| 释义 |
show-off, n. (a.)
[f. vbl. phr. to show off: see show v. 8 b, 33.]
a. A display, exhibition or exposure of (something).
1776S. J. Pratt Pupil of Pleas. 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― Liberal Opin. (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.].
b. Pugilism. A public display.
1828Egan Boxiana IV. 168 We believe it was the first show-off of the latter with the mufflers.
c. An imposing or specious display; an opportunity for display. Also, in generalized sense, display, showiness.
1843S. Bamford Passages in Life of 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. 1856C. M. Yonge Daisy Chain ii. i, A bazaar—a field for her trumpery, and a show-off for all the young ladies. 1856Lever Martins of Cro' M. xxvi, In all the glitter and show off of fashionable acquirement poor Molly is the inferior. 1893W. Walker Three Churchmen 173 He considered it an unreality and too much of a show-off. 1896Baden-Powell Matabele Campaign xviii. 136 Our Colonial expansion..is not undertaken with any idea of show-off.
d. A person given to showing off. (The principal sense.)
1924G. E. Kelly (title) The show-off. 1925[see go v. 58 g]. 1932W. S. Maugham For Services Rendered ii. 42 Lois: Well, I've always looked upon you as rather a show-off. 1943D. Powell Time to be Born ii. 52 We..don't like to show off. Our women aren't show-offs. 1954C. Armstrong Better to eat You iv. 34 He knew how to deflate the show-offs and encourage the shy. 1960T. Griffith Waist-high Culture i. ii. 24 Grateful for an adult audience..we must have been unbearable showoffs. 1972‘E. Ferrars’ Breath of Suspicion vii. 102 That honey⁓moon couple... What show-offs they both are, acting as if no one else had ever had a love affair before them.
e. attrib. or adj. Given to display; ostentatious, showy.
1818S. E. Ferrier Marriage II. xxii. 298 Colonel Lennox was evidently not a shew-off character. 1837[Miss Maitland] Lett. fr. Madras (1843) 154 He was a conceited, show-off sort of person. 1843Punch Feb. 79/1 We never see this show-off style of living. 1934T. Wilder Heaven's my Destination iii. 48 He was one of that loud show-off kind. 1954Koestler Trail of Dinosaur (1955) ii. 89 The perfect symbol of it all is the show-off TV aerial on the roof of suburban houses. 1977H. Innes Big Footprints iv. i. 317 You stupid show-off bastard.
Hence show-offish, show-ˈoffy adjs.
1942H. Haycraft Murder for Pleasure ix. 189 He has too often stooped to merely show-offish quotation-spouting. 1952S. Kauffmann Philanderer (1953) iii. 54 My sweet, dear husband. My darling, show-offy, gentle husband. 1971Laver & 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. 1978A. Maling Lucky Devil xxix. 155 He just came along to write the check. And he was kind of show-offy about it. |