Dictionary definition · represent
verb
- take the place of or be parallel or equivalent to"Because of the sound changes in the course of history, an ‘h’ in Greek stands for an ‘s’ in Latin"
- express indirectly by an image, form, or model; be a symbol"What does the Statue of Liberty symbolize?"
- be representative or typical for"This period is represented by Beethoven"
- be a delegate or spokesperson for; represent somebody's interest or be a proxy or substitute for, as of politicians and office holders representing their constituents, or of a tenant representing other tenants in a housing dispute"I represent the silent majority"
- serve as a means of expressing something"The flower represents a young girl"
- be typical of"This compositional style is exemplified by this fugue"
- form or compose"This money is my only income"
- be the defense counsel for someone in a trial"Ms. Smith will represent the defendant"
- create an image or likeness of"The painter represented his wife as a young girl"
- play a role or part"Gielgud played Hamlet"
- perform (a play), especially on a stage"we are going to stage ‘Othello’"
- describe or present, usually with respect to a particular quality"He represented this book as an example of the Russian 19th century novel"
Source: Open English WordNet (CC BY 4.0).