shows

The subject is usually a device or instrument rather than a person. Can be used with a that-clause to report a complete reading.

The object is a person (the learner) followed by a question word (how, what, where) plus a to-infinitive clause. This pattern is an alternative to 'teach' but focuses on physical demonstration.

The subject is typically evidence, a study, a test result, or a physical trace, not a person. Distinguish from sense 1 (MAKE VISIBLE) — here the focus is on proving a conclusion, not just letting someone see something.

The noun phrase is usually an emotion (gratitude, fear, anger), a quality (patience, courage), or the absence of one (no fear, no interest). The pattern 'show + noun phrase + by + -ing' is common for explaining how the feeling is expressed.

No object follows this sense. The location where something becomes visible is often added with a preposition (on, in, through). Distinguish from sense 5 (EXPRESS FEELINGS) — sense 5 is transitive (someone shows a feeling); sense 6 is intransitive (a feeling or mark shows on its own).

This sense is only used for physical pregnancy. It is never transitive — you cannot say 'she shows her belly' to mean the belly becomes visible.

This sense typically appears in the fixed expression 'show one's age' or 'show its age'. It is often used with 'hardly', 'barely', 'doesn't', or 'starting to'.

The gallery, museum, or venue is the subject. The artwork or artist is the object. For the intransitive equivalent ('his work is showing at the gallery'), see the 'screen or broadcast' sense pattern, though that structure is less common for art.

Both active ('the cinema shows the film') and intransitive ('the film is showing') patterns are common. In the intransitive pattern, the film or programme is the subject and a place adverbial is required — 'the film is showing' alone is incomplete without a location or time reference.

This sense is always the phrasal verb 'show up'. It is informal — in formal writing, use 'arrive', 'appear', or 'attend'. Do not confuse with 'show someone up', which means to embarrass someone.

The destination is always introduced by a preposition ('to', 'into', 'out of'). Unlike 'take', this sense emphasises guidance and courtesy rather than simply transporting someone.

Used when a person's body language, facial expression, or voice unintentionally gives away a concealed emotion. The subject is typically the person's face, voice, hands, or behaviour rather than the person acting deliberately. Distinguish from sense 5 (EXPRESS FEELINGS) — sense 5 describes deliberate, intentional communication of emotions through words or chosen actions; sense 13 describes involuntary leakage that happens despite attempts to hide how one truly feels.

This sense directs someone's attention to a specific thing — a location, a detail, a piece of information. Unlike sense 3 (DEMONSTRATE HOW), which involves teaching a hands-on skill by physically performing it, sense 14 is about pointing out or indicating something without teaching the person how to do it themselves. Common with noun phrase objects (the spot, the way, the name) or where-clauses.

Primarily used in horse racing journalism and betting contexts. The subject is always a horse (or another racing animal such as a greyhound). In American usage, 'show' means finishing third; in British usage it can mean finishing in the top three positions.

Often combined with a noun that names what is being exhibited: flower show, art show, dog show, trade show.

Only used in the fixed phrase 'on show'. Unlike sense 2 (EXHIBITION), this refers to the state of being displayed, not the event itself.

Always used with the definite article 'the'. This sense is almost exclusively used in US baseball contexts and is rare outside North America.

Commonly followed by 'of' and an emotion noun: show of support, show of strength, show of gratitude. Distinguish from sense 7 (noun_b2) where 'show' means an insincere or pretended appearance.

Often preceded by an adjective describing quality: good show, poor show, fair show. Can be slightly informal or evaluative in tone.

Often used with the verb 'make' (make a show of something) or after prepositions (under/beneath a show of). The focus is on the gap between appearance and reality.

This sense only appears in the fixed expression 'for show'. It cannot be used freely as a regular noun (e.g. ❌ 'the show of the vase'). The expression can describe both physical objects and abstract things like rules or promises.

This sense is informal and typically used in the expressions 'run the show', 'someone's show', or 'the whole show'. Do not use it in formal writing about business management.

This is a technical term used mainly by doctors, midwives, and pregnant people preparing for childbirth. The full medical term is 'bloody show'. It is different from a mucus plug, though the two may occur together.