something to show for (it)
2
5.5
- idiom
:
algo que mostrar
- Surely you have something to show for it.
- want something to show for it
Examples
-
Why would I jeopardize all that I worked on if I didn't have something to show for it?
Blog text (4) -
She felt proud because she had something to show for it after all those hours spent studying.
-
I am not leaving here tonight without something to show for it.
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If I send a man to die, I need something to show for it.
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And got something to show for it.
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You work hard for your money, and you want to have something to show for it later.
Blog text (25) -
You broke his nose, he ought to have something to show for it.
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You done broke his nose, so he ought to have something to show for it.
Fiction book (1994) -
One can put as much anxiety and passion into the search for a lost or mislaid glove or stocking as into the pursuit of an elusive principle, and if you succeed, at least you have something to show for it.
Fiction book (2000) -
After months of hard work, I finally had something to show for it in the form of my completed project.
Synonyms
601
1.3
Something given to a person to thank them for doing something good
344
2.3
A success you reach after working hard
184
3.4
A successful task or goal that you finish
4
6.3
An achievement you can be proud of
Antonyms
How Tangible
Surface Forms
Morphology
something + to + show + for + (it)
The meaning is directly inferable from 'something' (an unspecified thing) + 'to show' (able to display) + 'for' (as a result/benefit of an action): together they indicate there is a thing one can show as the outcome of effort. This compositional pattern follows normal English syntax and is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words would likely understand it.
Etymology
Something to show for it comes from the simple image of finishing hard work and having something you can show others. If you have something to show, you have a clear, visible result — 'something to show for' your time or effort, not nothing.