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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Countenance \Coun"te*nance\ (koun"t[-e]*nans), noun [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.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Countenance \Coun"te*nance\ (koun"t?-nans), verb (used with an object) [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.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
countenance
noun
1: the appearance conveyed by a person's face; "a pleasant countenance"; "a stern visage" [syn: {visage}]
2: formal and explicit approval; "a Democrat usually gets the union's endorsement" [syn: {sanction}, {endorsement}, {indorsement}, {warrant}, {imprimatur}]
3: the human face ('kisser' and 'smiler' and 'mug' are informal terms for 'face' and 'phiz' is British) [syn: {physiognomy}, {phiz}, {visage}, {kisser}, {smiler}, {mug}]
verb: consent to, give permission; "She permitted her son to visit her estranged husband"; "I won't let the police search her basement"; "I cannot allow you to see your exam" [syn: {permit}, {allow}, {let}] [ant: {forbid}, {forbid}]
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
175 Moby Thesaurus words for "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
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