phrasal verb🧩 phrasal verb
show up
to arrive at event
What it means
To arrive at a place or event, often after some delay or uncertainty. It can also mean to make someone else look bad by performing better than them.
Words like “show up” are exactly the kind of vocabulary our English vocabulary size test measures — find out how many English words you know.
Examples
- Only half the class showed up because of the snowstorm yesterday.
- He didn't show up to the interview, so they offered the job to someone else.
- She always shows up late and pretends nothing is wrong.
- The new intern really showed up the senior staff with her presentation.
Where it comes from
Inseparable in the 'arrive' sense, separable in the 'outperform' sense. Both meanings have been common since the late 1800s, originally American.
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