Alexander Schmidt, Shakespeare Lexicon and Quotation Dictionary

Show, subst. 1) the act of showing, of exhibiting to the view: “no cloudy s. of stormy weather doth yet appear,” Lucr. 115. “I love not less, though less the s. appear,” Sonn. 102, 2 (== though I show it less). “small s. of man was yet upon his chin,” Compl. 92. “neither singly can be manifested, without the s. of both,” Wiv. IV, 6, 16. “you must not make the full s. of this,” Ado I, 3, 21. “if thou dost intend never so little s. of love to her,” Mids. III, 2, 334. “what plea so tainted and corrupt but, being seasoned with a gracious voice, obscures the s. of evil?” Merch. III, 2, 77. “it is the s. and seal of nature's truth,” All's I, 3, 138. “I should not make so dear a s. of zeal,” H4A V, 4, 95. “if her feathers turn back in any s. of resistance,” H4B II, 4, 109. “he is not the man that he would gladly make s. to the world he is,” H5 III, 6, 88. “make a s. of love to proud Duke Humphrey,” H6B I, 1, 241. “that gentleness and s. of love,” Caes. I, 2, 34. Caes. I, 2, 34 “thus much s. of fire,” Caes. I, 2, 34 “to offer it the s. of violence,” Hml. I, 1, 144. “--s of grief,” I, 2, 82 (Qq shapes). “I have that within which passeth s.” I, 2, 82 “'tis my breeding that gives me this bold s. of courtesy,” Oth. II, 1, 100.
2) display, parade, ostentation: “who makest a s., but darest not strike,” Tp. I, 2, 470. “have not the grace to grace it with such s.” LLL V, 2, 320. “the little foolery that wise men have makes a great s.” As I, 2, 97. “if these --s be not outward, which of you but is four Volsces,” Cor. I, 6, 77. “to make up a s.” Rom. V, 1, 48. “make gallant s. and promise of their mettle,” Caes. IV, 2, 24. “the enemy comes on in gallant s.” V, 1, 13. “our army shall in solemn s. attend this funeral,” Ant. V, 2, 367. “who makes the fairest s. means most deceit,” Per. I, 4, 75. “as if the entertainment had not a s. might countervail his worth,” II, 3, 56.
3) appearance, whether false or true: “flattered by their leader's jocund s.” Lucr. 296. “he entertained a s. so seeming just,” Lucr. 296 “burying in Lucrece' wound his folly's s.” Lucr. 296 “flowers distilled leese but their s.” Sonn. 5, 14. “their virtue only is their s.” 54, 9. “thy odour matcheth not thy s.” 69, 13. “if some suspect of ill masked not thy s.” 70, 13. 93, 14. “dissembled with an outward s.” Pilgr. 336. Tp. V, 63. Wiv. II, 1, 98. Err. III, 2, 8. Ado IV, 1, 36. Ado IV, 1, 36 Mids. III, 2, 139. Mids. III, 2, 139 Merch. II, 9, 26. III, 2, 73. As II, 7, 95. All's II, 1, 153. Tw. II, 4, 120. III, 4, 317. John V, 2, 77. H4B I, 1, 193. V, 5, 14. H5 I, 2, 72. II, 4, 23. IV, 2, 17. H6B III, 1, 54. H6B III, 1, 54 R3 III, 1, 10. III, 5, 29. Troil. I, 3, 46. Rom. III, 2, 77. Mcb. I, 7, 81. Hml. III, 1, 45. Oth. I, 1, 52. II, 3, 358. Cymb. I, 5, 40. V, 5, 54. Per. II, 2, 48. II, 3, 6. IV, 4, 23.
4) any thing presented to the view, an object attracting notice, an aspect, an external sign: “and give the harmless s. an humble gait,” Lucr. 1507 (viz the painted figure of Sinon). losing her woes in --s of discontent, 1580 (viz pictures). “how would thy shadow's form form happy s.” Sonn. 43, 6. “fright me with urchin --s,” Tp. II, 2, 5. “a snow in May's new-fangled --s,” LLL I, 1, 106 (M. Edd. mirth, for the sake of the rhyme). “a golden mind stoops not to --s of dross,” Merch. II, 7, 20. “that any harm should stain so fair a s.” R2 III, 3, 71. “throng our large temples with the --s of peace,” Cor. III, 3, 36. “live to be the s. and gaze o' the time,” Mcb. V, 8, 24. “leaving free things and happy --s behind,” Lr. III, 6, 112. “with other spritely --s of mine own kindred,” Cymb. V, 5, 428.
5) a spectacle, a play: “this huge stage presenteth nought but --s,” Sonn. 15, 3. “swoon at tragic --s,” Compl. 308. “or s. or pageant,” LLL V, 1, 118. LLL V, 1, 118 V, 2, 305. V, 2, 305 V, 2, 305 V, 2, 305 Mids. V, 116. Mids. V, 116 Shr. I, 1, 47. H4B III, 2, 300. H6C V, 7, 43. H6C V, 7, 43. H6C V, 7, 43 Hml. III, 2, 149. Hml. III, 2, 149 Ant. III, 13, 30. IV, 15, 23. Per. V, 2, 271. a dumb s. == a pantomime: Ado II, 3, 226. Merch. I, 2, 79. Tit. III, 1, 131. Hml. III, 2, 14. cf. Per. III Prol. 14.