represent

/"reprI'zent/ verb

1 SPEAK FOR SB (T)

a) to speak officially for another person or group of people, giving their opinions and taking action for them: Mr Kobayashi was chosen to represent the company at the conference. | He was represented in court by a famous criminal lawyer.

b) to say or do something that expresses the feelings, opinions etc of a group of people: The protesters represented only a small section of public opinion.

2 be represented to have sent someone from your group to a meeting, ceremony etc: All the local societies and clubs were represented in the parade.

3 represent an improvement/an obstacle/a challenge etc formal used to say that something should be thought of as a particular thing: This essay represents a considerable improvement on your recent work.

4 GOVERNMENT (T) to be the member of a parliament or other law making institution, such as the Congress, for a particular area: Does Kathryn Walker still represent Worcester? | He represents the Congressional District of Illinois.

5 A SIGN (T) to be a sign or mark that shows the position of a particular thing, especially on a map or plan; symbolize: The red lines on the map represent railways.

6 SHOW STH (T) to be a picture or statue of something: This painting represents the first settlers arriving in America.

7 represent yourself as to say that you are something that you are not: They represented themselves as the party of low taxation.

8 represent sb as to describe someone in a particular way, so that people have a particular opinion of them: Shakespeare represents Richard III as a black-hearted villain.