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Appearance - 6 dictionary results

ap⋅pear⋅ance

  [uh-peer-uhns]
Use Appearance in a Sentence
–noun
1. the act or fact of appearing, as to the eye or mind or before the public: the unannounced appearance of dinner guests; the last appearance of Caruso in Aïda; her first appearance at a stockholders' meeting.
2. the state, condition, manner, or style in which a person or object appears; outward look or aspect: a table of antique appearance; a man of noble appearance.
3. outward show or seeming; semblance: to avoid the appearance of coveting an honor.
4. Law. the coming into court of either party to a suit or action.
5. appearances, outward impressions, indications, or circumstances: By all appearances, he enjoyed himself.
6. Philosophy. the sensory, or phenomenal, aspect of existence to an observer.
7. Archaic. an apparition.
—Idioms
8. keep up appearances, to maintain a public impression of decorum, prosperity, etc., despite reverses, unfavorable conditions, etc.: They tried to keep up appearances after losing all their money.
9. make an appearance, to come; arrive: He didn't make an appearance until after midnight.
10. put in an appearance, to attend a gathering or meeting, esp. for a very short time: The author put in an appearance at the cocktail party on her way to dinner.
Origin:
1350–1400; appear + -ance; r. ME aparance < AF, OF < LL appārentia, neut. pl. of L appārēns apparent

Synonyms:
1. arrival, coming, advent. 2. demeanor, presence. Appearance, aspect, guise refer to the way in which something outwardly presents itself to view. Appearance refers to the outward look: the shabby appearance of his car. Aspect refers to the appearance at some particular time or in special circumstances; it often has emotional implications, either ascribed to the object itself or felt by the beholder: In the dusk the forest had a terrifying aspect. Guise suggests a misleading appearance, assumed for an occasion or a purpose: under the guise of friendship. 3. face, pretense.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To Appearance
ap·pear·ance   (ə-pîr'əns)   
n.  
  1. The act or an instance of coming into sight.
  2. The act or an instance of coming into public view: The author made a rare personal appearance.
  3. Outward aspect: an untidy appearance.
  4. Something that appears; a phenomenon.
  5. A superficial aspect; a semblance: keeping up an appearance of wealth.
  6. appearances Outward indications; circumstances: a cheerful person, to all appearances.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Appearance

Ap*pear"ance\, n. [F. apparence, L. apparentia, fr. apparere. See Appear.]

1. The act of appearing or coming into sight; the act of becoming visible to the eye; as, his sudden appearance surprised me.

2. A thing seed; a phenomenon; a phase; an apparition; as, an appearance in the sky.

3. Personal presence; exhibition of the person; look; aspect; mien.

And now am come to see . . . It thy appearance answer loud report. --Milton.

4. Semblance, or apparent likeness; external show. pl. Outward signs, or circumstances, fitted to make a particular impression or to determine the judgment as to the character of a person or a thing, an act or a state; as, appearances are against him.

There was upon the tabernacle, as it were, the appearance of fire. --Num. ix. 15.

For man looketh on the outward appearance. --1 Sam. xvi. 7.

Judge not according to the appearance. --John. vii. 24.

5. The act of appearing in a particular place, or in society, a company, or any proceedings; a coming before the public in a particular character; as, a person makes his appearance as an historian, an artist, or an orator.

Will he now retire, After appearance, and again prolong Our expectation? --Milton.

6. Probability; likelihood. [Obs.]

There is that which hath no appearance. --Bacon.

7. (Law) The coming into court of either of the parties; the being present in court; the coming into court of a party summoned in an action, either by himself or by his attorney, expressed by a formal entry by the proper officer to that effect; the act or proceeding by which a party proceeded against places himself before the court, and submits to its jurisdiction. --Burrill. --Bouvier. --Daniell.

To put in an appearance, to be present; to appear in person.

To save appearances, to preserve a fair outward show.

Syn: Coming; arrival; presence; semblance; pretense; air; look; manner; mien; figure; aspect.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : Appearance
Spanish: apariencia, imagen,
German: das Aussehen,
Japanese: 外見
More Translations »

Main Entry: ap·pear·ance
Function: noun
1 : the presentation of oneself in court as a party to or as an attorney for a party to a lawsuit; also : a document filed in court by an attorney declaring his or her representation of a party to a lawsuit —see also GENERAL APPEARANCE, SPECIAL APPEARANCE
2 : outward look appearance of impropriety>
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Main Entry: ap·pear·ance
Pronunciation: &-'pir-&n(t)s
Function: noun
1 : the action or process of becoming evident to thesenses appearance of a rash on the body>
2 : the outward or visible aspect of something appearance> —ap·pear /&-'pi(&)r/ intransitive verb
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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appearance

see keep up appearances; put in an appearance.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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