representrep‧re‧sent /ˌreprɪˈzent/ ●●● S2 W1 verb 
Mr Kobayashi was chosen to represent the company at the conference.2in court [transitive] to speak officially for someone in a court of lawrepresent yourself She decided to represent herself (=speak for herself without a lawyer) during the trial.3be something [linking verb] to form or be something: European orders represented 30 percent of our sales last year.represent a change/an advance/an increase etc This treatment represents a significant advance in the field of cancer research.4government [transitive] to have been elected to a parliament, council etc by the people in a particular area: He represents the Congressional District of Illinois.5sign [transitive] to be a sign or mark that means something SYN stand for: Brown areas represent deserts on the map.6symbol [transitive] to be a symbol of something SYN symbolize: He hated the school and everything it represented.7sports [transitive] if you represent your country, school, town etc in a sport, you take part in a sports event for that country etc: Her greatest ambition was to represent her country at the Olympics.8be represented if a group, organization, area etc is represented at an event, people from it are at the event: All the local clubs were represented in the parade.9describe [transitive] to describe someone or something in a particular way, especially in a way that is not true SYN portrayrepresent somebody/something as something The article represents the millionaire as a simple family man. He had represented himself as an employee in order to gain access to the files.► see thesaurus at describe10art [transitive] if a painting, statue, piece of music etc represents something or someone, it shows them: Paintings representing religious themes were common in medieval times.
WORD ORIGINrepresent
Origin:
1300-1400 Old French representer, from Latin repraesentare, from praesentare; ➔ PRESENT2VERB TABLE
represent
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | represent |
| he, she, it | represents | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | represented |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have represented |
| he, she, it | has represented | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had represented |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will represent |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have represented |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am representing |
| he, she, it | is representing | |
| you, we, they | are representing | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was representing |
| you, we, they | were representing | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been representing |
| he, she, it | has been representing | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been representing |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be representing |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been representing |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- As a top agent, Ovitz represented some of Hollywood's biggest stars.
- Each class will elect two students to represent them on the School Council.
- Einstein's theory represented a significant departure from previous theories.
- Single letters or combinations of letters represent different phonetic sounds.
- The athletes will represent China in this year's Olympic Games.
- the Congressman who represents the taxpayers of District 1
- The dummies represent average-sized adult males.
- The new law has been criticized by groups representing disabled people.
- The red lines on the map represent railways.
- There is no doubt that this new type of tyre represents a major advance in road safety.
- Trade Unions representing ambulance workers yesterday agreed to accept a 5% pay increase.
- Who is representing the defendant?
- Wilson was represented in court by a top criminal lawyer.
- Between them, Ickes and Morris represent the uneasy coalition of the Democratic base and centrists that Clinton requires for victory.
- I wanted to spend my whole life representing these guys.
- It represents one of his assignations.
- None of the other defendants are represented yet, Singh said.
- Over the course of the preoperational stage, children increasingly attempt to represent things through drawings and their efforts become more realistic.
- This approach stems from a strongly held belief that voluntary action represents a major force for positive environmental change.
THESAURUS
to talk or write about a person, place, event etc, in order to show what they are like: · Could you try and describe the man you saw?· In her book, she describes her journey across the Sahara.· Police described the attack as particularly violent.
to describe someone or something to someone. This phrase is more commonly used than describe in everyday spoken English: · So, tell me about your holiday!· My friends have told me all about you!
formal to describe someone or something in a piece of writing: · His stories depict life in Trinidad as seen through the eyes of a young boy.· In this new biography she is depicted as a lonely and unhappy woman.
formal to describe someone or something in a particular way: · College teachers are often represented on television shows as slightly eccentric.· The magazine has been criticized for the way it portrays women.· The treatment has been portrayed as a painless way of curing cancer, which is simply not true.· Police have represented her as a willing participant in the crimes.
formal to describe someone or something by emphasizing one particular quality or feature about them: · He characterized himself as ‘an average American’.· The successful schools were characterized as innovative and creative.
to describe someone or something, especially in a way that makes people believe something that is not true: · Not all young people are as bad as they’re painted in the press.· We won, yet the media is painting it as a victory for our opponents.· The woman was painted as having only a slight grasp of reality.
to describe a situation, so that people can get a general idea of what it is like: · Can you paint a picture of life in Japan for us?· My uncle’s letters generally painted a rosy picture of how things were.· The report painted a bleak picture of the management’s failures.
