countenance

English

WOTD – 7 May 2009    

Alternative forms

• countenaunce (obsolete)

Etymology

Anglo-Norman, from Latin contineō (“hold together”).

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA: /ˈkaʊn.tɪ.nəns/, /ˈkaʊn.tən.əns/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

countenance (plural countenances)

1. Appearance, especially the features and expression of the face.
   • 1611, King James Version of the Bible (Authorized Version)^[1], 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 (hy) (demk’), դեմքի արտահայտություն (hy) (demk’i artahaytut’yun)
• Bulgarian: изражение на лицето (bg) (izraženie na liceto)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 面容 (cmn)

• Czech: výraz (cs) m
• Danish: ansigt (da) n, mine (da) c
• Dutch: gelaatsuitdrukking (nl) ,verschijning (nl)
• Finnish: ilme (fi), kasvonpiirteet (fi)

• Greek: όψη (el) (ópsi) f, μορφή (el) (morfí) f, παρουσιαστικό (el) (parousiastikó) n, φυσιογνωμία (el) (physiognomía) f
• Icelandic: andlit (is) n
• Polish: oblicze n, wyraz twarzy m, mina f
• Portuguese: aparência (pt) f, semblante (pt) m
• Russian: выражение лица n
• Scottish Gaelic: aogas (gd) m
• Spanish: apariencia (es) f, semblante (es) m, expresión (es) f, rostro (es)

Verb

countenance (third-person singular simple present countenances, present participle countenancing, simple past and past participle countenanced)

1. (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 (hy) (aǰakc’el), սատարել (hy) (satarel), քաջալերել (hy) (k’aǰalerel), համակրել (hy) (hamakrel)
• Bulgarian: подкрепям (bg) (podkrepjam), насърчавам (bg) (nasǎrčavam)
• Czech: podporovat (cs)
• Danish: billige (da), støtte (da), tolerere (da)
• Dutch: gedogen (nl), dulden (nl)

• Finnish: sallia (fi)
• Greek: υποστηρίζω (el) (ypostirízo), ενθαρρύνω (el) (entharrýno)
• Icelandic: láta viðgangast (is)
• Russian: терпеть, одобрять, разрешать; давать санкцию (на совершение чего-л.)
• Spanish: tolerar (es), apoyar (es), permitir (es)

References

• countenance in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• countenance in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913

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Old French

Alternative forms

• contenance
• contennaunce
• continance

Noun

countenance f (oblique plural countenances, nominative singular countenance, nominative plural countenances)

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.