Show (?), v. t. [imp.Showed (?); p. p.Shown (?) or Showed; p. pr. & vb. n.Showing. It is sometimes written shew, shewed, shewn, shewing.] [OE. schowen, shewen, schewen, shawen, AS. sceáwian, to look, see, view; akin to OS. scaw�n, OFries. skawia, D. schouwen, OHG. scouw�n, G. schauen, Dan. skue, Sw. sk�da, Icel. sko�a, Goth. usskawjan to waken, skuggwa a mirror, Icel. skuggy shade, shadow, L. cavere to be on one's guard, Gr. ��� to mark, perceive, hear, Skr. 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.