re|pot /riː pɒ t/ (repots , repotting , repotted ) VERB If you repot a plant, you take it out of its pot and put it in a larger one. □ [V n] As your plants flourish, you'll need to repot them in bigger pots.
rep|re|hen|sible /re pr I he ns I b ə l/ ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you think that a type of behaviour or an idea is very bad and morally wrong, you can say that it is reprehensible . [FORMAL ] □ Mr Cramer said the violence by anti-government protestors was reprehensible.
rep|re|sent ◆◆◇ /re pr I ze nt/ (represents , representing , represented )
1 VERB If someone such as a lawyer or a politician represents a person or group of people, they act on behalf of that person or group. □ [V n] …the politicians we elect to represent us.
2 VERB If you represent a person or group at an official event, you go there on their behalf. □ [V n] The general secretary may represent the president at official ceremonies.
3 VERB If you represent your country or town in a competition or sports event, you take part in it on behalf of the country or town where you live. □ [V n] My only aim is to represent Britain at the Commonwealth Games.
4 V-PASSIVE If a group of people or things is well represented in a particular activity or in a particular place, a lot of them can be found there. □ [be adv V -ed] Sadly, women leaders are not well represented in our churches. □ [be V -ed] In New Mexico all kinds of cuisines are represented.
5 V‑LINK If you say that something represents a change, achievement, or victory, you mean that it is a change, achievement, or victory. [FORMAL or WRITTEN ] □ [V n] These developments represented a major change in the established order.
6 VERB [no cont] If a sign or symbol represents something, it is accepted as meaning that thing. □ [V n] A black dot in the middle of the circle is supposed to represent the source of the radiation.
7 VERB [no cont, no passive] To represent an idea or quality means to be a symbol or an expression of that idea or quality. □ [V n] We believe you represent everything British racing needs.
8 VERB If you represent a person or thing as a particular thing, you describe them as being that thing. □ [V n + as ] The popular press tends to represent him as an environmental guru. SYNONYMS represent VERB
2
stand in: I had to stand in for her on Tuesday when she didn't show up.
substitute: He was substituting for the injured William Wales.
7
exemplify: The room's style exemplifies Conran's ideal of 'beauty and practicality'.
embody: Jack Kennedy embodied all the hopes of the 1960s.
symbolize: …the post-war world order symbolised by the United Nations.
epitomize: …the sleek lift that epitomized the hotel's glossy decor.
rep|re|sen|ta|tion /re pr I zente I ʃ ə n/ (representations )
1 N‑UNCOUNT If a group or person has representation in a parliament or on a committee, someone in the parliament or on the committee supports them and makes decisions on their behalf. □ Independent shareholders who own about half the stock now have no representation on the board.
2 → see also proportional representation
3 N‑COUNT You can describe a picture, model, or statue of a person or thing as a representation of them. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] …a lifelike representation of Christ.
4 N‑PLURAL If you make representations to a government or other official group, you make formal complaints or requests to them. □ [+ to ] We have made representations to ministers but they just don't seem to be listening. [Also + from ]
rep|re|sen|ta|tion|al /re pr I zente I ʃən ə l/ ADJ In a representational painting, the artist attempts to show things as they really are. [FORMAL ] □ His painting went through both representational and abstract periods.
rep|re|senta|tive ◆◆◇ /re pr I ze ntət I v/ (representatives )
1 N‑COUNT A representative is a person who has been chosen to act or make decisions on behalf of another person or a group of people. □ …trade union representatives.
2 N‑COUNT A representative is a person whose job is to sell a company's products or services, especially by travelling round and visiting other companies. [FORMAL ] □ She had a stressful job as a sales representative.
3 ADJ [ADJ n] A representative group consists of a small number of people who have been chosen to make decisions on behalf of a larger group. □ The new head of state should be chosen by an 87 member representative council.
4 ADJ Someone who is typical of the group to which they belong can be described as representative . □ [+ of ] He was in no way representative of dog-trainers in general. ● rep|re|senta|tive|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] …a process designed to ensure the representativeness of the sample interviewed.
5 N‑COUNT In the United States, a Representative is a member of the House of Representatives, the less powerful of the two parts of Congress.
6 → see also House of Representatives SYNONYMS representative NOUN 1
delegate: She was elected as their delegate.
agent: You are buying direct, rather than through an agent.
deputy: …Jack Lang, France's minister for culture, and his deputy, Catherine Tasca.
proxy: Price differences are used as a proxy for differences in quality.