▪ I. countenance, n.
(ˈkaʊntɪnəns)
Forms: 3–5 continaunce, -ance, 3–6 contenaunce, -ance, -once, -anse, -ans(s, -aunse, 4 contien-, cunten-, cuntin-, kuntenaunce, (Sc. cuntyr-, counternans), 4–5 contynaunce, -ans(e, 4–6 countenaunce, (-tin-, -tyn-, -teyn-, -ance, -ans, -aunse, 5 cown-), 4– countenance.
[ME. con-, cun-, countena(u)nce, a. OF. con-, cuntenance (11th c. Chans. Roland) manner of holding oneself, bearing, behaviour, aspect, ad. L. continēntia (see continence), used in med.L. in sense of ‘habitus, moris et gestus conformatio’ (Du Cange): cf. contain v. The extension of sense from ‘mien, aspect’ to ‘face’ appears to be Eng.: cf. F. use of mine.]
I. † 1. Bearing, demeanour, comportment; behaviour, conduct; sometimes spec. behaviour of two persons towards each other. Obs.
| c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. 113/245 Al-to nobleie of þe worlde his continaunce he brouȝte. 1340 Ayenb. 259 Of uayre contenonce to-uore alle men. c 1350 Will. Palerne 4900 With clipping & kessing and contenaunce hende. 1375 Barbour Bruce ix. 273 Fell neuir men so foull myschans Eftir so sturdy cuntyrnans. 1470–85 Malory Arthur vii. xxi, They had goodely langage & louely countenaunce to gyder..Fair syster I haue wel aspyed your countenaunce betwixe you and this knyght. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 235 Whan we be dissolute in herte, and lyght in countenaunce. 1678 A. Lovell Fontaine's Duties Cav. 120 The General by his Scouts shall inform himself of the Enemies Countenance. 1719 De Foe Crusoe ii. v, The Spaniard governor ordered two muskets to be fired..that by their countenance he might know what to expect..This stratagem took; for..they started up..and..ran screaming..away. |
† b. to make (a) countenance (see also 2 d, 3, 7): to assume or have a certain demeanour or attitude; to comport oneself. Obs.
| c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 5747 Wan þe Amerel haþ iherd hym telle, Contenance made he fers & felle. 1485 Caxton Paris & V. 53 For the good countenances that he made he was moche wel beloued. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. lxxvii. 98 To regarde..her great beauty, and the gracyous wordes and countenaunce that she made. a 1533 ― Huon cxxix. 473 The admyral..wold not issue out..tyll he sawe what countenaunce the chrysten men wolde make. |
† 2. Appearance, aspect, look (obs. exc. as transf. from 4); also, a show or semblance of anything.
| c 1325 E.E. Allit. P. B. 792 Ful clene watz þe countenaunce of her cler yȝen. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. Prol. 24 In cuntinaunce of cloþinge queinteliche degyset. 1483 Caxton Cato C iv b, The draper helde the countenaunce of a drunken man. 1565 Jewel Repl. Harding (1611) 134 To amaze the ignorant Reader with a countenance of great learning. 1596 Shakes. Tam. Shr. v. i. 41. 1639 Howell in Four C. Eng. Lett. 77 The countenance of the weather invited me. 1695 Woodward Nat. Hist. Earth i. (1723) 20 These Authors did not espouse this Opinion..without some countenance of Probability. 1719 De Foe Crusoe ii. ii. (1840) 35, I..knew the very countenance of the place. 1837–9 Hallam Hist. Lit. (1847) I. i. §30. 25 The countenance of Nature. |
† b. Mere appearance or show; feigned or assumed appearance, pretence. Obs.
