Library / English Dictionary

REPRESENT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

To establish a mapping (of mathematical elements or sets)

Synonyms:

map; represent

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "represent" is one way to...):

commute; permute; transpose (change the order or arrangement of)

Sentence frames:

Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s something PP

Sense 2

Meaning:

Bring forward and present to the mind

Example:

We cannot represent this knowledge to our formal reason

Synonyms:

lay out; present; represent

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "represent" is one way to...):

say; state; tell (express in words)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "represent"):

argue; reason (present reasons and arguments)

argue; indicate (give evidence of)

spin (twist and turn so as to give an intended interpretation)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something to somebody

Derivation:

representation (a presentation to the mind in the form of an idea or image)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Point out or draw attention to in protest or remonstrance

Example:

our parents represented to us the need for more caution

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "represent" is one way to...):

point out; remonstrate (present and urge reasons in opposition)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

representation (a statement of facts and reasons made in appealing or protesting)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Express indirectly by an image, form, or model; be a symbol

Example:

What does the Statue of Liberty symbolize?

Synonyms:

represent; stand for; symbolise; symbolize; typify

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "represent" is one way to...):

intend; mean (mean or intend to express or convey)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "represent"):

be; embody; personify (represent, as of a character on stage)

epitomise; epitomize; typify (embody the essential characteristics of or be a typical example of)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

representation (a presentation to the mind in the form of an idea or image)

representative (standing for something else)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Describe or present, usually with respect to a particular quality

Example:

He represented this book as an example of the Russian 19th century novel

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "represent" is one way to...):

depict; describe; draw (give a description of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "represent"):

symbolise; symbolize (represent or identify by using a symbol; use symbols)

actualise; actualize (represent or describe realistically)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 6

Meaning:

Serve as a means of expressing something

Example:

The flower represents a young girl

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "represent" is one way to...):

express; give tongue to; utter; verbalise; verbalize (articulate; either verbally or with a cry, shout, or noise)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "represent"):

embody (represent or express something abstract in tangible form)

portray (portray in words)

dramatise; dramatize (represent something in a dramatic manner)

belie; misrepresent (represent falsely)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

representative (standing for something else)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Create an image or likeness of

Example:

The painter represented his wife as a young girl

Synonyms:

interpret; represent

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "represent" is one way to...):

re-create (create anew)

Domain category:

art; artistic creation; artistic production (the creation of beautiful or significant things)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "represent"):

chart; graph (represent by means of a graph)

mock up; model (construct a model of)

draw (represent by making a drawing of, as with a pencil, chalk, etc. on a surface)

portray; present (represent abstractly, for example in a painting, drawing, or sculpture)

depict; limn; portray (make a portrait of)

map (make a map of; show or establish the features of details of)

conventionalize; stylise; stylize (represent according to a conventional style)

depict; picture; render; show (show in, or as in, a picture)

capture (succeed in representing or expressing something intangible)

paint (make a painting of)

profile (represent in profile, by drawing or painting)

animalise; animalize (represent in the form of an animal)

silhouette (represent by a silhouette)

carnalize; sensualize (represent materialistically, as in a painting or a sculpture)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

representation (a creation that is a visual or tangible rendering of someone or something)

Sense 8

Meaning:

Perform (a play), especially on a stage

Example:

we are going to stage 'Othello'

Synonyms:

present; represent; stage

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "represent" is one way to...):

re-create (create anew)

Domain category:

performing arts (arts or skills that require public performance)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "represent"):

localise; localize; place; set (locate)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

representation (a performance of a play)

Sense 9

Meaning:

Play a role or part

Example:

She played the servant to her husband's master

Synonyms:

act; play; represent

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "represent" is one way to...):

re-create (create anew)

Verb group:

play (pretend to be somebody in the framework of a game or playful activity)

act; play; playact; roleplay (perform on a stage or theater)

act; act as; play (pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind)

