represent

verb

• 1be entitled or appointed to act or speak for (someone), especially in an official capacity:for purposes of litigation, an infant can and must be represented by an adult
• (of a competitor) participate in a sports event or other competition on behalf of (one’s club, town, region, or country):Owens represented the U.S.
• be an elected member of a legislature for (a particular constituency, party, or group):she became the first woman to represent her district
• (usually be represented) act as a substitute for (someone), especially on an official or ceremonial occasion:the president was represented by the secretary of state

• 2constitute; amount to:this figure represents eleven percent of the company’s total sales
• be a specimen or example of; typify:twenty parents, picked to represent a cross section of rural life
• (be represented) (of a group or type of person or thing) be present or found in something, especially to a particular degree:abstraction is well represented in this exhibition

• 3depict (a particular subject) in a picture or other work of art:santos are small wooden figures representing saints
• [with object or infinitive] describe or depict (someone or something) as being of a certain nature; portray in a particular way:the young were consistently represented as being in need of protection
• (of a sign or symbol) have a particular signification; stand for:the numbers 1-10 represent the letters A-J
• be a symbol or embodiment of (a particular quality or thing):the three heads of Cerberus represent the past, present, and future
• play the part of (someone) in a theatrical production.

• 4 formal state or point out (something) clearly:it was represented to him that she would be an unsuitable wife
• [with clause] allege; claim:the vendors have represented that such information is accurate