portray
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Middle English portray, from Middle French portraire.
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /pɔːˈtɹeɪ/
Audio (Southern England): (file)
- (General American, Canada) IPA(key): /pɔɹˈtɹeɪ/
- (General Australian) IPA(key): /poːˈtɹæɪ/
- Rhymes: -eɪ
Verb
portray (third-person singular simple present portrays, present participle portraying, simple past and past participle portrayed)
- To paint or draw the likeness of.
- I will portray a king on horseback.
- (figuratively) To represent by an image or look.
- c. 1587–1588, [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire, London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act III, scene ii:
- Upon his browes was pourtraid vgly death,
And in his eies the furies of his heart,
That ſhine as Comets, menacing reueng,
And caſts a pale complexion on his cheeks.
- (figuratively) To describe in words; to convey.
- To play a role; to depict a character, person, situation, or event.
- For my next movie, I will be portraying Shakespeare.
- (obsolete) To adorn.
Related terms
Translations
to paint or draw the likeness of
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figuratively: to describe in words
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to play a role
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Anagrams
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