countenance

English

WOTD – 7 May 2009

Alternative forms

• countenaunce (obsolete)

Etymology

(deprecated template usage) [etyl] , from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Latin (deprecated template usage) contineō.

Pronunciation

• (UK, US)

• noicon

  (file)

Noun

countenance (plural countenances)

1. Appearance, especially the features and expression of the face.
   • Template:RQ:Authorized Version, Genesis 4:5

     But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

Synonyms

• See also Wikisaurus:countenance

Translations

face

• Armenian: դեմք (demkʻ), դեմքի արտահայտություն (demkʻi artahaytutʻyun)
• Bulgarian: изражение на лицето (izraženie na liceto)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 面容 (miànróng)

• Czech: výraz (cs) m
• Danish: ansigt (da) n, mine c
• Dutch: gelaatsuitdrukking ,verschijning
• Finnish: ilme (fi), kasvonpiirteet
• Greek: όψη (el) f (ópsi), μορφή (el) f (morfí), παρουσιαστικό (el) n (parousiastikó), φυσιογνωμία (el) f (fysiognomía)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Icelandic: andlit (is) n
• Polish: oblicze Template:n, wyraz twarzy , mina Template:f
• Portuguese: aparência (pt) f, semblante (pt) m
• Russian: выражение лица Template:n
• Scottish Gaelic: aogas m
• Spanish: apariencia (es) f, semblante m, expresión (es) f, rostro (es)

Verb

countenance (third-person singular simple present countenanc, present participle ing, simple past and past participle countenanced)

1. Template: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.

Synonyms

• (tolerate, support): approve, sanction, support, tolerate

Translations

tolerate, support, sanction

• Armenian: աջակցել (aǰakcʻel), սատարել (satarel), քաջալերել (kʻaǰalerel), համակրել (hamakrel)
• Bulgarian: подкрепям (bg) (podkrepjam), насърчавам (bg) (nasǎrčavam)
• Czech: podporovat
• Danish: billige, støtte, tolerere
• Dutch: gedogen (nl), dulden (nl)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Finnish: sallia (fi)
• Greek: υποστηρίζω (el) (ypostirízo), ενθαρρύνω (el) (entharrýno)
• Icelandic: láta viðgangast
• Russian: терпеть, одобрять, разрешать; давать санкцию (на совершение чего-л.)
• Spanish: tolerar (es), apoyar (es), permitir (es)

References

• “countenance”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “countenance”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.

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Anglo-Norman

Alternative forms

• contenance
• contennaunce
• continance

Noun

1. 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.