countenance, visage
(noun) the appearance conveyed by a personâs face; âa pleasant countenanceâ; âa stern visageâ
countenance, physiognomy, phiz, visage, kisser, smiler, mug
(noun) the human face (âkisserâ and âsmilerâ and âmugâ are informal terms for âfaceâ and âphizâ is British)
sanction, countenance, endorsement, indorsement, warrant, imprimatur
(noun) formal and explicit approval; âa Democrat usually gets the unionâs endorsementâ
permit, allow, let, countenance
(verb) consent to, give permission; âShe permitted her son to visit her estranged husbandâ; âI wonât let the police search her basementâ; âI cannot allow you to see your examâ
Source: WordNet® 3.1
countenance (countable and uncountable, plural countenances)
Appearance, especially the features and expression of the face.
Favour; support; encouragement.
(obsolete) Superficial appearance; show; pretense.
Calm facial expression, composure, self-control.
• see also countenance
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.
• (tolerate, support): approve, sanction, support, tolerate
Source: Wiktionary
Coun"te*nance (koun"t-nans), n. Etym: [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.]
1. Appearance or expression of the face; look; aspect; mien. So spake the Son, and into terror changed His countenance. Milton.
2. The face; the features. In countenance somewhat doth resemble you. Shak.
3. Approving or encouraging aspect of face; hence, favor, good will, support; aid; encouragement. Thou hast made him . . . glad with thy countenance. Ps. xxi. 6. This is the magistrate's peculiar province, to give countenance to piety and virtue, and to rebuke vice. Atterbury.
4. Superficial appearance; show; pretense. [Obs.] The election being done, he made countenance of great discontent thereat. Ascham. 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.
Coun"te*nance (koun"t-nans), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Countenanced (- nanst); p. pr. & vb. n. Countenancing.]
1. To encourage; to favor; to approve; to aid; to abet. This conceit, though countenanced by learned men, is not made out either by experience or reason. Sir T. Browne. Error supports custom, custom countenances error. Milton.
2. To make a show of; to pretend. [Obs.] Which to these ladies love did countenance. Spenser.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
18 January 2025
(noun) (Yiddish) a little; a piece; âgive him a shtik cakeâ; âheâs a shtik crazyâ; âhe played a shtik Beethovenâ
The worldâs most expensive coffee costs more than US$700 per kilogram. Asian palm civet â a cat-like creature in Indonesia, eats fruits, including select coffee cherries. It excretes partially digested seeds that produce a smooth, less acidic brew of coffee called kopi luwak.
