Word Study
semblance
CIDE DICTIONARY
- Seeming; appearance; show; figure; form. [1913 Webster]"Thier semblance kind, and mild their gestures were." [1913 Webster]
- Likeness; resemblance, actual or apparent; similitude; as, the semblance of worth; semblance of virtue. [1913 Webster]"Only semblances or imitations of shells." [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
semblance, n.
1 the outward or superficial appearance of something (put on a semblance of anger).
2 resemblance.
1 the outward or superficial appearance of something (put on a semblance of anger).
2 resemblance.
Etymology
ME f. OF f. sembler f. L similare, simulare SIMULATE
THESAURUS
semblance
Prospero, accordance, acting, affectation, affinity, agreement, air, airiness, alibi, alikeness, alliance, analogy, angle, aping, apology, appearance, approach, approximation, aspect, assimilation, atmosphere, attitudinizing, aura, blind, bluff, bluffing, certified copy, cheating, cloak, closeness, color, coloring, community, companion, comparability, comparison, configuration, conformity, copy, copying, correspondence, counterfeit, cover, cover story, cover-up, dead ringer, deception, delusion, delusiveness, device, disguise, dissemblance, dissembling, dissimulation, double, duplicate, ectype, effect, effigy, eidolon, exact likeness, excuse, facade, face, facet, fair copy, faithful copy, fake, fakery, faking, fallaciousness, false air, false appearance, false front, false light, false show, falseness, falsity, fashion, feature, feel, feeling, feigning, feint, fellow, figure, forgery, form, four-flushing, fraud, front, gestalt, gilt, gloss, guise, handle, humbug, humbuggery, icon, idealization, identity, idol, illusionism, illusionist, illusiveness, image, imago, imitation, immateriality, imposture, impression, lame excuse, light, likeness, likening, lineaments, living image, living picture, locus standi, look, magic, magic act, magic show, magician, manner, mask, masquerade, match, mate, meretriciousness, metaphor, mimicking, miniature, mirroring, model, mood, nearness, ostensible motive, ostentation, outward show, parallelism, parity, pasticcio, pastiche, phase, phasis, phony, photograph, picture, playacting, poor excuse, portrait, pose, posing, posture, prestidigitation, pretense, pretension, pretext, protestation, public motive, put-off, reference, reflection, refuge, regard, representation, resemblance, respect, rubbing, sameness, screen, seeming, shadow, sham, shape, show, showing, side, similarity, simile, similitude, simulacrum, simulation, slant, sleight of hand, smoke screen, sorcerer, sorcery, specious appearance, speciousness, spit and image, spitting image, stalking-horse, stratagem, style, subterfuge, total effect, trace, tracing, trick, twin, twist, unactuality, unreality, unsubstantiality, varnish, veil, veneer, very image, very picture, view, viewpoint, window dressing, wiseROGET THESAURUS
semblance
Similarity
N similarity, resemblance, likeness, similitude, semblance, affinity, approximation, parallelism, agreement, analogy, analogicalness, correspondence, homoiousia, parity, connaturalness, connaturality, brotherhood, family likeness, alliteration, rhyme, pun, repetition, sameness, uniformity, isogamy, analogue, the like, match, pendant, fellow companion, pair, mate, twin, double, counterpart, brother, sister, one's second self, alter ego, chip of the old block, par nobile fratrum, Arcades ambo, birds of a feather, et hoc genus omne, gens de meme famille, parallel, simile, type, image, photograph, close resemblance, striking resemblance, speaking resemblance, faithful likeness, faithful resemblance, similar, resembling, like, alike, twin, analogous, analogical, parallel, of a piece, such as, so, homoiousian, connatural, congener, allied to, akin to, approximate, much the same, near, close, something like, sort of, in the ballpark, such like, a show of, mock, pseudo, simulating, representing, exact, lifelike, faithful, true to nature, true to life, the very image, the very picture of, for all the world like, comme deux gouttes d'eau, as like as two peas in a pod, as like as it can stare, instar omnium, cast in the same mold, ridiculously like, as if, so to speak, as it were, as if it were, quasi, just as, veluti in speculum, et sic de similibus, tel maitre tel valet, tel pere tel fils, like master, like servant, like father, like son, the fruit doesn't fall far from the tree, a chip off the old block.Imitation
N imitation, copying, transcription, repetition, duplication, reduplication, quotation, reproduction, mimeograph, xerox, facsimile, reprint, offprint, mockery, mimicry, simulation, impersonation, personation, representation, semblance, copy, assimilation, paraphrase, parody, take-off, lampoon, caricature, plagiarism, forgery, counterfeit, celluloid, imitator, echo, cuckoo, parrot, ape, monkey, mocking bird, mime, copyist, copycat, plagiarist, pirate, imitated, mock, mimic, modelled after, molded on, paraphrastic, literal, imitative, secondhand, imitable, aping, apish, mimicking, literally, to the letter, verbatim, literatim, sic, totidem verbis, word for word, mot a mot, exactly, precisely, like master like man, like - but oh! how different!, genius borrows nobly, pursuing echoes calling 'mong the rocks, quotation confesses inferiority, Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.Copy
N copy, facsimile, counterpart, effigies, effigy, form, likeness, image, picture, photo, xerox, similitude, semblance, ectype, photo offset, electrotype, imitation, model, representation, adumbration, study, portrait, resemblance, duplicate, reproduction, cast, tracing, reflex, reflexion, reflection, shadow, echo, transcript, transcription, recording, scan, chip off the old block, reprint, new printing, rechauffe, apograph, fair copy, parody, caricature, burlesque, travesty, travestie, paraphrase, derivative, derivation, modification, expansion, extension, revision, second edition, servile copy, servile imitation, plagiarism, counterfeit, fake, pasticcio, faithful, lifelike, close, conscientious, unoriginal, imitative, derivative.Probability
N probability, likelihood, credibleness, likeliness, vraisemblance, verisimilitude, plausibility, color, semblance, show of, presumption, presumptive evidence, circumstantial evidence, credibility, reasonable chance, fair chance, good chance, favorable chance, reasonable prospect, fair prospect, good prospect, favorable prospect, prospect, wellgrounded hope, chance, probable, likely, hopeful, to be expected, in a fair way, plausible, specious, ostensible, colorable, ben trovato, well-founded, reasonable, credible, easy of belief, presumable, presumptive, apparent, probably, belike, in all probability, in all likelihood, very likely, most likely, like enough, odds on, odds in favor, ten to one, apparently, seemingly, according to every reasonable expectation, prim=a facie, to all appearance, the chances, the odds are, appearances are in favor of, chances are in favor of, there is reason to believe, there is reason to think, there is reason to expect, I dare say, all Lombard Street to a China orange.For further exploring for "semblance" in Webster Dictionary Online