From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Countenance \Coun"te*nance\ (koun"t[-e]*nans), n. [OE.
contenance, countenaunce, demeanor, composure, F. contenance
demeanor, fr. L. continentia continence, LL. also, demeanor,
fr. L. continere to hold together, repress, contain. See
Contain, and cf. Continence.]
1. Appearance or expression of the face; look; aspect; mien.
[1913 Webster]
So spake the Son, and into terror changed
His countenance. --Milton.
[1913 Webster]
2. The face; the features.
[1913 Webster]
In countenance somewhat doth resemble you. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
3. Approving or encouraging aspect of face; hence, favor,
good will, support; aid; encouragement.
[1913 Webster]
Thou hast made him . . . glad with thy countenance.
--Ps. xxi. 6.
[1913 Webster]
This is the magistrate's peculiar province, to give
countenance to piety and virtue, and to rebuke vice.
--Atterbury.
[1913 Webster]
4. Superficial appearance; show; pretense. [Obs.]
[1913 Webster]
The election being done, he made countenance of
great discontent thereat. --Ascham.
[1913 Webster]
In countenance, in an assured condition or aspect; free
from shame or dismay. "It puts the learned in countenance,
and gives them a place among the fashionable part of
mankind." --Addison.
Out of countenance, not bold or assured; confounded;
abashed. "Their best friends were out of countenance,
because they found that the imputations . . . were well
grounded." --Clarendon.
To keep the countenance, to preserve a composed or natural
look, undisturbed by passion or emotion. --Swift.
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Countenance \Coun"te*nance\ (koun"t?-nans), v. t. [imp. & p. p.
Countenanced (-nanst); p. pr. & vb. n. Countenancing.]
1. To encourage; to favor; to approve; to aid; to abet.
[1913 Webster]
This conceit, though countenanced by learned men, is
not made out either by experience or reason. --Sir
T. Browne.
[1913 Webster]
Error supports custom, custom countenances error.
--Milton.
[1913 Webster]
2. To make a show of; to pretend. [Obs.]
[1913 Webster]
Which to these ladies love did countenance.
--Spenser.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
countenance
n 1: the appearance conveyed by a person's face; "a pleasant
countenance"; "a stern visage" [syn: countenance,
visage]
2: formal and explicit approval; "a Democrat usually gets the
union's endorsement" [syn: sanction, countenance,
endorsement, indorsement, warrant, imprimatur]
3: the human face (`kisser' and `smiler' and `mug' are informal
terms for `face' and `phiz' is British) [syn: countenance,
physiognomy, phiz, visage, kisser, smiler, mug]
v 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, allow, let, countenance] [ant:
disallow, forbid, interdict, nix, prohibit,
proscribe, veto]