| English Dictionary |
SHOW OFF
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
| IPA (US): |  |
Dictionary entry overview: What does show off mean?
• SHOW OFF (verb)
The verb SHOW OFF has 1 sense:
1. display proudly; act ostentatiously or pretentiously
Familiarity information: SHOW OFF used as a verb is very rare.
Dictionary entry details
Sense 1
Meaning:
Display proudly; act ostentatiously or pretentiously
Classified under:
Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling
Synonyms:
flash; flaunt; ostentate; show off; swank
Context example:
he showed off his new sports car
Hypernyms (to "show off" is one way to...):
display; exhibit; expose (to show, make visible or apparent)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "show off"):
flex (exhibit the strength of)
splurge (be showy or ostentatious)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Derivation:
show-off (someone who deliberately behaves in such a way as to attract attention)
Context examples
All month you will have a chance to show off the depths of your creativity.
(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)
But Amy whispered, with full eyes, as she twirled the faded stool, "Not tonight, dear. I can't show off tonight."
(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)
At least, therefore, I did not assume the character of needless precipitance merely to show off before the ladies.
(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)
"I see. It's nice to have accomplishments and be elegant, but not to show off or get perked up," said Amy thoughtfully.
(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)
| Learn English with... Proverbs |
"We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love... and then we return home." (Aboriginal Australian proverbs)
"When a tree falls, the monkeys scatter." (Chinese proverb)
"Being able to feel it on wooden shoes." (Dutch proverb)