Appearance, especially the expression of the face: The question left him with a puzzled countenance.
The face or facial features.
A look or expression indicative of encouragement or of moral support.
Support or approval.
Obsolete Bearing; demeanor.
tr.v.
coun·te·nanced, coun·te·nanc·ing, coun·te·nanc·es
To give sanction or support to; tolerate or approve: The college administration will not countenance cheating.
[Middle English contenaunce, from Old French, from contenir, to behave; see contain.]
c.1250, from O.Fr. "demeanor, bearing, conduct," from L. continentia "restraint," lit. "way one contains oneself," from continere (see contain). Meaning evolving M.E. from "appearance" to "facial expression betraying a state of mind," to "face" itself (1393). The verb "to favor, patronize" is from 1568, from notion of "to look upon with sanction or smiles."
the appearance conveyed by a person's face; "a pleasant countenance"; "a stern visage"
2.
formal and explicit approval; "a Democrat usually gets the union's endorsement" [syn: sanction]
3.
the human face ('kisser' and 'smiler' and 'mug' are informal terms for 'face' and 'phiz' is British)
verb
1.
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] [ant: disallow]
Con*tain"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Contained; p. pr. & vb. n. Containing.] [OE. contenen, conteinen, F. contenir, fr. L. continere, -tentum; con- + tenere to hold. See Tenable, and cf. Countenance.]1. To hold within fixed limits; to comprise; to include; to inclose; to hold. Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens can not contain thee; how much less this house! --2 Chron. vi. 18. When that this body did contain a spirit. --Shak. What thy stores contain bring forth. --Milton. 2. To have capacity for; to be able to hold; to hold; to be equivalent to; as, a bushel contains four pecks. 3. To put constraint upon; to restrain; to confine; to keep within bounds. [Obs., exept as used reflexively.] The king's person contains the unruly people from evil occasions. --Spenser. Fear not, my lord: we can contain ourselves. --Shak.
Con"ti*nence\, Continency \Con"ti*nen*cy\, n. [F. continence, L. continentia. See Continent, and cf. Countenance.]1. Self-restraint; self-command. He knew what to say; he knew also, when to leave off, -- a continence which is practiced by few writers. --Dryden. 2. The restraint which a person imposes upon his desires and passions; the act or power of refraining from indulgence of the sexual appetite, esp. from unlawful indulgence; sometimes, moderation in sexual indulgence. If they [the unmarried and widows] have not continency, let them marry. --1 Cor. vii. 9 (Rev. Ver. ). Chastity is either abstinence or continence: abstinence is that of virgins or widows; continence, that of married persons. --Jer. Taylor. 3. Uninterrupted course; continuity. [Obs.] --Ayliffe.
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