| c 1398 Chaucer Fortune 34, I haue thee taught diuisioun bitwene Frend of effect and frend of countenaunce. 1494 Fabyan Chron. vi. clxxvi. 174 The sayde Godfrey, to dys⁓sayue y⊇ Frenshemen, shewed outwarde countenaunce to be a Cristen man. 1579 Tomson Calvin's Serm. Tim. 449/1 Let vs learn..to absteine from al talke, and all countenances. 1613–8 Daniel Coll. Hist. Eng. (1626) 191 They passed the day in Countenances, and nothing was done. 1727 Swift To Yng. Lady, Their whole demeanor, before they got a husband, was all but a countenance and constraint upon their nature. |
† c. for (a) countenance: for a show or pretence, for appearance sake. Obs.
| c 1386 Chaucer Can. Yeom. Prol. & T. 711 And for a countenaunce in his hond bar An holow stikke. c 1430 Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 255, I hadde in custom to come to scole late, Nat for to lerne but for a contenaunce. 1548 Hall Chron. 151 Although she [the Queen] joyned her husbande with hir in name for a countenaunce, yet she did all, she saied all, and she bare the whole swynge. 1614 Bp. Hall Medit. & Vows iii. §21 God hath many retainers that weare his Livery, for a countenance. 1692 R. L'Estrange Josephus, Antiq. ii. vi. (1733) 36 Joseph..for a Countenance..charged them as Spies. 1878 Simpson Sch. Shaks. I. 34 That Florida was for countenance, to hide the reality of authorized buccaneering. |
† d. to make (a) countenance: to make a show (real or feigned) of any action, feeling, or intention. Also to set a countenance. Obs.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce i. 482 Bot quhat pite that euir he had, Na contenance thar-off he maid. 1470–85 Malory Arthur viii. xxxii, He..made countenaunce as though he wold haue stryken hym. 1548 Hall Chron. 197 b, He made a countenance to assayle his adversarie. 1570 R. Ascham Scholem. ii. (Arb.) 134 But, the election being done, he made countinance of great discontentation thereat. 1600 Holland Livy xxi. lxiii. 429 He set a countenance..as though hee would take a journey like a private person. 1614 Raleigh Hist. World iii. 102 These Nations joyned togethers, and..made countenance of warre. 1726–7 Swift Gulliver i. ii, I made a countenance as if I would eat him alive. |
† e. ship of countenance: ?
| 1570 J. Campion in Arb. Garner I. 55 Touching the ship that must go, she must observe this order. She must be a ship of countenance. She must not touch in any part of Spain. 1727 A. Hamilton New Acc. E. Ind. I. xviii. 215 He went to Surat Road, in the Royal James and Mary, with three or four other Ships of Countenance, to try if he could bully the Governor, and frighten the Merchants. |
† 3. A sign, gesture. to make a countenance: to make a sign, intimate by sign or gesture. Obs.
| c 1350 Will, Palerne 1401 Priueli..sche praide william þanne to seche softily to hire chaumber..& he bi quinte contenance to come he granted, For he ne durst openly. c 1386 Chaucer Melib. ¶71 Vp roos tho oon..and with his hand made contenaunce that men sholde holden hem stille. 1461–83 Househ. Ord. 375 If hee doe call them or doe make any countenance to them. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 375 The king made them a countenaunce to come nere. |
4. The look or expression of a person's face.
(In early use often not easily distinguished from 1, 2, and in later use difficult to separate from 5.)
