represent Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb take the place of or be parallel or equivalent to
    correspond; stand for.
    • Because of the sound changes in the course of history, an 'h' in Greek stands for an 's' in Latin
  2. verb express indirectly by an image, form, or model; be a symbol
    symbolise; typify; symbolize; stand for.
    • What does the Statue of Liberty symbolize?
  3. verb be representative or typical for
    • This period is represented by Beethoven
  4. verb 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
    • I represent the silent majority
  5. verb serve as a means of expressing something
    • The flower represents a young girl
  6. verb be characteristic of
    exemplify.
    • This compositional style is exemplified by this fugue
  7. verb form or compose
    constitute; be; comprise; make up.
    • This money is my only income
    • The stone wall was the backdrop for the performance
    • These constitute my entire belonging
    • The children made up the chorus
    • This sum represents my entire income for a year
    • These few men comprise his entire army
  8. verb be the defense counsel for someone in a trial
    defend.
    • Ms. Smith will represent the defendant
  9. verb create an image or likeness of
    interpret.
    • The painter represented his wife as a young girl
  10. verb play a role or part
    play; act.
    • Gielgud played Hamlet
    • She wants to act Lady Macbeth, but she is too young for the role
    • She played the servant to her husband's master
  11. verb perform (a play), especially on a stage
    present; stage.
    • we are going to stage `Othello'
  12. verb describe or present, usually with respect to a particular quality
    • He represented this book as an example of the Russian 19th century novel
  13. verb point out or draw attention to in protest or remonstrance
    • our parents represented to us the need for more caution
  14. verb bring forward and present to the mind
    lay out; present.
    • We presented the arguments to him
    • We cannot represent this knowledge to our formal reason
  15. verb to establish a mapping (of mathematical elements or sets)
    map.

WordNet

Rep`re*sent" transitive verb
Etymology
F. reprsenter, L. repraesentare, repraesentatum; pref. re- re- + preesentare to place before, present. See Present, v. t.
Definitions
  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 1913