternative form of 騷 / 骚 (sou1, “show”) ==== Verb ==== show (Hong Kong Cantonese) to show; to display (Hong Kong Cantonese) to turn up no show [Cantonese] ― nou1 sou1 [Jyutping] ― no-show === Etymology 2 === ==== Verb ==== show (Hong Kong Cantonese, eye dialect) alternative form of so (sou1, “to respond; to pay attention to”) == Danish == === Etymology === Borrowed from English show. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈɕɔːw/, /ˈɕɔw/ === Noun === show n (singular definite showet, plural indefinite shows or show) show (play, dance, or other entertainment) show (exhibition of items) show (broadcast program, especially a light entertainment program) ==== Declension ==== === References === “show” in Den Danske Ordbog == Dutch == === Etymology === Unadapted borrowing from English show. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ʃoː/ Hyphenation: show === Noun === show m (plural shows, diminutive showtje n) a show (entertainment) ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Descendants ==== →? Sranan Tongo: syow → Caribbean Javanese: so == Finnish == === Etymology === From English show. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈʃou̯/, [ˈʃo̞u̯] IPA(key): /ˈʃoː/, [ˈʃo̞ː] IPA(key): /ˈsoː/, [ˈs̠o̞ː] Rhymes: -ou Syllabification(key): show Hyphenation(key): show === Noun === show show (entertainment) ==== Usage notes ==== In plural usually substituted with a synonym, as the word does not easily fit into any Finnish declension category. ==== Declension ==== ==== Synonyms ==== esitys, näytös ==== Derived terms ==== === Further reading === “show”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎[2] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 3 July 2023 == French == === Etymology === Borrowed from English show. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ʃo/ Homophones: chaud, chauds, chaut, chaux, cheau, cheaux, shows === Noun === show m (plural shows) show (entertainment program) === Further reading === “show”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012 == Hungarian == === Etymology === Unadapted borrowing from English show.  === Pronunciation === IPA(key): [ˈʃoː] Homophone: só Hyphenation: show Rhymes: -ʃoː === Noun === show (plural show-k) show (entertainment, programme, production, performance) ==== Declension ==== ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== === References === == Middle English == === Pronoun === show (Lincolnshire) alternative form of sche == Norwegian Bokmål == === 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) a show (play, concert, entertainment) ==== Derived terms ==== moteshow sceneshow === References === “show” in The Bokmål Dictionary. == Norwegian Nynorsk == === 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) a show (play, concert, entertainment) ==== Derived terms ==== moteshow sceneshow === References === “show” in The Nynorsk Dictionary. == Polish == === Alternative forms === szoł === Etymology === Unadapted borrowing from English show. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈʂɔw/ Rhymes: -ɔw Syllabification: show === Noun === show m inan or n (indeclinable) show (large, impressive artistic and entertainment show of revue character with the participation of singers, dancers, circus performers, usually conducted by an anchorman) Synonym: widowisko Hypernym: przedstawienie show (impressive artistic performance or demonstration of some unusual skill) Synonym: pokaz show (event or series of events in social, political, or cultural life taking on the character of a spectacle eagerly watched by all) Synonym: przedstawienie === Further reading === “show”, in Wielki słownik języka polskiego‎[3] (in Polish), Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN “show”, in Polish dictionaries at PWN‎[4] (in Polish) show in PWN's encyclopedia == Portuguese == === Alternative forms === chou, xou (rare) === Etymology === Unadapted borrowing from English show. === Pronunciation === Rhymes: -ow === Noun === show m (plural shows) show (an entertainment performance event) Synonyms: espetáculo, apresentação (especially) concert (musical presentation) (Brazil, colloquial) an act or performance that demonstrates high skill; spectacle; display; feat Synonym: espetáculo (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; making a scene Synonym: fazer uma cena ==== Derived terms ==== === Adjective === show (invariable) (Brazil, slang) amazing; awesome Synonyms: espetacular, excelente, maravilhoso === Further reading === “show”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026 “show”, in Dicionário infopédia da Lingua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Porto: Porto Editora, 2003–2026 “show”, in Michaelis Dicionário Brasileiro da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), São Paulo: Editora Melhoramentos, 2015–2026, →ISBN “show”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026 == Romanian == === Etymology === Borrowed from English show. === Noun === show n (plural show-uri) show ==== Declension ==== == Spanish == === Etymology === Unadapted borrowing from English show. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈʃow/ [ˈʃow], /ˈʃou/ [ˈʃou̯] Rhymes: -ow, -ou Syllabification: show IPA(key): /ˈt͡ʃou/ [ˈt͡ʃou̯] Rhymes: -ou IPA(key): /ˈsou/ [ˈsou̯] Rhymes: -ou === Noun === show m (plural shows) show, spectacle Synonym: espectáculo (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 [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025 == Swedish == === Etymology === From English show. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ɧɔ͡ʊ/, [ɧɔ͡ʊ], [ʂɔ͡ʊ] IPA(key): /ɧɔv/, [ɧɔvː], [ʂɔvː] IPA(key): /ɧoː/ (dated) === Noun === show c show; a play, dance, or other entertainment. ==== Declension ==== === References === “show”, in Svensk ordbok [Dictionary of Swedish] (in Swedish) “show”, in Svenska Akademiens ordlista [Wordlist of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish) “show”, in Svenska Akademiens ordbok [Dictionary of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)