Longman Language Activatorto represent a person or group if you represent a person or group at a meeting or in a law court or parliament, you give their opinions and make decisions for them; if you represent a country, school etc in a competition, you have been chosen to compete for that country or school: · Each class will elect two students to represent them on the School Council.· Trade Unions representing ambulance workers yesterday agreed to accept a 5% pay increase.· The new law has been criticized by groups representing disabled people.· The athletes will represent China in this year's Olympic Games.· Wilson was represented in court by a top criminal lawyer.
if you speak to people on behalf of someone, you express their ideas, opinions, or feelings for them: · On behalf of everyone here, I'd like to wish Ted a long and happy retirement.· I would like to thank you all on my mother's behalf for all your cards and good wishes.act on behalf of somebody: · The lawyer acting on behalf of Mrs Anderson said he would continue the fight to clear her name.
to represent a group of people by expressing their feelings, thoughts, or beliefs: · David Blunkett, speaking for the Labour Party, said more money should be spent on higher education.· I can only speak for my own family, not for the other families involved in this case.
to represent someone by making decisions for them, especially legal or financial decisions: · It's a good idea to have an estate agent to act for you when you are selling a house.· Lawyers acting for the defendant asked for her case to be adjourned while they examined new evidence.
if you play, run, swim etc for a school, club, or country, you represent it in a sports competition against other schools, clubs, or countries: · Playing rugby for England had always been one of his dreams.· I used to swim for my school.· Simon Short, running for Scotland, is in the lead as they come round the final bend.
someone who represents a person or a group someone who has been chosen to represent an organization or country: · Japan has refused to send a representative to the talks in Geneva.· John Kohorn is the company's representative in Prague.representative from: · the representative from Belgiumrepresentative of: · We discussed these issues with a senior representative of the company.
a person who officially gives the opinions of an organization, company, government etc: spokesman/spokeswoman for: · A spokesman for the company denied reports that the new drug could cause heart attacks.government/ministry/party etc spokesman/spokeswoman: · A government spokeswoman said the new laws would protect vulnerable children.· Mr Simon Hughes, a company spokesman, spoke to reporters after the meeting.
a word meaning spokesman or spokeswoman , used especially when you do not want to say whether the person is a man or a woman: spokesperson for: · A spokesperson for the company read to waiting reporters from a prepared statement.spokesperson on: · the Labour Party spokesperson on educationgovernment/party/union etc spokesperson: · A government spokesperson has denied the allegations of corruption.
a person or company which represents another person or company in business, financial, or legal matters: · The firm has an agent in Sydney who deals with the Australian side of the business.· The licence application must be signed by the applicant or his agent.agent for: · The company is the UK agent for a top Danish furniture maker.
a person who is sent to another country as an official representative, especially by a government to discuss important matters such as war with another government: · The President met yesterday with an envoy from Pakistan.send an envoy: · Iran agreed to send an envoy to the United Nations for talks on ending the war.· A special envoy was sent to Manila to try and secure the release of the hostages.
someone who is sent to an important meeting by a country or organization in order to represent them by speaking for them and voting for them: · I sat next to the Canadian delegate.delegate to: · The US delegate to the committee announced a grant of $75 million to help third world countries.send a delegate: · Some local branches have refused to send delegates to the national conference.
a person, organization, or newspaper which only gives the opinions of one person or organization and which does not have anything original to say: · In 1917 Stalin became editor of Pravda, the official mouthpiece of the Communist Party.· The Chemical Manufacturers Association is the mouthpiece of the American chemicals industry.
a group of people who go somewhere to represent a country or organization a team of people who have been sent by an organization or a country to represent them at an important meeting: delegation of: · The health ministers agreed to meet a delegation of heart patients.delegation from: · A delegation from Nigeria has arrived to have talks with the British foreign minister.send a delegation: · Headteachers have sent a delegation to London to ask the government to put more money into education.lead a delegation: · The Dutch Prime Minister led a 12 member economic delegation to Indonesia to discuss future investments in the country.
formal a group of people representing a larger group who are sent to talk to a person in authority in order to make a complaint or a request: deputation of: · A deputation of church leaders has met with the government to discuss the teaching of religion in schools.meet/receive a deputation: · In the morning the minister received a deputation from the National Union of Farmers protesting about the government's plans to cut agricultural subsidies.
