showmann.
/ˈʃəʊmən/, U.S. /ˈʃoʊmən/ 1.
a. A person (esp. a man) who produces or presents shows as an occupation; esp. one who works at a circus, fair, or other travelling show. Cf. show-woman n. 1.Also in figurative contexts.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > a public show or spectacle > [noun] > show-people > showman
exhibitera1616
exhibitor1654
showman1728
traveller1762
slang cove1789
exhibitioner1791
sideshowman1858
mud showman1927
1728 Intelligencer No. 13. 10 His Master, the Show-man, made many grievous Complaints against him, for High Crimes, and Misdemeanors.
1778 St. James's Chron. 30 May Twitcher, the Showman, dares delude the Realm; Turns public Vengeance to a Royal Farce!
1787 M. Cutler Jrnl. 27 July in W. P. Cutler & J. P. Cutler Life, Jrnls. & Corr. M. Cutler (1888) I. 309 There are constant exhibitions from rope-dancers, mountebanks, jugglers, and show-men.
1841 C. Dickens Old Curiosity Shop i. xvi. 176 Itinerant showmen—exhibitors of the freaks of Punch.
1890 Acrobats & Mountebanks 72 ‘Walk in, walk in! ladies and gentlemen,’ cries the showman... ‘Walk in, walk in! Hurry up!’
1937 Educ. Res. Stud. 2 117 Among actors and showmen it appears that women showmen have decreased in absolute numbers.
1955 Sci. Amer. July 104/1 The art of stage lighting has come a long way since the days of the showman P. T. Barnum.
2014 Evening Chron. (Newcastle) (Nexis) 11 July 18 Jamie Clark, the showman behind the new funfair, said he was delighted to be bringing a new event to the region.
b. A person (esp. a man) who behaves or performs in an entertaining or eye-catching way, esp. as a means of gaining approval or attracting attention; a person with a flair for theatrics.Frequently somewhat depreciative, implying an emphasis on style rather than substance.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > pride > ostentation > [noun] > ostentatious person > showy worker or performer
showman1828
fancy Dan1943
1828 Gentleman's Mag. Apr. 322/1 [Gilbert] Burnet was..a showman. He forgot dignity and judgment.
1891 Life 31 Dec. 388/2 Col. Teall is a natural showman. Chicago should engage him.
1923 Ogden (Utah) Standard-Examiner 5 Aug. 10/4 As an athlete and a showman he [sc. Babe Ruth] has had no one else who was even close.
1941 N. Marsh Death & Dancing Footman i. 15 Complete egoist, bit of a showman, and born with an eye for a lovely lady.
1958 G. D. Shultz & D. G. Lawrence Lady from Savannah xxi. 342 Daisy had become publicity-conscious and an expert showman.
1977 Irish Press 29 Sept. 13/2 Meanwhile, showman Brian Barnes, was giving the small crowd their money's worth by nominating to them the type of shots he was going to play.
2015 A. D'Arma Media & Politics Contemp. Italy vi. 109 Grillo is an accomplished showman, who knows how to stir up a crowd through a skillful use of provocative language.
ΚΠ
1777 J. Cook Voy. S. Pole I. ii. xii. 324 He was conducted all over the ship... On this occasion Otoo was the principal shew-man.
1856 N. Hawthorne Jrnl. 10 May in Eng. Notebks. (1997) II. iv. 18 The inhabitant of which [house] probably supports himself..as a showman of the ruin.
1861 Sat. Rev. 30 Nov. 568 The showmen who hurry the..parties of visitors round the eastern chapels.
1870 C. Dickens Edwin Drood ii. 4 Mr. Tope, Chief Verger and Showman, and accustomed to be high with excursion parties.
1913 E. Lee tr. G. Maspero Egyptian Art xv. 140 The dragomans who act as showmen of the wonders of Egypt, never fail to draw the tourist's attention to these statues.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > cheating, fraud > a charlatan, fraudster > [noun] > performing spectators > assistant > in raising prices
setter1699
showman1797
bonnet1831
Funk1842
button1851
shill1916
ampster1941
1797 Times 23 Nov. It was the custom of Publicans, when they want to let their houses, to get a number of people together, whom they treat with beer. They call them show-men, and this is done for the purpose of deceiving the persons who come to view their house, and to make them suppose it has good custom.
Compounds
General attributive.
ΚΠ
1846 Satirist 5 July 214/3 As usual, the small theatricals and ‘showman’ class of the fairs mustered strong at a late hour, but seemed, luckily, under strong moral restraint.
1880 W. Cory Lett. & Jrnls. (1897) 455 The garrulity and the showman proclamations of Thackeray and Trollope.
1987 S. Sutton in M. Willems Shakespeare à la Télévision 28 He likes stars as much as I do and he uses them. He's got very good showman ideas.
2009 L. A. Fisher & C. Bowers Agnes Lake Hickok iii. 62 As a performer, Agnes Lake refined her routines and honed her showman skills.
Derivatives
ˈshowmanism n. rare = showmanship n.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > pride > ostentation > [noun] > showy action or performance
showmanship1822
showmanism1845
gallery-play1871
stunt1878
showmanry1886
fancy work1907
hot doggery1962
society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > a public show or spectacle > [noun] > show-people > showman > quality of
showmanship1822
showmanism1845
showmanry1886
1845 J. W. Alexander Let. 28 Apr. in J. Hall Forty Years' Familiar Lett. (1860) II. 29 Religious showmanism is the order of the day; a church, an organ, a poll of hair, a neat stock, a ditto hand, a gown.
2009 Daily Post (N. Wales) (Nexis) 26 Jan. 8 It was pure showmanism and exploitation, and the artwork's creator should feel ashamed.
ˈshowmanry n. rare = showmanship n.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > pride > ostentation > [noun] > showy action or performance
showmanship1822
showmanism1845
gallery-play1871
stunt1878
showmanry1886
fancy work1907
hot doggery1962
society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > a public show or spectacle > [noun] > show-people > showman > quality of
showmanship1822
showmanism1845
showmanry1886
1886 Sat. Rev. 15 May 675/2 Charles Lamb would have delighted in one of their effects as he delighted in the showmanry of Elliston.
2008 T. Elborough Long-player Goodbye vii. 192 A clarinettist..whose taste for high Victorian showmanry..knew few bounds.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2017; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1728- to fly with
- to foam off
- to fob a person of or out of
- to fob in
- to fob of or out of
- to fob off
- to fodder on
- to fodder upon
- to fode forth
- to fode occasionally forward
- to fode off
- to fode on
- to fode out
- to fog off
- to foin at a person or with
- to foin at a person or with a weapon
- to foin at or with
- to foin at or with a weapon
- to foist in
- to fold off
- to fold up
- to follow a person at foot
- to follow a person to foot
- to follow a person to the grave
- to follow a person's footsteps