show to advantage

show (someone or something) to advantage

To exhibit, display, or suit someone or something in a positive, beneficial, or advantageous way. You look beautiful. That color really shows you to advantage. This job will really show all your training to advantage—you'll need every single thing you learned when you're out here in the field!
See also: advantage, show
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

show to advantage

Also, show to good or one's advantage . Display in a flattering way, benefit, as in This lighting shows the paintings to advantage, or Your extensive use of quotations shows your learning to good advantage. [Mid-1300s]
See also: advantage, show
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
See also:
  • show (someone or something) to advantage
  • show (someone or something) to good advantage
  • show to good advantage
  • have nothing going for (someone or something)
  • preference
  • give (a) preference to (someone or something)
  • have (something) going for (one)
  • have a lot, something, nothing, etc. going for you
  • have going for one
  • have going for you
References in classic literature
A gallant knight shows to advantage bringing his lance to bear adroitly upon a fierce bull under the eyes of his sovereign, in the midst of a spacious plaza; a knight shows to advantage arrayed in glittering armour, pacing the lists before the ladies in some joyous tournament, and all those knights show to advantage that entertain, divert, and, if we may say so, honour the courts of their princes by warlike exercises, or what resemble them; but to greater advantage than all these does a knight-errant show when he traverses deserts, solitudes, cross-roads, forests, and mountains, in quest of perilous adventures, bent on bringing them to a happy and successful issue, all to win a glorious and lasting renown.
Don Quixote
'Now, look here, Lammle,' said Fascination Fledgeby, with the meanest of twinkles in his meanest of eyes: which were too near together, by the way: 'look here, Lammle; I am very well aware that I didn't show to advantage last night, and that you and your wife--who, I consider, is a very clever woman and an agreeable woman--did.
Our Mutual Friend
Those attributes show to advantage in his treatment of the development of the helicopter and his exploration of the changes it has brought to the battlefield.
How the Helicopter Changed Modern Warfare
My selection has to race from a 14lb higher mark today, but can show to advantage in a race that will take less winning than the prize money suggests.
Big Spender is ready to cash in for Tizzard
Despite that refinement, most don't show to advantage in the selection of the world's 10 best reports.
Worst annual reports
CITY SLICKER Front-running Tasdeer can show to advantage on the Roodeye
Horse Racing: Deer is game and should make all; CHESTER 2.25 TOTESCOOP6 CITY PLATE 7f CH4