show-offn.adj.
/ˈʃəʊɒf/, U.S. /ˈʃoʊˌɔf/, /ˈʃoʊˌɑf/ A. n.
1.
a. With of. The action or an act of showing something off (to show off 3a at show v. Phrasal verbs 1); a display or exhibition of something.In quot. 1828: (apparently) a public appearance by a boxer.
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > manifestation > [noun]
uppingc950
showingOE
propositiona1382
evidencec1384
musterc1400
manifestation?a1425
demonstrationc1450
ostension1474
demonstrance1509
ostentationa1513
forthsetting1528
apparition1533
manifesting1536
outshow1547
objection1554
displaying1556
proclamation1567
discovery1576
remonstrance1583
appearance1587
explicature1592
ostent1600
object1609
showing forth1615
innotescencea1631
presentment1637
deplication1648
display1661
exertion1668
extraversion1675
exhibitiona1677
exertment1696
show-off1776
unfoldment1850
outcrop1854
outplay1859
eclosion1889
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > fighting sports > boxing > [noun] > bout or contest
boxing match1699
set-to1743
bruising-match1757
show-off1776
rally1805
turn-up1810
mill1812
spar1814
twista1849
wap1887
go1890
scrap1905
promotion1907
society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > a public show or spectacle > type of show or spectacle > [noun] > show of skill > in boxing
show-off1776
1776 S. J. Pratt Pupil of Pleasure II. 14 He allots to each of us such a share of fortune in our own hands as is sufficient to the display and shew-off of the natural disposition.
1783 S. J. Pratt Liberal Opinions (ed. 3) Pref. 20 It appears to have been..the..effort of the author..to display the..inconsistencies of human opinion respecting Happiness; and, (after this shew off of folly, delusion, and absurdity) [etc.].
1828 P. Egan Boxiana New Ser. I. 168 We believe it was the first show-off of the latter with the mufflers.
1840 Morning Herald (N.Y.) 13 Feb. [The resolutions] were simply offered to make a show-off of business.
1901 Independent 18 July 1682/2 Four years ago, when these chapters were written, the material in them would have made an excellent magazine article, but its appearance here is so evidently a ‘show off’ of political pride in the author that it is almost ridiculous.
1947 Collier's 9 Aug. 47/1 One day—with a show-off of bravado, but with a feeling of shame inside—I made up a plan to [etc.].
2005 G. Ansell Soweto Blues v. 153 It is..a defiant show-off of skill and an international jazz vocabulary.
b. The action or an act of showing off (to show off 3b at show v. Phrasal verbs 1); an ostentatious, grandiose, or specious display of skill, finery, etc.; (occasionally) an opportunity for display or ostentation.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > pride > ostentation > [noun] > (an) ostentatious display
pompc1330
vaunterya1492
pomping pridec1503
braga1513
flaunt-a-flaunt1576
plume1580
affecting1584
top and topgallant1593
ruffle1609
parado1621
riota1649
flutter1667
show1713
sprunk1746
to make a splash1804
show-off1811
paraffle1816
shine1819
splurge1828
gaud1831
spludge1831
poppy-show1860
razzle1885
razzmatazz1917
foofaraw1933
showbiz1970
glitz1977
1811 H. L. Stanhope Let. 2 June in I. Bruce Nun of Lebanon (1951) ii. viii. 101 Two of the men galloped out of the ranks & rode full speed with a lance in his hand which they threw within a few inches of us, this was only a shew off, to prove their dexterity.
1843 S. Bamford Passages Life Radical II. iii. 18 After some show off, by Mr Hunt, without which indeed, he scarcely knew how to get out of any matter, we left the dock.
1856 C. M. Yonge Daisy Chain ii. i A bazaar—a field for her trumpery, and a show-off for all the young ladies.
1896 R. S. S. Baden-Powell Matabele Campaign xviii. 136 Our Colonial expansion..is not undertaken with any idea of show-off.
1930 J. B. Priestley Angel Pavement vi. 279 I had a picture postcard from her last year, from Cromer—all show-off, y'know.
1949 Country Life 28 Oct. 1287/3 During the next half hour she [sc. a magpie] did the most prodigious and prolonged show-off.
