countenance
Contents
EnglishEdit
Alternative formsEdit
- countenaunce (obsolete)
EtymologyEdit
Borrowed from Anglo-Norman countenance, from Old French, from the present participle of contenir, or from Late Latin continentia, and therefore a doublet of continence.
PronunciationEdit
- (UK, US) IPA(key): /ˈkaʊn.tɪ.nəns/, /ˈkaʊn.tən.əns/
- (US) IPA(key): [kʲʰæũ̯.ʔɪ̆.nəns]
Audio (US) (file) Audio (AU) (file)
NounEdit
countenance (countable and uncountable, plural countenances)
- Appearance, especially the features and expression of the face.
- 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), imprinted at London: By Robert Barker, […], OCLC 964384981:, Genesis 4:5
- But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
- 1959, Georgette Heyer, chapter 1, in The Unknown Ajax:
- But Richmond, his grandfather's darling, after one thoughtful glance cast under his lashes at that uncompromising countenance appeared to lose himself in his own reflections.
- Favour; support; encouragement.
- Bible, Psalms xxi. 6
- Thou hast made him […] glad with thy countenance.
- (Can we date this quote?) Francis Atterbury
- This is the magistrate's peculiar province, to give countenance to piety and virtue, and to rebuke vice.
- Bible, Psalms xxi. 6
- (obsolete) Superficial appearance; show; pretense.
- (Can we date this quote?) Roger Ascham
- The election being done, he made countenance of great discontent thereat.
- (Can we date this quote?) Roger Ascham
- Calm facial expression, composure, self-control.
SynonymsEdit
- see also Thesaurus:countenance
Derived termsEdit
TranslationsEdit
face
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favour; support; encouragement
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calm facial expression
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VerbEdit
countenance (third-person singular simple present countenances, present participle countenancing, simple past and past participle countenanced)
- (transitive) To tolerate, support, sanction, patronise or approve of something.
- The cruel punishment was countenanced by the government, although it was not officially legal.
- 1925, Franz Kafka, The Trial, Vintage Books (London), pg. 99:
- For the Defence was not actually countenanced by the Law, but only tolerated, and there were differences of opinion even on that point, whether the Law could be interpreted to admit such tolerances at all.
SynonymsEdit
TranslationsEdit
tolerate, support, sanction
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ReferencesEdit
- countenance in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
- countenance in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
Old FrenchEdit
Alternative formsEdit
EtymologyEdit
From contenant, the present participle of contenir, with the suffix -ance, corresponding to Late Latin continentia. See also continence.
NounEdit
countenance f (oblique plural countenances, nominative singular countenance, nominative plural countenances)
- (Anglo-Norman) appearance; countenance
- e moustre par contenance q'il ad honte de ceo q'il ad fet
- And he showed by his appearance that he was ashamed of what he had done.
- e moustre par contenance q'il ad honte de ceo q'il ad fet
Related termsEdit
DescendantsEdit
- English: countenance
- French: contenance