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Seagull Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

Show off what you are made of

I have a couple of questions regarding the expression "show off what you are made of."

Q1 Is this expression frequently used?
Q2 What other expressions are there which would mean the same?
  

Top answer

"Show off what you're made of" barely makes a showing on the Ngram server. It's got plenty of hits on the intertubes though. It means put yourself in the best light.

  • "Show off what you're made of" barely makes a showing on the Ngram server.
  • It's got plenty of hits on the intertubes though.
  • It means put yourself in the best light.
  • "Show what you're made of" means demonstrate your true self.
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6 Answers
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"Show off what you're made of" barely makes a showing on the Ngram server. It's got plenty of hits on the intertubes though. It means put yourself in the best light. "Show what you're made of" means demonstrate your true self.
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I understand. Thank you very much, Deadrat.
But, what does this "the Ngram server" mean? I did some search on the Internet, but still don't know what it means.
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In my view, "Show off what you're made of." is not right (in US English). It should be "Show what you're made of." This means to demonstrate your bravery or courage. For example:

Coach: This guy you're up against is older and more experienced than you, but you can beat him if you give it all you've got. Come on, get in there and show what you're made of.
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I understand. I'll be careful about the usage.
Thank you so much indeed.
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seagull: Go here:

https://books.google.com/ngrams/

This lets you enter short phrases that the google will search for in the books it has put online. It's an interesting way to see how English phrasings have been used over time. The limit is five words.
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Thank you for your answer, Deadrat.
What an amazing website! I've already been hooked to Ngram Viewer.
Thanks again.

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