2004 Sydney Morning Herald (Nexis) 16 Feb. (Guide section) 22 Byron's great show-off in swimming the Hellespont.
c. As mass noun: showiness; ostentation, display.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > pride > ostentation > [noun]
boast1297
strut1303
bombancec1325
bobantc1330
bobancec1380
ambitionc1384
oliprancec1390
pretence?a1439
ostentationa1475
pransawtea1500
bravity1546
finesse1549
bravery1573
overlashing1579
brave1596
peacockry1596
garishness1598
maggot ostentation1598
ostent1609
flaunta1625
spectability1637
vantation1637
fastuousness1649
fastuosity1656
finery1656
parade1656
phantastry1656
ostentatiousness1658
éclat1704
pretension1706
braw1724
swell1724
showiness1730
ostensibility1775
fanfaronade1784
display1816
showing off1822
glimmer1827
tigerism1836
peacockery1844
show-off1846
flare1847
peacockism1854
swank1854
tigerishness1869
flashness1888
flamboyance1891
peacockishness1892
flamboyancy1896
swankiness1920
plushness1949
glitziness1982
fantasia-
fantastication-
1846 Wedding Bells ii. 23 All they would see must be real, and without show off, pretence, or tawdry display of any kind.
1856 C. J. Lever Martins of Cro' Martin xxvi. 284 In all the glitter and show off of fashionable acquirement poor Molly is the inferior.
1905 C. Major Yolanda iv. 80 Max, with a dash of ‘show-off’ in his disposition, laughed at Yolanda's fears and answered that he was in no danger.
1958 Photoplay Oct. 22/2 He made friends fast and there was no show-off about him.
1979 J. Lees-Milne Diary 5 Aug. in Deep Romantic Chasm (2003) 43 Tony's voice, which is soft, persuasive and totally without camp or show-off, is in fact one of the best of the announcers'.
2012 Sportswear Internat. (India) (Nexis) 19 July Mumbai has show business without show-off.
2. A person given to making a show of or drawing public attention to his or her possessions, accomplishments, skill, etc.; a person who behaves in an ostentatious or attention-seeking manner.Now the predominant sense.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > pride > ostentation > [noun] > ostentatious person
peacocka1425
ruffler1536
struttera1591
flaunter1598
glisterer1628
tulip1647
parader1747
swasher1821
swash1824
dazzler1839
rooster1840
show-off1841
swankera1846
Vanity-Fairian1847
grandstander1896
spotlighter1907
swank1913
swankpot1914
showboat1932
showboater1941
pavisander1950
1841 Asiatic Jrnl. & Monthly Reg. 35 i. 53 Burra beebee (great lady) very gracious, and a great show-off of the bel butchos (children).
1898 Atalanta Aug. 612/1 A ‘show-off’ always likes to have a good audience.
1932 W. S. Maugham For Services Rendered ii. 42 Lois: Well, I've always looked upon you as rather a show-off.
1943 D. Powell Time to be Born (new ed.) ii. 52 We..don't like to show off. Our women aren't show-offs.
1960 T. Griffith Waist-high Culture i. ii. 24 Grateful for an adult audience..we must have been unbearable showoffs.
2001 J. Lahr in K. Tynan Diaries 8 His parents..on one occasion even splurged on a monocle for their little show-off.
2015 E. de Mariaffi Devil you Know vii. 79 That makes it tempting to be a show-off and prove how brave you are all the time.
B. adj.
That is a show-off (sense A. 2); given to or characterized by showing off; ostentatious, showy. Also: sufficiently impressive, fashionable, expensive, etc., to be shown off.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > pride > ostentation > [adjective]
rankOE
peacockly?a1425
ruffling1531
garish1545
peacockish1551
peacock-like1576
ostentatious1590
fastuous?1591
flaring1593
flantitanting1596
ostentive1599
ostentative1601
showful1607
flourishable1614
flourishing1616
flaunting1624
ostentous1624
ostentatory1638
swasha1640
fanfaron1670
paradeful1748
ostensible1782
epideictic1790
fandangous1797
flashy1801
affiché1818
show-off1818
splashing1820
flaunty1825
splash-and-dash1830
pretentious1832
flash1836
splashy1836
pretenceful1841
swanky1842
peacocky1844
fantysheeny1847
splurgy1852
cheesy1858
pretensivea1868
duchessy1870
swagger1879
lavish1882
splurging1884
show-offy1890
razzmatazz1900
show-offish1903
whoop-de-do1904
Ritz1908
split-arse1917
swanking1918
ritzy1919
fantoosh1920
knock-me-down1922
showboating1936
showboat1939
hellzapoppin'1945
zazzy1961
glitzy1966
sploshy1966
zhuzhy1968
noncy1989
bling1999
1818 S. E. Ferrier Marriage II. xxii. 298 Colonel Lennox was evidently not a shew-off character.
1843 Punch 4 79/1 We never see this show-off style of living.
1880 Rocky Mountain News (Denver) 23 May 9/1 Edison..is simply a man of a type common enough in this country—a smart, persevering, sanguine, ignorant, show-off American.