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 183 Þo Normans were sorie, of contenance gan blaken. c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 394 Þan him ansuerede Olyuer wyþ sterne contynaunce. c 1450 St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 2098 He shewed ay countenance gladd. 1548 Hall Chron. 183 Imploring mercy..both with holding up his handes, and making dolorous countenance. 1553 Eden Treat. Newe Ind. (Arb.) 22 They haue greye or blewe eyes, and are of cruell countenaunce. 1605 Shakes. Lear i. iv. 29 Kent. You haue that in your countenance, which I would faine call Master. Lear. What's that? Kent. Authority. 1770 Junius Lett. xxxvi. 179 Their countenances speak a different language. 1859 tr. Bengel's Gnomon I. 313 A man's countenance varies; his face is always the same. 1875 Manning Mission H. Ghost ii. 51 God made your features, but you made your countenance. |
b. to change one's countenance: to alter one's facial expression (or † as in 1, one's demeanour) as the result of feeling or emotion. to keep one's countenance: to preserve composure, refrain from expressing emotion; now esp. to refrain from laughing or smiling. So (here, or under 6) his countenance fell: i.e. he showed disappointment or dejection.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce vii. 127 Thai changit contenanss and late. 1470–85 Malory Arthur iv. xiv, She kepte her countenaunce and maade no semblaunt of sorowe. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 386 To this the king with chaunged countenaunce aunswered. 1603 Knolles Hist. Turks (1621) 834 Sitting like an image without moving, and with a great state and majesty keeping his countenance, dained not to give them one of his lookes. 1611 Bible Gen. iv. 5 Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. 1728 Adv. Capt. R. Boyle 212 It was as much as I could do to keep my Countenance at the Figure he made. 1848 Macaulay Hist. Eng. II. 373 Courtiers and envoys kept their countenances as well as they could while the renegade protested that..his conscience would not let him rest, etc. 1878 Morley Diderot I. 133 When he was told that the work must positively be brought to an end, his countenance fell. 1891 N. Gould Doub. Event 17 Captain Drayton changed countenance. |
5. The face, visage.
| 1393 Gower Conf. II. 372 My contenaunce is on the boke, But toward her is all my loke. a 1400–50 Alexander 484 He kest vp his contenance & knyȝtly he lokes. 1535 Coverdale Job xxxiv. 29 Yf he hyde awaye his countenaunce. 1611 Bible 1 Sam. xvii. 42 But a youth, and ruddy, and of a faire countenance. 1724 Swift Drapier's Lett. vii, That vile representation of the royal countenance. 1835 Lytton Rienzi i. i, His countenance was handsome. 1871 Browning Hervé Riel viii, How hope succeeds despair on each Captain's countenance! |
6. ‘Calmness of look, composure of face’; ‘confidence of mien’ (J.); esp. in phr. to lose countenance, with a good countenance.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 3368 (Cott.) And þof sco scamful was, i-wiss, Sco tint na contenance wit þis. c 1314 Guy Warw. (A.) 5740 Now is Gii of Warwike a couward..Lorn he haþ contenaunce. c 1400 Destr. Troy 2518 All the buernes aboute abasshet þer with..þere countenaunse failed. 1632 J. Hayward tr. Biondi's Eromena 21 The Admirall (framing the best countenance he could) departed. 1770 Langhorne Plutarch (1879) I. 527/2 The Persians stood and received them with a good countenance. |
b. out of countenance: disconcerted, abashed. to put out of countenance: to disconcert. Also fig.
| 15.. Ballad on Money in Halliw. Nugæ Poet. 49 Every man lackyng yt than Is clene owte of countenaunce. 1588 Shakes. L.L.L. v. ii. 611, I will not be put out of countenance. 1621 Bp. Hall Heaven upon Earth §4 Firme and obdurate fore-heads, whose resolution can laugh their sinnes out of countenance. 1668 Pepys Diary IV. 11 The table spread..for a noble breakfast..that put me out of countenance, so much and so good. 1701 Grew Cosm. Sacr. iv. iii. (R.), When Cain..was out of countenance. 1778 F. Burney Diary Sept., You did put her a little out of countenance. 1857 Hughes Tom Brown ii. vi, You'll stare my mother out of countenance. |
c. to keep (a person) in countenance: to keep him from being abashed or disconcerted; now often involving the notion of encouragement by show of favour or support (cf. 8); to countenance. So to put in countenance.
| 1588 Shakes. L.L.L. v. ii. 623 And now forward, for we haue put thee in countenance. 1665 Boyle Occas. Refl. iv. xvii, It does not only keep impertinent Fools in countenance, but encourages them to be very troublesome to wise Men. 1716 Addison Freeholder (J.), It puts the learned in countenance. 1766 Goldsm. Vic. W. xxii, To shut out the censuring world, and keep each other in countenance. 1848 Macaulay Hist. Eng. II. 504 Cornbury was soon kept in countenance by a crowd of deserters. |
II. † 7. Demeanour or manner towards others as expressing good or ill will; show of feeling or manifestation of regard towards another. Obs.