a group of people who are sent by their government to another country in order to discuss something: · The French President has sent a mission to the region to try to find a peace formula.trade mission (=a mission to discuss trade): · A British trade mission has arrived in Moscow.
someone who officially represents their government · Ambassador Thompson is an experienced diplomat who has served in France, South America, and the Middle East.· British and Argentinian diplomats met to discuss peace.
relating to the people who officially represent their government in a foreign country: · Most members of the European diplomatic community have already left the country as war now seems inevitable.diplomatic service (=the government department that employs diplomats): · He joined the diplomatic service and was posted to Ankara.diplomatic relations (=the relationship between governments that depends on having diplomats in each others' countries): · The governments of Britain and Syria are anxious to re-establish diplomatic relations.
a diplomat of the highest rank who is the official representative of their government in a foreign country: a British/French/US etc ambassador: · Sir Auckland Geddes is the British ambassador to Washington,ambassador to: · Ms Takahashi was the first Japanese woman ever to be appointed ambassador to a foreign country.
the group of people who are sent to live in a foreign country in order to officially represent their government in that country: the British/French/American etc embassy: · Travellers in Spain who are worried about the situation are advised to contact the British Embassy in Madrid.· The American Embassy employs 50 local people in administrative positions.
to form a particular part or amount of something to be a particular amount or part of something: · In Japan, firms employing over 1000 people accounted for 50% of total employment.· This project alone represents half of the department's budget.· Women now represent 48% of the workforce.
to be a particular part of something - use this especially to talk about scientific or official facts and figures: · Children constitute four out of every ten poor people in the United States.· Nitrogen constitutes 78% of the earth's atmosphere.
to be something · Sacramento is the capital of California.· Laurence Olivier was the greatest actor of his generation.· The state of the economy is our biggest problem.· The Somme was the bloodiest battle of the First World War.· When it's finished, it will be the biggest office development in Europe.
: represent an improvement/an obstacle/a challenge etc formal used to say that something, especially something important or serious, should be thought of as a particular thing: · There is no doubt that this new type of tyre represents a major advance in road safety.· Einstein's theory represented a significant departure from previous theories.
if something forms something else, it has physical qualities that gives it a particular purpose or makes it have a particular effect: · The river formed a natural boundary between the two countries.· Oils produced by the skin form a protective barrier against infection and disease.
to have the necessary qualities to be a particular thing or a particular type of person: · He'll make a good father.· This sofa doesn't make much of a bed.· You're quick but you'll never make a football player.
formal if actions or behaviour constitute something, they are officially or legally considered as being that thing: · The local authority decided that the present housing conditions constituted a risk for the mother and baby.· The spread of international crime and corruption constitutes a major threat to the global economy.
to describe someone or something in a way that shows your opinion to describe someone or something in a particular way that shows your opinion of them: · I wouldn't describe the job as boring, just a little repetitive sometimes.· John describes himself as the intelligent but shy type.· De la Cruz is described as Mexico's greatest woman poet.
to describe the character of someone or something in a particular way, especially with the result that people believe it to be true when it may not be: · A reporter characterized Mrs. Clinton as the most controversial first lady in modern history.· She grew up in a small Wisconsin community which she characterizes as conservative.
to describe someone or something in a negative way, especially incorrectly or unfairly: · Children who are labelled "slow" usually get less attention from teachers.· Critics have unfairly labelled Young a racist.label somebody/something as: · Campbell has labelled the commission's recommendations as sheer nonsense.
formal to describe someone or something in a particular way, especially in a way that makes people have an untrue idea of what they are like: · The magazine has been criticized for the way it portrays women.portray/represent somebody/something as: · The treatment has been portrayed as a painless way of curing cancer, which is untrue.· Police have represented her as a willing participant in the crimes.
to describe someone or something, especially in writing, by providing a lot of details which give a very true idea of what they are like: · His stories depict life in Trinidad as seen through the eyes of a young boy.depict somebody/something as: · In this new biography she is depicted as a lonely and unhappy woman.
