to run the show
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To take charge of it, generally with ostentation; to make oneself responsible for its success.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to run the show” mean?
To take charge of it, generally with ostentation; to make oneself responsible for its success.
Is “to run the show” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.