[Immediately related to 1.]
| c 1369 Chaucer Dethe Blaunche 1022 She wolde not fonde To holde no wight in balaunce, By half word ne by countenaunce. 1375 Barbour Bruce ix. 12 The kyng gud counternans thaim maid. a 1553 Udall Royster D. iii. iii. (Arb.) 49 Lo where she commeth, some countenaunce to hir make. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. iv. 15 The stout Faery..Thought..that great Princesse too exceeding prowd, That to strange knight no better countenance allowd. 1632 J. Hayward tr. Biondi's Eromena 138 Entertaining him with the best countenance that could be. |
8. ‘Patronage; appearance of favour; appearance on any side’ (J.); moral support.
| 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 27 Your authoritie and countenaunce giveth mee..great incouragement. 1596 Shakes. 1 Hen. IV, i. ii. 33 Vnder whose countenance we steale. 1608 D. T. Ess. Pol. & Mor. 10 That his deedes may be alwaies readie to give authoritie and countenance to his words. 1782 Priestley Corrupt. Chr. I. i. 143 A doctrine which has no countenance in reason or revelation. 1841 Macaulay W. Hastings Ess. (1854) 595 To lend no countenance to such adulation. 1864 Tennyson Aylmer's F. 307 Else I withdraw favour and countenance From you and yours for ever. |
† b. transf. A support. Obs.
| 1565–73 Cooper Thesaurus, Agger..a bulwarke; a countenance to a fortresse or campe: a rampier. 1691 Norris Pract. Disc. 102 One is a Countenance and Incouragement to another. |
III. † 9. Estimation; credit or repute in the world.
| 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 148 If I were in as great countenaunce with my sisters sonne. Ibid. 431 You are one whome before all other this Universitie hath in more countenaunce and estimation. 1579 Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 50 Philautus..both for his owne countenaunce, and the great countenaunce which his father had while he liued, crept into credit with Don Ferardo. a 1745 Swift (J.), If the outward profession of religion and virtue were once in practice and countenance at court. |
† 10. The estate or state which one maintains or keeps up; position, standing, dignity. Obs.
(It was often used by commentators as a rendering of contenementum in Magna Carta, though with doubtful propriety: see contenement.)
| c 1477 in Eng. Gilds 304 Beinge men of good welthe and countenance. 1523 Fitzherb. Surv. 21 Sauyng to a gentyl⁓man his counteynaunce and his householde. 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 199 Gentlemen of the best countenaunce, and highest degree of honour. 1581 W. Stafford Exam. Compl. ii. (1876) 64 Gentlemen..seeke to maintayne their countenaunces as their predecessors did. a 1617 Bayne On Eph. (1658) 18 Men of countenance and authority. a 1654 Selden Table-t., Fines, When a Man was Fin'd, he was to be Fin'd Salvo Contenemento, so as his Countenance might be safe. 1784 J. Reeves Hist. Eng. Law (1814) I. 127 Such a grievous imposition as would entirely destroy their contenement, or, to use an English term..formed from it, their countenance and appearance in the world. |
† 11. ? Maintenance. Obs.
| 1538 Bale God's Promises i. in Hazl. Dodsley I. 287 But through his ordinance Each have his strength and whole countenance. 1553 N. Grimalde Cicero's Offices (1556) 56 b, Referred to the common use, and countenaunce of the life. |
▪ II. countenance n.2
improperly for continuance.
| 1590 Greene Menaphon (1616) 1 As carefull for the weale of his Countrey, as the countenance of his Diademe. 1592 ― Art Conny Catch. iii. 10 Countenance of talke made them careles of the time. |
▪ III. countenance, v.
