Green’s Dictionary of Slang

show (up) v.

(US) to appear, to arrive.

[UK]W. Stamer Life of Adventure I 252: The enemy [i.e. a hunted bear], however, did not ‘show up,’ so I took courage and cautiously advanced on tiptoe until I was again close alongside his prostrate carcase .
Black Yolande i n.p.: Don’t you think it prudent of me to show up as often as I can in the House... so that my good friends in Slagpool mayn’t begin to grumble about my being away so frequently? [F&H].
[NZ]Observer and Freelance (Wellington) 29 Aug. 9/1: Too bad of you, May, to keep Ted waiting [...] so long the other night, and then not show up.
[US]J. Flynt Tramping with Tramps 50: There was a little chap who ‘showed up’ in this way, to use the expression that the brakeman applied to him, every six weeks.
R. Whiteing No. 5 John St (2005) 48: She wants yer to show up at a sort o’ bun-struggle in ’er room.
[US]C.L. Cullen Tales of the Ex-Tanks 96: I didn’t want to be known under any circumstances until I could show up something like the real thing.
[US]Jackson & Hellyer Vocab. Criminal Sl. 76: show [...] To keep an appointment; to present oneself at a meeting place. Example: ‘This party can never be depended upon to show. He’ll stick you nine times in ten.’.
[UK]Wodehouse ‘At Geisenheimer’s’ in Man with Two Left Feet 110: It’s the management’s nightmare that one of these evenings Mabel or I won’t show up.
[US]N. Anderson Hobo 25: Then he is sent out of camp with orders not to show up in any of the diggings along the line for it would be murder if anyone should spot him.
[US]H. Miller Tropic of Capricorn (1964) 72: Supposing I didn’t show up. What then?
[Aus]K. Tennant Battlers 79: Here’s Dick and me been sitting on our sterns all day waiting for the cow, and he don’t show up.
[US]B. Schulberg Harder They Fall (1971) 10: If he shows up, I’ll tell him you were looking for him.
[US]W.R. Burnett Little Men, Big World 124: A prowl might show up.
[UK]Oh Boy! No. 16 8: Nice and peaceful round here till we showed up, eh Gus?
[UK]G. Lambert Inside Daisy Clover (1966) 154: You didn’t show up.
[UK]G.F. Newman Villain’s Tale 88: DC Hall had his doubts about anyone showing, having picked up on the apparent lack of interest on his governor’s part.
[US]Rolling Stone 22 Sept. 44: Around eleven in the morning they showed up.
[US]P. Califia Macho Sluts 31: The Bitch had been playing for the dance tonight – which is why I showed up.
[UK]K. Sampson Powder 232: Then another five show. Then a few couples and a smattering of loners.
[UK]N. Barlay Hooky Gear 221: What times the driver show up?
[Aus]T. Winton ‘Big World’ in Turning (2005) 14: Meg won’t show.