1934 T. Wilder Heaven's my Destination iii. 48 He was one of that loud show-off kind.
1955 A. Koestler Trail of Dinosaur ii. 89 The perfect symbol of it all is the show-off TV aerial on the roof of suburban houses.
1977 H. Innes Big Footprints iv. i. 317 You stupid show-off bastard.
2003 ITC Classics Brochure 19/1 The glitzy parade of show-off hotels lining up along Jumeirah Beach.
Derivatives
show-ˈoffish adj. = sense B.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > pride > ostentation > [adjective]
rankOE
peacockly?a1425
ruffling1531
garish1545
peacockish1551
peacock-like1576
ostentatious1590
fastuous?1591
flaring1593
flantitanting1596
ostentive1599
ostentative1601
showful1607
flourishable1614
flourishing1616
flaunting1624
ostentous1624
ostentatory1638
swasha1640
fanfaron1670
paradeful1748
ostensible1782
epideictic1790
fandangous1797
flashy1801
affiché1818
show-off1818
splashing1820
flaunty1825
splash-and-dash1830
pretentious1832
flash1836
splashy1836
pretenceful1841
swanky1842
peacocky1844
fantysheeny1847
splurgy1852
cheesy1858
pretensivea1868
duchessy1870
swagger1879
lavish1882
splurging1884
show-offy1890
razzmatazz1900
show-offish1903
whoop-de-do1904
Ritz1908
split-arse1917
swanking1918
ritzy1919
fantoosh1920
knock-me-down1922
showboating1936
showboat1939
hellzapoppin'1945
zazzy1961
glitzy1966
sploshy1966
zhuzhy1968
noncy1989
bling1999
1903 Evening Gaz. (Burlington, Iowa) 19 Jan. 6/3 Trick yourself out in your most show-offish rig, putting on all your war paint and feathers and furbelows.
1912 S. G. S. Perry Melindy 249 You an' yo' smaht show-offish frien's!
1971 R. Laver & B. Collins Educ. Tennis Player xxv. 292 I hadn't jumped a net in a dozen years. I thought it was a bit show-offish for one thing.
2012 Straits Times (Singapore) (Nexis) 19 Feb. Even if you are in your 20s and have a great bod, these [sc. tight T-shirts] are too show-offish.
show-ˈoffy adj. = sense B.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > pride > ostentation > [adjective]
rankOE
peacockly?a1425
ruffling1531
garish1545
peacockish1551
peacock-like1576
ostentatious1590
fastuous?1591
flaring1593
flantitanting1596
ostentive1599
ostentative1601
showful1607
flourishable1614
flourishing1616
flaunting1624
ostentous1624
ostentatory1638
swasha1640
fanfaron1670
paradeful1748
ostensible1782
epideictic1790
fandangous1797
flashy1801
affiché1818
show-off1818
splashing1820
flaunty1825
splash-and-dash1830
pretentious1832
flash1836
splashy1836
pretenceful1841
swanky1842
peacocky1844
fantysheeny1847
splurgy1852
cheesy1858
pretensivea1868
duchessy1870
swagger1879
lavish1882
splurging1884
show-offy1890
razzmatazz1900
show-offish1903
whoop-de-do1904
Ritz1908
split-arse1917
swanking1918
ritzy1919
fantoosh1920
knock-me-down1922
showboating1936
showboat1939
hellzapoppin'1945
zazzy1961
glitzy1966
sploshy1966
zhuzhy1968
noncy1989
bling1999
1890 Morning Oregonian (Portland, Oregon) 7 Sept. 13/3 The style [of cyclist] who..rides hands off, hands on, legs over handles,..frightens horses, and is ‘fresh’, irrepressible and show-offy generally.
1953 S. Kauffmann Philanderer iii. 54 My sweet, dear husband. My darling, show-offy, gentle husband.
1978 A. Maling Lucky Devil xxix. 155 He just came along to write the check. And he was kind of show-offy about it.
2015 Guardian (Nexis) 16 Sept. I don't like it when men are too show-offy, or trendy.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2017; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.adj.1776