Domain category:

performing arts (arts or skills that require public performance)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "represent"):

emote (give expression or emotion to, in a stage or movie role)

parody (make a spoof of or make fun of)

impersonate; portray (assume or act the character of)

act out (represent an incident, state, or emotion by action, especially on stage)

act out; enact; reenact (act out; represent or perform as if in a play)

support (play a subordinate role to (another performer))

make; make believe; pretend (represent fictitiously, as in a play, or pretend to be or act like)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

representation (a performance of a play)

Sense 10

Meaning:

Be a delegate or spokesperson for; represent somebody's interest or be a proxy or substitute for, as of politicians and office holders representing their constituents, or of a tenant representing other tenants in a housing dispute

Example:

I represent the silent majority

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "represent" is one way to...):

serve (do duty or hold offices; serve in a specific function)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

representation (the act of representing; standing in for someone or some group and speaking with authority in their behalf)

representation (a body of legislators that serve in behalf of some constituency)

representation (the state of serving as an official and authorized delegate or agent)

representative (being or characteristic of government by representation in which citizens exercise power through elected officers and representatives)

Sense 11

Meaning:

Be representative or typical for

Example:

This period is represented by Beethoven

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "represent" is one way to...):

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "represent"):

instantiate (represent by an instance)

speak for (be a spokesperson for)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

representative (serving to represent or typify)

Sense 12

Meaning:

Be the defense counsel for someone in a trial

Example:

Ms. Smith will represent the defendant

Synonyms:

defend; represent

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

They want to represent the prisoners

Derivation:

representation (the act of representing; standing in for someone or some group and speaking with authority in their behalf)

Sense 13

Meaning:

Form or compose

Example:

These few men comprise his entire army

Synonyms:

be; comprise; constitute; make up; represent

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "represent"):

make (constitute the essence of)

compose (form the substance of)

constitute; form; make (to compose or represent)

range; straddle (range or extend over; occupy a certain area)

fall into; fall under (be included in or classified as)

pose; present (introduce)

supplement (serve as a supplement to)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 14

Meaning:

Take the place of or be parallel or equivalent to

Example:

Because of the sound changes in the course of history, an 'h' in Greek stands for an 's' in Latin

Synonyms:

correspond; represent; stand for

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Hypernyms (to "represent" is one way to...):

be; equal (be identical or equivalent to)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

representation (an activity that stands as an equivalent of something or results in an equivalent)

Sense 15

Meaning:

Be characteristic of

Example:

This compositional style is exemplified by this fugue

Synonyms:

exemplify; represent

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Hypernyms (to "represent" is one way to...):

be; embody; personify (represent, as of a character on stage)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Credits

 Context examples: 

In children, astrocytomas of the cerebellum represent relatively common benign brain neoplasms.

(Benign Brain Neoplasm, NCI Thesaurus)

A character or string that represents a medical history event group.

(Medical History Group Identifier, NCI Thesaurus)

DMGs are aggressive, hard-to-treat tumors that represent the leading cause of brain cancer-related death.

(Scientists find promising drug combination against lethal childhood brain cancers, National Institutes of Health)

Sprawling black zones on the map represent areas where a landing spacecraft would sink into fine dust.

(NASA's Treasure Map for Water Ice on Mars, NASA)

I certainly should have represented it to Edward in a very strong light.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

I think the job on the table represents a very big advancement with a great deal of responsibility and power.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

Sweden was also represented, in the person of Professor Sergius, the famous Zoologist of the University of Upsala.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

A character or string that represents an adverse event group.

(Adverse Event Group Identifier, NCI Thesaurus)

A rare, highly aggressive, Epstein-Barr virus-associated leukemia, also known as aggressive NK-cell leukemia/lymphoma; it may represent the leukemic counterpart of nasal type extranodal NK/T-cell lymphomas.

(Aggressive NK-Cell Leukemia, NCI Thesaurus)

Upon inquiry I was told, “that their names were to be found on no record, except a few of them, whom history has represented as the vilest of rogues and traitors.”

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)