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Definition of represent verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

represent

verb
 
/ˌreprɪˈzent/
 
/ˌreprɪˈzent/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they represent
 
/ˌreprɪˈzent/
 
/ˌreprɪˈzent/
he / she / it represents
 
/ˌreprɪˈzents/
 
/ˌreprɪˈzents/
past simple represented
 
/ˌreprɪˈzentɪd/
 
/ˌreprɪˈzentɪd/
past participle represented
 
/ˌreprɪˈzentɪd/
 
/ˌreprɪˈzentɪd/
-ing form representing
 
/ˌreprɪˈzentɪŋ/
 
/ˌreprɪˈzentɪŋ/
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    act/speak for somebody

  1. [often passive] represent somebody/something to be a member of a group of people and act or speak for them at an event, a meeting, etc.
    • The competition attracted over 500 contestants representing eight different countries.
    • Local businesses are well represented on the committee (= there are a lot of people from them on the committee).
    • The opening speech was by Bob Alan representing Amnesty International.
    • The President was represented at the ceremony by the Vice-President.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • strongly
    • well
    • equally
    See full entry
  2. represent somebody/something to act or speak officially for somebody and defend their interests
    • The union represents over 200 000 teachers.
    • The association was formed to represent the interests of women artists.
    • Ms Dale is representing the defendant (= is his/her lawyer) in the case.
    • As an MP, it is my duty to represent my constituents.
    Extra Examples
    • How can we all be adequately represented by one political party?
    • organizations claiming to represent farmers
    • leaders who truly represent the interests of working families
    • We have been ably represented in our efforts by our attorney.
    • The suspect must appear and may be legally represented.
    Topics Law and justiceb1, People in societyb1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • legally
    • ably
    • adequately
    verb + represent
    • choose somebody to
    • elect somebody to
    • select somebody to
    See full entry
  3. in sport

  4. represent something to take part in a sports event for a particular country, city, etc.
    • He's been chosen to represent Scotland in next year's World Cup Finals.
  5. be symbol

  6. represent something (not used in the progressive tenses) to be a symbol of something synonym symbolize
    • Each colour on the chart represents a different department.
    • Wind direction is represented by arrows.
    • The artist uses doves to represent peace.
    • It is not clear what these symbols were intended to represent.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • accurately
    • faithfully
    • fairly
    verb + represent
    • be intended to
    • purport to
    • seek to
    preposition
    • as
    See full entry
  7. be equal to

  8. linking verb + noun (not used in the progressive tenses) to be something synonym constitute
    • This contract represents 20% of the company's annual revenue.
    • The final figure represents a 12% increase on the number of new jobs created the previous year.
    • They're investing in low-carbon technologies that represent value for money.
    • He got rid of anyone who represented a threat to his authority.
    • This role represents a unique opportunity to further your career in healthcare.
    • The peace plan represents (= is the result of) weeks of negotiation.
    Extra Examples
    • These results represent a major breakthrough in AIDS research.
    • This decision represents a significant departure from previous policy.
    • This represents a swing of 14% towards Labour.
    • This figure represents a fall of 21% on the same period last year.
    • These figures represent a return of 8.5% per annum.
    • These proposals represent a dramatic shift in policy.
    • This represents an apparent reversal in US policy.
    • The talks represented the first significant move towards peace.
    • The demonstration represents a direct challenge to the new law.
    • Our average margins dropped to 35%, which represents a reduction in gross margins of £109 million.
  9. be present

  10. be represented
    to be present in something to a particular degree
    • Women and men were represented equally on the teams.
    • Women are disproportionately represented among welfare recipients.
  11. be example of

  12. [no passive] represent something to be an example or expression of something synonym be typical of
    • The project represents all that is good in the community.
    • Those comments do not represent the views of us all.
    • The book purported to represent the lives of ordinary people.
  13. in picture

  14. (formal) to show somebody/something, especially in a picture synonym depict
    • represent somebody/something The carvings represent a hunting scene.
    • The map represents Italy in the 12th century.
    • The results are represented in fig. 3 below.
    • represent somebody/something as somebody/something The Egyptian goddess is represented as a woman with cow's horns.
    Extra Examples
    • Representing an image accurately requires a great many bytes of digital information.
    • The data can be represented graphically in a line diagram.
    Topics Artb1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • accurately
    • faithfully
    • fairly
    verb + represent
    • be intended to
    • purport to
    • seek to
    preposition
    • as
    See full entry
  15. describe

  16. (formal) to present or describe somebody/something in a particular way, especially when this may not be fair
    • represent somebody/something as something The king is represented as a villain in the play.
    • The risks were represented as negligible.
    • The film represents us as helpless victims.
    • represent somebody/something The film accurately represents the atmosphere of the post-war period.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • accurately
    • faithfully
    • fairly
    verb + represent
    • be intended to
    • purport to
    • seek to
    preposition
    • as
    See full entry
  17. make formal statement

  18. (formal) to make a formal statement to somebody in authority to make your opinions known or to protest
    • represent something to somebody They represented their concerns to the authorities.
    • represent (to somebody) that… He admitted falsely representing to police officers that the car had been stolen.
    Topics Opinion and argumentc2
  19. Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French representer or Latin repraesentare, from re- (expressing intensive force) + praesentare ‘to present’.
See represent in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee represent in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English

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