: paint a bleak/grim/rosy etc picture to describe in a very pleasant or very unpleasant way, which may be very different from the truth: paint a picture of: · My uncle's letters generally painted a rosy picture of how things were.· He went on to paint a discouraging picture of the problems facing the state.
to have a particular meaning to have a particular meaning - use this about words, signs, or statements: · What does "abandon" mean?· "Poultry" means chickens, ducks, turkeys, and geese.· It says "not suitable for children", which means anyone under 16.mean (that): · The flashing light means we're running out of gas.· "Downsizing" simply means that firms are tending to buy smaller computers to do jobs which used to require big ones.what is meant by something: · What is meant by the term "random access"?
if a letter or group of letters stands for a word, name, or number, it is a short way of saying or writing it: · NATO stands for North Atlantic Treaty Organization.· What does the F in John F. Kennedy stand for?
if a shape, letter, object etc represents something, it is used as a sign for that thing in a map, plan, calculation etc: · The red lines on the map represent railways.· Single letters or combinations of letters represent different phonetic sounds.
also symbolise British if something such as an object or animal symbolizes an idea or quality, it is used as a sign to mean that idea or quality, especially in a story, a ceremony, or a particular society: · The lion symbolizes strength, the lamb symbolizes gentleness.· In Europe, the colour white symbolizes purity but in Asia it is often the symbol of deep mourning.· Cowardice is symbolized in the painting by the white feathers on the soldier's coat.
if a word or number denotes something, it means it in a very exact sense - used especially in technical contexts: · The dotted line on the graph denotes profits.· The English word "family" used to denote all the people in the house, including servants.· The quantity denoted by the letter E varies from experiment to experiment.
if a word connotes something, it makes you think of feelings and ideas that are not its actual meaning: · The word "jolly" often connotes that someone is fat.
WORD SETSassembly, nounbackbencher, nounbackwoodsman, nounbicameral, adjectivebill, nounCapitol Hill, nounchamber, nouncongress, nouncongressman, nouncongresswoman, nouncorporation, nouncouncil, noundissolve, verbdivision, nounfilibuster, verbfront bench, nounfrontbencher, nounguillotine, nounguillotine, verbhouse, nounintroduce, verblobby, nounlogrolling, nounLower House, nounmajority leader, nounMP, nounorder paper, nounparliament, nounparliamentarian, nounparliamentary, adjectivepass, verbpassage, nounprivate member, nounreading, nounrecess, nounrecess, verbrepresent, verbrepresentative, adjectiveRight Honourable, adjectiveRoyal Commission, nounrunning mate, nounsession, nounsitting, nounsitting member, nounsurgery, nounvote of censure, nounwhip, nounWhite Paper, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY This treatment represents a significant advance in the field of cancer research.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
This treatment represents a significant advance in the field of cancer research. (=something is an achievement)· Few people realised what an enormous achievement Concorde represented.
· This represents a major breakthrough in the search for a cure.
· Mead was a top attorney representing major corporate clients.
· It’s a great honour to be chosen to represent your country in a sport.
(=be an improvement)· A pre-tax profit of 4.3 million pounds represents a 5% improvement on last year.
· a group of lawyers who represent the airline
· Old people still only represent a minority of the population.
· The idea represents a dramatic shift in health care policy.
· He is not afraid, because you represent no threat to him.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· In placid periods this measure would represent only a very modest implicit tax on speculation.· Political action committees, which are more active in congressional races, represented only 2 percent of the presidential campaign coffers.· For them aircraft represent only a small part of their huge engineering and shipbuilding businesses.· The results represented only small Steps toward equipping Taylor with the knowledge he needed to challenge the combined experience of the men.· Anyway, they represent only a fraction of the long distance paths Britain has to offer.· Each of these incremental shifts represents only a brief moment in geological time.· Despite its impressive growth it represents only 5 percent of the total population and is not growing as fast as evangelical sects.
NOUN· Why does government give attention to the views of the associations that represent the various groups of local authorities?· The Tennessee Education Association, which represents 43, 000 teachers in the state, has opposed the evolution bill.· It would be helpful if you could indicate on the attached reply slip if your Association will be represented at the meeting.· Trade unions are associations of workers which represent their members in all negotiations with employers.· The professional associations representing accountants sponsor numerous courses, seminars, group study programs, and other forms of continuing education.· Twenty years later he decided to lodge an Entitlement Appeal against the decision, and nominated the Association to represent him.· The associations which they represent can be seen in the ways in which they have been quoted by others.
