Countenance

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: coun=te=nance

CIDE DICTIONARY

Countenance, n. [OE. contenance, countenaunce, demeanor, composure, F. contenance demeanor, fr. L. continentia continence, LL. also, demeanor, fr. L. continere to hold together, repress, contain. See Contain, and cf. Continence.].

•  Appearance or expression of the face; look; aspect; mien.  [1913 Webster]

  "So spake the Son, and into terror changed
  His countenance."  [1913 Webster]
•  The face; the features.  [1913 Webster]

  "In countenance somewhat doth resemble you."  [1913 Webster]
•  Approving or encouraging aspect of face; hence, favor, good will, support; aid; encouragement.  [1913 Webster]

  "Thou hast made him . . . glad with thy countenance."  [1913 Webster]

  "This is the magistrate's peculiar province, to give countenance to piety and virtue, and to rebuke vice."  [1913 Webster]
•  Superficial appearance; show; pretense.  [1913 Webster]

  "The election being done, he made countenance of great discontent thereat."  [1913 Webster]

In countenance, in an assured condition or aspect; free from shame or dismay. “It puts the learned in countenance, and gives them a place among the fashionable part of mankind.” Addison. -- Out of countenance, not bold or assured; confounded; abashed. “Their best friends were out of countenance, because they found that the imputations . . . were well grounded.” Clarendon. -- To keep the countenance, to preserve a composed or natural look, undisturbed by passion or emotion. Swift.

Countenance, v. t. 

•  To encourage; to favor; to approve; to aid; to abet.  [1913 Webster]

  "This conceit, though countenanced by learned men, is not made out either by experience or reason."  [1913 Webster]

  "Error supports custom, custom countenances error."  [1913 Webster]
•  To make a show of; to pretend.  [1913 Webster]

  "Which to these ladies love did countenance."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Countenance, n. & v.
--n.
1 a the face. b the facial expression.
2 composure.
3 moral support.
--v.tr.
1 give approval to (an act etc.) (cannot countenance this breach of the rules).
2 (often foll. by in) encourage (a person or a practice).

Idiom

change countenance alter one's expression as an effect of emotion. keep one's countenance maintain composure, esp. by refraining from laughter. keep a person in countenance support or encourage a person. lose countenance become embarrassed. out of countenance disconcerted.

Etymology

ME f. AF c(o)untenance, OF contenance bearing f. contenir: see CONTAIN

THESAURUS

Countenance

Buddha-like composure, OK, Oriental calm, abet, abetment, accept, acceptance, adherence, admiration, admire, advocacy, advocate, aegis, aid and abet, air, applaud, approbation, approval, approve, approve of, ask for, auspices, authority, authorization, back, backing, bear, bear with, bearing, bless, blessing, blink at, brook, brow, calm disposition, calm of mind, calmness, care, carriage, cast, cast of countenance, certification, champion, championship, charity, clearance, color, comfort, commend, complexion, composure, condone, connive at, cool, coolheadedness, coolness, demeanor, dial, easy mind, embolden, empowerment, enabling, encourage, encouragement, endorse, endorsement, endure, enfranchisement, entitlement, esteem, face, facial appearance, facies, favor, favorable vote, feature, features, feed, fiat, foster, fosterage, garb, give encouragement, go for, goodwill, grin and abide, guidance, guise, have, hear of, hearten, hold with, icy calm, imperturbation, indisturbance, indulge, interest, invite, keep in countenance, kisser, let go by, let pass, lineaments, lines, looks, map, mental composure, mien, mug, mush, nod, nourish, nurture, obey, overlook, pan, patronage, peace of mind, peacefulness, philosophic composure, philosophicalness, philosophy, phiz, physiognomy, placidity, port, posture, presence, puss, put up with, quiet, quiet mind, quietude, ratification, respect, rise above, sanction, sangfroid, seal of approval, seconding, serenity, shine upon, shrug, shrug it off, smile upon, soothingness, sponsorship, stamp of approval, stance, stand for, stomach, submit to, subscribe, suffer, support, sympathy, take kindly to, think well of, tolerate, traits, tranquillity, turn, tutelage, unruffledness, uphold, view with favor, visage, voice, vote, warrant, warranty, wink at, yea, yea vote, yield to

ROGET THESAURUS

Countenance

Aid

N aid, aidance, assistance, help, opitulation, succor, support, lift, advance, furtherance, promotion, coadjuvancy, patronage, championship, countenance, favor, interest, advocacy, sustentation, subvention, alimentation, nutrition, nourishment, eutrophy, manna in the wilderness, food, means, ministry, ministration, subministration, accommodation, relief, rescue, help at a dead lift, supernatural aid, deus ex machina, supplies, reinforcements, reenforcements, succors, contingents, recruits, support, adjunct, ally, aiding, auxiliary, adjuvant, helpful, coadjuvant, subservient, ministrant, ancillary, accessory, subsidiary, at one's beck, at one's beck and call, friendly, amicable, favorable, propitious, well-disposed, neighborly, obliging, with the aid, by the aid of, on behalf of, in behalf of, in aid of, in the service of, in the name of, in favor of, in furtherance of, on account of, for the sake of, on the part of, non obstante, Int, help!, save us!, to the rescue!, alterum alterius auxilio eget, God befriend us as our cause is just, at your service.

