showboat

[shoh-boht]

noun

1. a boat, especially a paddle-wheel steamer, used as a traveling theater.

2. Informal.,  show-off.

3. a person, especially an athlete, who performs in an ostentatiously sensational manner calculated to draw attention; show-off.

verb (used without object)

1. to perform or behave in an outrageous or spectacular manner.

showboat

/ ˈʃəʊˌbəʊt /

noun

1. a paddle-wheel river steamer with a theatre and a repertory company

verb

1. (intr) to perform or behave in a showy and flamboyant way

Word History and Origins

Origin of showboat¹

An Americanism dating back to 1865–70; show + boat

Example Sentences

There was a moment of showboating followed by several of chaos.

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Page knocked down Cannonier in the first and second round in a typically entertaining display, combining speed, footwork and distance management with showboating.

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They go head-to-head in group or knockout stages, and there's plenty of drama, a party in the stands and some showboating alongside it all.

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After Ibrahim was convicted in February, police said they believed he was motivated to ram Mr Jones after seeing him showboat and wanted to "teach him a lesson".

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Outside her window, farmland rolls into rocky coastline, hemming a glasslike bay striped with turquoise and populated by showboating dolphins.

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Related Words

• alarm 
• astonish 
• daunt 
• dazzle 
• flabbergast 
• frighten 
• horrify 
• impress 
• intimidate 
• scare 
• startle 
• stun 
• stupefy 
• terrify