· An attorney representing a client before a court helps to make the trial fair, but the attorney is not neutral.· Saturday, Wilson also signed a measure to increase the number of defense attorneys who represent Death Row inmates in their appeals.· The professors were not training young attorneys to represent peo-ple.· Theodore Graham, an attorney representing the out-of-work San Diego Symphony musicians.· But the reverse is true when an attorney represents a person who is obviously guilty or whose guilt is widely perceived.· I really believe that we would get an attorney and we would represent ourselves.· As an attorney, he represented the poor Thee of charge.
· The paper claims this represents a serious challenge to other Risc vendors jostling for position in the software arena.· What happened there represents a frontal challenge to how the courts, the states and the federal government administer justice.· They represent a very real challenge to the pub traditional client base.· I chose seven contrasting but popular sports, some I had played many times before, others representing new challenges.· This historical work itself represents a strong challenge to some of the premises which underpin the idea of structured dependency.· Indirectly this must have represented a challenge to the influence of Aethelred of Mercia in the East Saxon region.· Strikes, in other words, represent a challenge to managerial authority.· Involving professional services, these two sectors represent particular challenges in managing change.
· He says it's not everyone who gets a chance to represent their country.· So far, the users represent more than 50 countries.· They're embarrassed to have such primitive people represent the country to the rest of the world.· Global information distribution networks represent the infrastructure crisscrossing countries and continents.· They would like to represent their country internationally.· They have represented their country at Under-19 level.· She represented her country in the senior Home Internationals and was undefeated in singles.
· The figure represents a rise of £848 compared to the 1991 surplus.· But these figures do not represent real growth of the economy that people live from.· Figure 1.1 represents the civil court structure and Figure 1.2 represents the criminal court structure.· The figures represent 2.4 children per 1,000 in the county, compared to an average of 4.2 per 1,000 in the North-East.· This equals the comparative cost and again the lowest figure represents the best value.· A heavy bar below the figure represents identity across the five genes; a light bar represents a position of conservative change.· The figures given represent an average over the year.
· The second group represented wild birds transplanted from not far away.· The group represents instead, a combination of such contrasting interests.· Most of the other groups represent segments of the health care system, from insurers to clinics.· It consists of a number of locally-based groups, linked together by a holding committee on which the district groups are represented.· Work with a group large enough to represent all the various essential interests yet small enough to still be manageable.· This group therefore represents the most committed sports participants.· But groups representing the disabled are threatening to disrupt the day.
· Salinity has reached 14 parts per thousand which represents a 40 percent increase since 1951.· This represents a 25 % increase over the figure for 1994, which was itself sharply higher than for 1993.· This represents an increase of 13.4 per cent compared to the previous year's results.· The investment by 3i represented a 73% increase over the previous year, which ended at 31 March 1990.· At constant prices accounting for price movements, this represents a 7.6% increase, comparing favourably with last years increase of 1.6%.· Although the figure is small, it represents a dramatic increase compared with a total of six elected officials in 1962.· Eventhat figure represented a huge increase on previous statistics.· This represents an increase of 10.7% on last years figure of £317.3 million.
· It's a question that lawyers representing the two Hitachi employees wanted to pursue in open court.· A lawyer representing the company currently servicing the loan denies Aikens' assertions.· She thought lawyers represented ultimate respectability-they all made millions, rode in nice cars, and spoke fluently.· They are essential reading for child care lawyers who wish to represent their clients effectively in court.· Donald Steier, a Los Angeles lawyer who represented Llanos, said the priest maintained that he was innocent.· The lawyer representing the team doctor, Eric Rijkaert, also gave more details of the organisation of doping within the team.· Bernstein include clients the two lawyers represent and for whom they have won substantial judgments.
· The election was contested by 1,126 candidates representing 20 political parties and 219 independents.· The republic's 245,000 registered voters were to elect deputies to the 42-seat Federal Assembly from 320 candidates representing 21 parties.· The congress was attended by 1,176 delegates representing over 2,000,000 party members.· The rulings were created and administered by the local law society which represents all interested professional parties.· Most of its members represent the old party and management apparatus.· The election was contested by over 2,700 candidates representing 79 political parties.· Power lay in the hands of a Committee of Public Safety, which represented all local parties and institutions.
