show-upn.
/ˈʃəʊʌp/, U.S. /ˈʃoʊˌəp/ 1. Originally: the action or an act of exposing a person or thing to ridicule, censure, or the like (cf. to show up 5 at show v. Phrasal verbs 1). Later also (colloquial): a humiliating or embarrassing situation or circumstance; something which ‘shows a person up’. Now somewhat archaic.
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society > communication > manifestation > disclosure or revelation > [noun] > a disclosure > of something discreditable
air1622
exposition1649
exposé1809
show-up1824
exposure1826
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disrepute > damage to reputation > [noun] > bringing into disrepute > exposure of false claims or pretensions
show-up1824
showing up1835
debunking1923
1824 John Bull 19 July 238/2 The Times of yesterday..has exposed the quackery of Haymarket puffing... This is a sad shew-up!
1830 ‘J. Bee’ Ess. on Foote in S. Foote Wks. p. lxxvii Treading closely on the heels of a threatened show up.
a1854 J. S. Mill Draft Autobiogr. (1961) ii. 93 In my father's article the detailed shew-up of the Edinburgh Review had been left unfinished.
1854 Fraser's Mag. 50 253 Mr. Disraeli was to make a show-up of Mr. Gladstone's finance.
1884 Proc. Old Bailey 20 Oct. 833 On the way he said that he did not like to go with me, it would be such a show up.
1907 Salt Lake Tribune 14 July (Sunday Mag.) 15/2 I shall tell the chaps tonight that it was a little joke on my part..then I shall take you by the collar and kick you into the road... It'll be a terrible show-up for you.
1937 W. H. S. Smith Let. 30 Oct. in Young Man's Country (1977) ii. 97 I am beguiling myself..by reading Sinclair Lewis's Elmer Gantry, a show-up of American Nonconformists.
1961 Guardian 9 June 9/2 One of those tough, sexy, ostensibly moralistic show-ups.
2000 J. J. Connolly Layer Cake 121 This afternoon's meeting was a fiasco, a real show-up.
2.
a. The action or fact of turning up at or attending an event, venue, etc.; an instance of this; an appearance.
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the world > space > place > presence > [noun] > person or thing that is present > those present
presencea1325
appearance1599
parado1625
turn-out1816
show-up1824
attendance1835
1824 Morning Post 10 Nov. There is not such a show-up as at the last fight here.
1879 Bell's Life in London 8 Mar. 5/6 There was a very fair show up of members; several, however,..were unable to take part in the race.
1897 San Antonio (Texas) Sunday Light 3 Oct. Cotton worms are making their ‘showup’.
1903 Boston Sunday Globe 27 Sept. 32/8 Miss Maxine Elliott opens in the Garrick Monday, her first show-up as a star.
1975 Transportation Sci. 9 103 Our experience, as well as others, have shown that the expected number of ‘show ups’ for a flight exceeds N/2.
2009 N.Y. Times Mag. 26 July 32/1 His staff informed him that the evening would conclude with a brief show-up at..a gala for the African-American sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha.
b. colloquial (originally U.S.). A police identification parade; (sometimes more generally) any occasion on which criminal suspects are viewed. In later use also: the act of taking a witness to a place known to be frequented by a suspect, so that he or she can make a positive identification when the suspect appears.
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society > law > administration of justice > court proceedings or procedure > evidence > [noun] > identification parade
identification parade1908
show-up1913
identity parade1927
stand-up1935
society > communication > indication > that which identifies or distinguishes > personal identification > [noun] > identification parade
rap1903
show-up1981
1913 Racine (Wisconsin) Jrnl.-News 7 Apr. 1/7 At the morning ‘show-up’ where the detectives view the prisoners taken the night before, Hosick was there... He instantly recognized Fay as the man wanted back east.
1932 Sun (Baltimore) 12 Dec. 1/3 The authorities conducted a mysterious ‘show up’ today for De Larm..police endeavoring to learn whether he had been seen in the vicinity..at the time of the killing.
1955 Sun (Baltimore) 22 Nov. 3/1 Lyman Brown..picked Graham out of a ‘showup’ of seven jail inmates.
1981 B. Ashley Dodgem v. 106 The further away he got from Ear-ring the better—at least until the kid had forgotten the worst of the show-up.
2015 Lowell (Mass.) Sun (Nexis) 28 July Noda said Valle was identified via a ‘show up’ at the scene and a police photo array.
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the world > action or operation > advantage > an opportunity > [noun]
chance1297
occasiona1382
leisurec1386
opportunitya1387
advantage1487
portunity1516
in the nick1565
mean1592
vantage?1592
occasionet1593
overture1610
hinta1616
largeness1625
convenience1679
tid1721
opening1752
offer1831
slant1837
show1842
showing1852
show-up1883
window of opportunity1942
op1978
1883 Argus (Melbourne) 18 Oct. 11/4 I filed my schedule in Melbourne because I could not get a fair show up in the Numurkah district.
1894 Morning Post 19 Nov. 6/7 He asked for a ‘fair show up’, and was told that he would be placed among others for identification.
1897 Proc. Old Bailey 22 Nov. 11 I saw the prisoner at the station, and told him he answered the description I had received—he said, ‘Give me a fair show up’—he was placed with thirteen men.
4. colloquial. An exhibition of artistic work. Now rare.
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society > communication > manifestation > showing to the sight > exposure to public view > an exhibition > [noun]
display1661
exhibition1761
show shop1772
travelling exhibition1800
show1831
exposition1851
showing1885
exhibit1894
étalage1900
show-up1931
installation1969
1931 Church Times 20 Feb. 233/3 A students' ‘show-up’ at an art school.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2017; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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n.1824