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Webster 1913 Edition


Represent

Repˊre-sent′

(r?pˊr?-z?nt′)
,
Verb.
T.
[F.
représenter
, L.
repraesentare
,
repraesentatum
; pref.
re-
re- +
preesentare
to place before, present. See
Present
,
Verb.
T.
]
1.
To present again or anew; to present by means of something standing in the place of; to exhibit the counterpart or image of; to typify.
Before him burn
Seven lamps, as in a zodiac
representing

The heavenly fires.
Milton.
2.
To portray by pictoral or plastic art; to delineate;
as, to
represent
a landscape in a picture, a horse in bronze, and the like
.
3.
To portray by mimicry or action of any kind; to act the part or character of; to personate;
as, to
represent
Hamlet
.
4.
To stand in the place of; to supply the place, perform the duties, exercise the rights, or receive the share, of; to speak and act with authority in behalf of; to act the part of (another);
as, an heir
represents
his ancestor; an attorney
represents
his client in court; a member of Congress
represents
his district in Congress.
5.
To exhibit to another mind in language; to show; to give one’s own impressions and judgement of; to bring before the mind; to set forth; sometimes, to give an account of; to describe.
He
represented
Rizzio's credit with the queen to be the chief and only obstacle to his success in that demand.
Robertson.
This bank is thought the greatest load on the Genoese, and the managers of it have been
represented
as a second kind of senate.
Addison.
6.
To serve as a sign or symbol of;
as, mathematical symbols
represent
quantities or relations; words
represent
ideas or things.
7.
To bring a sensation of into the mind or sensorium; to cause to be known, felt, or apprehended; to present.
Among these. Fancy next
Her office holds; of all external things
Which he five watchful senses
represent
,
She forms imaginations, aery shapes.
Milton.
8.
(Metaph.)
To form or image again in consciousness, as an object of cognition or apprehension (something which was originally apprehended by direct presentation). See
Presentative
, 3.
The general capability of knowledge necessarily requires that, besides the power of evoking out of unconsciousness one portion of our retained knowledge in preference to another, we posses the faculty of
representing
in consciousness what is thus evoked . . . This representative Faculty is Imagination or Phantasy.
Sir. W. Hamilton.

Webster 1828 Edition


Represent

REPRESENT'

,
Verb.
T.
s as z. [L. repraesento; re and Low L. praesenter, from praesens, present.]
1.
To show or exhibit by resemblance.
Before him burn seven lamps, as in a zodiac, representing the heavenly fires.
2.
To describe; to exhibit to the mind in words.
The managers of the bank at Genoa have been represented as a second kind of senate.
3.
To exhibit; to show by action; as a tragedy well represented.
4.
To personate; to act the character or to fill the place of another in a play; as, to represent the character of king Richard.
5.
To supply the place of; to act as a substitute for another. The parliament of Great Britain represents the nation. The congress of the United States represents the people or nation. The senate is considered as representing the states in their corporate capacity.
6.
To show by arguments, reasoning or statement of facts. the memorial represents the situation of the petitioner. Represent to your son the danger of an idle life or profligate company.
7.
To stand in the place of, in the right of inheritance.
All the branches inherit the same share that their root, whom they represent, would have done.

Definition 2024


represent

represent

English

Alternative forms

Verb

represent (third-person singular simple present represents, present participle representing, simple past and past participle represented)

  1. To present again or anew; to present by means of something standing in the place of; to exhibit the counterpart or image of; to typify.
  2. To portray by pictorial or plastic art; to delineate; as, to represent a landscape in a picture, a horse in bronze, and the like.
  3. To portray by mimicry or action of any kind; to act the part or character of; to personate; as, to represent Hamlet.
  4. To stand in the place of; to supply the place, perform the duties, exercise the rights, or receive the share, of; to speak and act with authority in behalf of; to act the part of (another); as, an heir represents his ancestor; an attorney represents his client in court; a member of Congress represents his district in Congress.
  5. To exhibit to another mind in language; to show; to give one's own impressions and judgement of; to bring before the mind; to set forth; sometimes, to give an account of; to describe.
    He represented that he was investigating for the police department.
  6. To serve as a sign or symbol of; as, mathematical symbols represent quantities or relations; words represent ideas or things.
  7. To bring a sensation of into the mind or sensorium; to cause to be known, felt, or apprehended; to present.
  8. To form or image again in consciousness, as an object of cognition or apprehension (something presentative, which was originally apprehended by direct presentation).
  9. To constitute, to make up, to be a example of.
  10. (African American Vernacular) To constitute a good example or symbol of a group of people; to acquit oneself well.

Related terms

Translations

External links

  • represent in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
  • represent in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911

Anagrams