· Salinity has reached 14 parts per thousand which represents a 40 percent increase since 1951.· Either would be in sharp contrast to pre-settlement times, when pines represented 90 percent of the forest.· This represents 10 percent. of the United Kingdom total compared with 14 percent. in July 1989.· Third World loans represent a mere six percent of their total portfolios.· In 1994, the public deficit represented 6 percent of national output.· But solid coffins represent less than 10 percent of the Coop's business.· The United States is the second most popular destination for its exchangers, representing about 20 percent of houses listed.
· Species, then, are real, even if they do not represent different stable states of matter.· These, representing a powerful State, are highly interventionist, concerned with efficiency and productivity, and rationalists to the core.· All three countries represent a state of affairs that defies predominant theories in comparative politics.· Thus state policies and actions reflect the balance of class forces and the way that balance is represented within the state.· But one of his students was Dan Morales, the Texas attorney general who is representing the state.· Commissioner Zen and I represent the State.· The chief executive, or her delegates, represents the state in its dealings with other countries.
· The trade union representing the workforce at these plants had threatened to go on strike if their jobs are put at risk.· Many athletes from the former Soviet Union now represent their home nations.· Senior officials of the four unions representing Rover workers are trying to find an alternative buyer.· A hundred different trade unions may be represented on one site.· It is significant that the union which represents the employed workers of Cartón has never been on strike.· Some sacrifice, sneered the union representing the bank's 4,500 workers, before calling for wage talks.
· What causes offence is that he merely represents a shifting of values for the mass of young people.· We think these plans represent fairness and value for all Raiders fans.· In the first version, each card laid represents a value, such as love or luck.· I used to pour the orange juice, which represented the added value in our products, into four separate glasses.· This equals the comparative cost and again the lowest figure represents the best value.· Most are heavily subsidised and represent excellent value for hard-pressed school budgets.· The new subscription rates still represent exceptional value.· Your new Thames Water charges still represent exceedingly good value for a continuous supply of water and our sewage services.
· I assume, therefore, that what he has said represents the majority view within his party.· One is that each theory represents only a partial view of the 183 whole.· Is it not about time that the Minister started to represent doctors' views properly?· Andrea Seastrand, R-Calif. made an argument that seemed to represent the majority view.· This represents a limiting view of initiative.· But Bomer said members represented every point of view in the state.· A machine could effectively represent the views of the population using this information.· I found out Monday that he was representing his own views, not the organization.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRYPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
- Affective experiences, such as feeling, are represented and remembered, changing for ever the nature of affective thoughts.
- Male and female employees were represented by separate union locals until 1977.
- Nineteen households are represented in the lawsuit.
- Obviously, using A to Z as the basic character set, 26 subjects can be represented by single character notation.
- There was some fiction but not one of the great nineteenth century novelists was represented in it.
- These differences might be represented as those which mark off the specialist team from the others.
- This is represented graphically in figure 3.3.
- What organisations are represented on the Governing Body of your College? 4.
- Let c equal 6.
WORD FAMILYnounrepresentationrepresentativeadjectiverepresentative ≠ unrepresentativerepresentationalverbrepresent
1speak for somebody [transitive] to officially speak or take action for another person or group of people: Mr Kobayashi was chosen to represent the company at the conference.2in court [transitive] to speak officially for someone in a court of lawrepresent yourself She decided to represent herself (=speak for herself without a lawyer) during the trial.3be something [linking verb] to form or be something: European orders represented 30 percent of our sales last year.represent a change/an advance/an increase etc This treatment represents a significant advance in the field of cancer research.4government [transitive] to have been elected to a parliament, council etc by the people in a particular area: He represents the Congressional District of Illinois.5sign [transitive] to be a sign or mark that means something SYN stand for: Brown areas represent deserts on the map.6symbol [transitive] to be a symbol of something SYN symbolize: He hated the school and everything it represented.7sports [transitive] if you represent your country, school, town etc in a sport, you take part in a sports event for that country etc: Her greatest ambition was to represent her country at the Olympics.8be represented if a group, organization, area etc is represented at an event, people from it are at the event: All the local clubs were represented in the parade.9describe [transitive] to describe someone or something in a particular way, especially in a way that is not true SYN portrayrepresent somebody/something as something The article represents the millionaire as a simple family man. He had represented himself as an employee in order to gain access to the files.► see thesaurus at describe10art [transitive] if a painting, statue, piece of music etc represents something or someone, it shows them: Paintings representing religious themes were common in medieval times.