1 C1 neutral
In card games, to reveal one's cards at the end of a hand to determine the winner.
"After the final bet was called, all the players showed down their hands."
inseparable
show down
C1 neutral inseparable transitive/intransitive
To force a final confrontation or, in card games, to reveal one's hand.
In plain English
To make someone prove what they have, or to have a big final fight or argument.
What does "show down" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 idiomatic neutral
To bring about or force a decisive confrontation.
"The union leader decided it was time to show down with management over the pay dispute."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To show (reveal) by putting (down) — transparent in card game context.
Actually means
To make someone prove what they have, or to have a big final fight or argument.
Usage tip
Extremely rare as a phrasal verb; most commonly encountered in the noun form 'showdown'. In card games (especially poker), 'show down' can mean to reveal all players' cards at the end of a hand. Outside of gaming contexts, it is largely obsolete.
Words that pair with "show down"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
cards hand opponent moment final
How to conjugate "show down"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
show down
I/you/we/they
3rd person
shows down
he/she/it
Past simple
showed down
yesterday
Past participle
shown down
have + pp
-ing form
showing down
continuous
Hear "show down" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "show down" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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