VB aid, assist, help, succor, lend one's aid, come to the aid, of, contribute, subscribe to, bring aid, give aid, furnish aid, afford aid, supply aid, give a helping hand, stretch a hand, lend a helping hand, lend a hand, bear a helping hand, hold out a hand, hold out a helping hand, give one a life, give one a cast, give one a turn, take by the hand, take in tow, help a lame dog over a stile, lend wings to, relieve, rescue, set up, set agoing, set on one's legs, bear through, pull through, give new life to, be the making of, reinforce, reenforce, recruit, set forward, put forward, push forward, give a lift, give a shove, give an impulse to, promote, further, forward, advance expedite, speed, quicken, hasten, support, sustain, uphold, prop, hold up, bolster, cradle, nourish, nurture, nurse, dry nurse, suckle, put out to nurse, manure, cultivate, force, foster, cherish, foment, feed the flame, fan the flame, serve, do service to, tender to, pander to, administer to, subminister to, minister to, tend, attend, wait on, take care of, entertain, smooth the bed of death, oblige, accommodate, consult the wishes of, humor, cheer, encourage, second, stand by, back, back up, pay the piper, abet, work for, make interest for, stick up for, take up the cudgels for, take up the cause of, espouse the cause of, adopt the cause of, advocate, beat up for recruits, press into the service, squire, give moral support to, keep in countenance, countenance, patronize, lend oneself to, lend one's countenance to, smile upon, shine upon, favor, befriend, take in hand, enlist under the banners of, side with, be of use to, subserve, benefit, render a service, conduce.

Front

N front, fore, forepart, foreground, face, disk, disc, frontage, facade, proscenium, facia, frontispiece, anteriority, obverse (of a medal or coin), fore rank, front rank, van, vanguard, advanced guard, outpost, first line, scout, brow, forehead, visage, physiognomy, phiz, countenance, mut, rostrum, beak, bow, stem, prow, prore, jib, pioneer, metoposcopy, fore, anterior, front, frontal, before, in front, in the van, in advance, ahead, right ahead, forehead, foremost, in the foreground, in the lee of, before one's face, before one's eyes, face to face, vis-a-vis, front a front, formosa muta commendatio est, frons est animi janua, Human face divine, imago animi vultus est indices oculi, sea of upturned faces.

Approbation

VB approve, approbate, think good, think much of, think well of, think highly of, esteem, value, prize, set great store by, set great store on, do justice to, appreciate, honor, hold in esteem, look up to, admire, like, be in favor of, wish Godspeed, hail, hail with satisfaction, stand up for, stick up for, uphold, hold up, countenance, sanction, clap on the back, pat on the back, keep in countenance, indorse, give credit, recommend, mark with a white mark, mark with a stone, commend, belaud, praise, laud, compliment, pay a tribute, bepraise, clap the hands, applaud, cheer, acclamate, encore, panegyrize, eulogize, cry up, proner, puff, extol, extol to the skies, magnify, glorify, exalt, swell, make much of, flatter, bless, give a blessing to, have a good word for, say a good word for, speak well of, speak highly of, speak in high terms of, sing the praises of, sound the praises of, chaunt the praises of, resound the praises of, sing praises to, cheer to the echo, applaud to the echo, applaud to the very echo, cheer to the very echo, redound to the honor, redound to the praise, redound to the credit of, do credit to, deserve praise, recommend itself, pass muster, be praised, receive honorable mention, be in favor with, be in high favor with, ring with the praises of, win golden opinions, gain credit, find favor with, stand well in the opinion of, laudari a laudato viro.

Appearance

N appearance, phenomenon, sight, spectacle, show, premonstration, scene, species, view, coup d'oeil, lookout, outlook, prospect, vista, perspective, bird's-eye view, scenery, landscape, picture, tableau, display, exposure, mise en sc ne, rising of the curtain, phantasm, phantom, pageant, spectacle, peep-show, raree-show, gallanty-show, ombres chinoises, magic lantern, phantasmagoria, dissolving views, biograph, cinematograph, moving pictures, panorama, diorama, cosmorama, georama, coup de theatre, jeu de theatre, pageantry, insignia, aspect, angle, phase, phasis, seeming, shape, guise, look, complexion, color, image, mien, air, cast, carriage, port, demeanor, presence, expression, first blush, face of the thing, point of view, light, lineament feature trait lines, outline, outside, contour, face, countenance, physiognomy, visage, phiz, cast of countenance, profile, tournure, cut of one s jib, metoposcopy, outside, apparent, seeming, ostensible, on view, apparently, to all seeming, to all appearance, ostensibly, seemingly, as it seems, on the face of it, prima facie, at the first blush, at first sight, in the eyes of, to the eye, editio princeps.