Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SHOV'EL, v.t.

1. To take up and throw with a shovel; as, to a shovel earth into a heap or into a cart, or out of a pit.
2. To gather in great quantities. – Derham.

SHOV'EL-BOARD, n.

A board on which they play by sliding metal pieces at a mark. – Dryden.

SHOV'EL-ED, pp.

Thrown with a shovel.

SHOV'EL-ER, n. [from shovel.]

A fowl of the genus Anas or duck kind. – Bacon.

SHOV'EL-ING, ppr.

Throwing with a shovel.

SHOW, n.

1. Superficial appearance; not reality. Mild heav'n / Disapproves that care, though wise in show. – Milton.
2. A spectacle; something offered to view for money. Addison.
3. Ostentatious display or parade. I envy none their pageantry and show. – Young.
4. Appearance as an object of notice. The city itself makes the noblest show of any in the world. – Addison.
5. Public appearance, in distinction from concealment; as, an open show.
6. Semblance; likeness. In show plebeian angel militant. – Milton.
7. Speciousness; plausibility. But a short exile must for show precede. – Dryden.
8. External appearance. And forc'd, at least in show, to prize it more. – Dryden.
9. Exhibition to view; as, a show of cattle, or cattle-show. – Agricult. Societies.
10. Pomp; magnificent spectacle. As for triumph; masks, feasts, and such shows … – Bacon.
11. A phantom; as, a fairy show. – Dryden.
12. Representative action; as, a dumb show. – Addison.
13. External appearance; hypocritical pretense. Who devour widows' houses, and for a show make long prayers. – Luke xx.

SHOW, v.i.

1. To appear; to look; to be in appearance. Just such she shows before a rising storm. – Dryden.
2. To have appearance; to become or suit well or ill. My lord of York, it better show'd with you. [Obs.] – Shak.

SHOW, v.t. [pret. showed; pp. shown or showed. It is sometimes written shew, shewed, shewn. Sax. sceawian; D. schouwen; G. schauen; Dan. skuer. This word in most of the Teutonic dialects, signifies merely to look, see, view, behold. In Saxon it signifies to show, look, view, explore, regard. This is doubtless a contracted word. If the radical letter lost was a labial, show coincides with the Gr. σκοπεω, σκεπτομαι. If a dental has been lost, this word accords with the Sw. skåda, to view or behold.]

1. To exhibit or present to the view of others. Go thy way, show thyself to the priest. Matth. viii.
2. To afford to the eye or to notice; to contain in a visible form. Nor want we skill or art, from whence to raise / Magnificence; and what can heaven show more? – Milton.
3. To make or enable to see. – Milton.
4. To make or enable to perceive. – Milton.
5. To make to know; to cause to understand; to make known to; to teach or inform. – Job x. Know, I am sent / To show thee what shall come in future days. – Milton.
6. To prove; to manifest. I'll shove my duty by my timely care. – Dryden.
7. To inform; to teach; with of. The time cometh when I shall no more speak to you in proverbs, but I shall show you plainly of the Father. – John xvi.
8. To point out, as a guide. Thou shalt show them the way in which they must walk. – Exod. xviii.
9. To bestow; to confer; to afford; as, to show favor or mercy on any person. – Ps. cxii. 5.
10. To prove by evidence, testimony or authentic registers or documents. They could not show their father's house. – Ezra ii.
11. To disclose; to make known. I durst not show you mine opinion. – Job xxxii.
12. To discover; to explain; as, to show a dream or interpretation. – Dan. ii. To show forth, to manifest; to publish; to proclaim. – 1 Pet. ii.

SHOW'-BREAD, or SHEW'-BREAD, n. [show and bread.]

Among the Jews, bread of exhibition; the loaves of bread which the priest of the week placed before the Lord, on the golden table in the sanctuary. They were shaped like a brick, were ten palms long and five broad, weighing about eight pounds each. They were made of fine flour unleavened, and changed every sabbath. The loaves were twelve in number, and represented the twelve tribes of Israel. They were to be eaten by the priest only. – Encyc.

SHOW'ER, n.¹

One who shows or exhibits.

SHOW'ER, n.² [Sax. scur; G. schauer, a shower, horror; schauern, to shower, to shiver, shudder, quake. Qu. Heb. Ch. and Ar. שער, to be rough, to shudder.]

1. A fall of rain or hail, of short duration. It may be applied to a like fall of snow, but this seldom occurs. It is applied to a fall of rain or hail of short continuance, of more or less violence, but never to a storm of long continuance.
2. A fall of things from the air in thick succession; as, a shower of darts or arrows; a shower of stones. – Pope.
3. A copious supply bestowed; liberal distribution; as, a great shower of gifts. – Shak.

SHOW'ER, v.i.

To rain in showers.

SHOW'ER, v.t.

1. To water with a shower; to wet copiously with rain; as, to shower the earth. – Milton.
2. To bestow liberally; to distribute or scatter in abundance. Cesar's favor, / That show'rs down greatness on his friends. – Addison.
3. To wet with falling water, as in the shower-bath.

SHOW'ER-ED, pp.

Wet with a shower; watered abundantly; bestowed or distributed liberally.

SHOW'ER-LESS, a.

Without showers. – Armstrong.

SHOW'ER-Y, a.

Raining in showers; abounding with frequent falls of rain.

SHOW'I-LY, adv.

In a showy manner; pompously; with parade.

SHOW'I-NESS, n.

State of being showy; pompousness; great parade.

SHOW'ING, n.

A presentation to view; exhibition.

SHOW'ING, ppr.

Presenting to view; exhibiting; proving.

SHOW'ISH, a.

1. Splendid; gaudy. [Little used.] – Swift.
2. Ostentatious.

SHOWN, pp. [of Show.]

Exhibited; manifested; proved.

SHOW'Y, a.

1. Splendid; gay; gaudy; making a great show; fine. – Addison.
2. Ostentatious.

SHRAG, n.

A twig of a tree cut off. [Not in use.]

SHRAG, v.t.

To lop. [Not in use.]