(ˈkaʊntɪnəns)
Also 5–6 -anse, -aunse, 6 -aunce, conti-, countnance.
[f. F. contenancer ‘to countenance, fauor, grace, maintaine, give countenance vnto; also, to frame or set the face handsomely; to give it a graceful and constant garbe’ (Cotgr. 1611), f. contenance countenance n.]
† 1. intr. To assume a particular demeanour, behaviour, or aspect; to behave, pretend, or make (as if{ddd}). Obs.
| 1486 Bk. St. Albans A vj b, Sum tyme yowre hawke countenansis as she piked hir, and yet she proynith not. 1519 Interl. Four Elem. in Hazl. Dodsley I. 47, I can countenance comely. |
† 2. trans. ‘To make a show of’ (J.), pretend.
| 1590 Spenser F.Q. ii. ii. 16 They were two knights..Which to these Ladies love did countenaunce. |
† 3. to countenance out (also, to countenance): to face out, persist in maintaining unblushingly or unfalteringly; also (of a thing) to bear out, support, confirm (cf. sense 5). Obs.
| 1526 Skelton Magnyf. 419 Sware and stare and byde thereby, And countenance it clenly. 1563 Foxe A. & M. 693 With furious words and irreuerent behauyour..he thought to continaunce out the matter. 1577 Harrison England ii. xxv. (1877) i. 366 Let this suffice to countenance out my conjecture. 1615 T. Adams White Devil 13 Let not the pretended equitie to men countenance out our neglected piety to God. |
† 4. To give a proper (or specified) aspect to; to set off, grace. Obs.
| 1575 Laneham Let. (1871) 14 Who, for parsonage, gesture, and vtterauns beside, coountenaunst the matter too very good liking. 1592 Greene Upst. Courtier in Harl. Misc. (Malh.) II. 223 What is the end of seruice to a man but to countenaunce himselfe and credite his maister with braue suites? 1603 Knolles Hist. Turks (1621) 1100 Countenanced this yeares wars with greater shewes than deeds. |
5. To give countenance to; to look upon with sanction or favour; to favour, patronize, sanction, encourage, ‘back up’, bear out: a. a person.
| 1568 North tr. Gueuara's Diall Pr. (1619) 625 Noble men, whose credit..with the Prince, may honour and countenance them [Gentlemens sonnes]. 1597 Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, v. i. 41, I beseech you sir, To countenance William Visor of Woncot, against Clement Perkes of the hill. 1612 Brinsley Lud. Lit. xxvii. (1627) 276 That the painfull and obedient be..countenanced, incouraged, and preferred. 1709 Hearne Collect. (Oxf. Hist. Soc.) II. 252, I am afraid some of these great Men countenance this bold and Heretical writer. 1848 Macaulay Hist. Eng. II. 243 To demand that Burnet should no longer be countenanced at the Hague. |
b. a thing (action, practice, opinion, etc.).
| 1590 Greene Orl. Fur. (1599) 42 Content to lose The pleasance of his age, to countnance law. 1678 Wanley Wond. Lit. World v. i. §43. 464/2 Constantinus..the first Emperour who countenanced the Gospel. 1751 Johnson Rambler No. 113 ¶1 Lest we should countenance the crime. 1832 H. Martineau Life in Wilds Pref. 13 We shall not be supposed to countenance the practice. |
† c. a person to do or be something. Obs.
| 1654 tr. Scudery's Curia Pol. 159 Their power must not countenance them to be severe. 1699 W. Dampier Voy. II. ii. iv. 116 The very Negroes..are countenanced to do so by the Spaniards. 1717 De Foe Hist. Ch. Scot. 8 She countenanced the Priests to go on with all the persecuting Methods they could. |
† 6. To keep in countenance (by acting in the same way); to be in keeping with. Obs.
| 1605 Shakes. Macb. ii. iii. 85 Malcolme, Banquo, As from your Graues rise vp, and walke like Sprights, To countenance this horror. |