3 definitions found
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
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.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
appearance
n 1: outward or visible aspect of a person or thing [syn: {visual
aspect}]
2: the event of coming into sight [ant: {disappearance}]
3: formal attendance (in court or at a hearing) of a party in
an action [syn: {appearing}, {coming into court}]
4: a mental representation; "I tried to describe his appearance
to the police"
5: the act of appearing in public view; "the rookie made a
brief appearance in the first period"; "it was Bernhardt's
last appearance in America" [ant: {disappearance}]
6: pretending that something is the case in order to make a
good impression; "they try to keep up appearances"; "that
ceremony is just for show" [syn: {show}]
From eng-fra [engfra]:
appearance
[əpiərəns]
air, allure, apparence, aspect, spectacle
air, apparence