appearance
English
Alternative forms
Etymology
From French apparence, from Latin apparentia, from appareo. Displaced native Middle Englishwlite (from Middle English wlite (“appearance”)).
Pronunciation
Noun
appearance (plural appearances)
- The act of appearing or coming into sight; the act of becoming visible to the eye.
- His sudden appearance surprised me.
- A thing seen; a phenomenon; an apparition.
- There was a strange appearance in the sky.
- Personal presence; look; aspect; mien.
- And now am come to see . . . It thy appearance answer loud report. – Milton.
- Apparent likeness; external show; how something appears to others.
- Some people say I'm shallow because I care so much about my appearance
- There was upon the tabernacle, as it were, the appearance of fire. – Num. ix. 15.
- For man looketh on the outward appearance. – 1 Sam. xvi. 7.
- Judge not according to the appearance. – John. vii. 24.
- The act of appearing in a particular place, or in society, a company, or any proceedings; a coming before the public in a particular character.
- A person makes his appearance as an historian, an artist, or an orator.
- David Beckham's first appearance with the LA Galaxy at Giants Stadium against the New York Red Bulls last night drew a crowd of 66237.
- Will he now retire, After appearance, and again prolong Our expectation? – John Milton.
- (law) The coming into court of either of the parties; the being present in court; the coming into court of a party summoned in an action, either by himself or by his attorney, expressed by a formal entry by the proper officer to that effect; the act or proceeding by which a party proceeded against places himself before the court, and submits to its jurisdiction.
- (medicine), chiefly used by nurses: the act of defecation by a patient.
- The patient had a small bowel obstruction and there was no appearance until after the obstruction resolved.
Synonyms
- (act of coming into sight): arrival, manifestation,
- (a thing seen): spectacle, apparition, phenomenon, presence
- (aspect of a person): aspect, air, figure, look, manner, mien
- (outward show): semblance, show, pretense, façade or facade
- (act of appearing in public): debut
Derived terms
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Translations
The act of appearing or coming into sight
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A thing seen
Personal presence, form or look
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Semblance, or apparent likeness
The act of appearing in a particular place, or in society, a company, or any proceedings
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The coming into court of either of the parties
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References
- appearance in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
Statistics
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Most common English words before 1923: simple · fresh · noble · #712: appearance · period · William · remain