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Meaning of countenance in English
Pronunciation
/ˈkaʊnt(ə)nəns/
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Verb
countenance
Definitions
1.
consent to, give permission
Examples
« 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 »
Antonyms
forbid
prohibit
interdict
proscribe
veto
disallow
forbid
prohibit
interdict
proscribe
veto
disallow
Noun
countenance
Etymology
Middle English: from Old French contenance‘bearing, behavior’, from contenir (see contain). The early sense was ‘bearing, demeanor’, also ‘facial expression’, hence ‘the face’
Definitions
1.
the appearance conveyed by a person's face
Examples
« a pleasant countenance »
« a stern visage »
2.
formal and explicit approval
Examples
« a Democrat usually gets the union's endorsement »
3.
the human face (`kisser' and `smiler' and `mug' are informal terms for `face' and `phiz' is British)