Appearance

Forms: 4–5 aparaunce, 5 apparens, 5–6 apparaunce, 5–7 -ance, -ence, (6 aparance); 5 apperans, 5–6 -aunce, -ance, (appeerance), 6–7 appearaunce, 6– -ance. Aphet. 5 perance. [orig. a. OFr. aparance, -ence (later apparence):—L. appārēntia, abst. n. f. appārēnt-em, pr. pple. of appārē-re to APPEAR. Subseq. assimilated to the vb. appere, APPEAR, though apparance, -ence, were still used c. 1685. Cf. APPARENCE, -ENCY, -ENT.]

  1.  The action of coming forward into view or becoming visible.

c. 1400.  Epiph. (Turnb., 1843), 119. They all thre Thys day were seyn by sothfast apparence.

1583.  Stanyhurst, Æneis, II. (Arb.), 68. Her woonted image … mad her … aparance.

1611.  Bible, 2 Macc. xv. 27. Through the appearance of God, they were greatly cheered.

1794.  S. Williams, Hist. Vermont, 115. The usual times of the appearance … and disappearance of these birds.

1869.  Freeman, Norm. Conq., III. xiv. 336. The appearance of the fleet was unlooked for.

  2.  The action of appearing formally at any proceedings; esp. formal presentation of oneself in a court to answer (or prosecute) a suit or charge; called making or putting in an appearance.

c. 1400.  Beryn, 2623. Wherfor wee must … Such answers us purvey … Tomorow at our apparaunce.

1494.  Fabyan, VII. 351. To make summons, and distrayne for lacke of apperaunce.

1581.  Lambarde, Eiren., II. ii. (1588), 112. Although this recognusance doe not comprehend any time of apparence.

1660.  Ingelo, Bentiv. & Ur. (1682), II. 164. The obedient Theoprepians made appearance at the time appointed.

1669.  Penn, No Cross, etc., vi. § 10. The Souls of true Worshippers see God, make their Appearance before Him.

1809.  Tomlins, Law Dict., H vij/1. Appearance in person and by attorney are very different.

1883.  Spurgeon, in Chr. Herald, 24 Oct., 235/1. All men must put in a personal appearance at the Last Assize.

  † 3.  collect. A company presenting themselves; a muster, attendance, gathering, a ‘turn-out.’ Obs.

1599.  Life Sir T. More, in C. Wordsworth, Eccl. Biog. (1853), II. 140. There was a great appearance of the clergie to have the oath tendered.

1660.  Evelyn, Mem. (1857), I. 371. An innumerable appearance of gallants.

1704.  Lond. Gaz., mmmdccccxciii/2. Her Grace … invited all the Ladies … of whom there was a very great Appearance.

1747.  in Col. Rec. Penn., V. 153. So thin an appearance of the Representatives.

  4.  The action of coming before the world or the public in any character.

1671.  Milton, P. R., II. 41. Will he now retire After appearance?

1711.  Addison, Spect., No. 1, ¶ 2. The gravity of my behaviour at my very first appearance in the world. Ibid. (1711), No. 13, ¶ 2. The Lion has changed his manner of acting … since his first appearance.

1794.  Sullivan, View Nat., II. ‘The first great event in history,’ says Berosus, ‘was the appearance of Oannes.’

1880.  Grove, Dict. Music, II. 263. [Mendelssohn’s] first appearance before an English audience.

  b.  The coming out or publication of a book.

1882.  Palgrave, Ess., in Spenser’s Wks., IV. 43. The appearance of his first book.

  5.  Occurrence so as to meet the eye in a document.

1868.  Freeman, Norm. Conq., II. App. 615. The single appearance of the word in Domesday is the earliest instance.

  6.  The action of appearing conspicuously; display, show, parade.

1591.  Raleigh, Last Fight Rev. (Arb.), 15. The Spaniardes … fill the world with their vaine glorious vaunts, making great apparance of victories.

1711.  Steele, Spect., No. 4, ¶ 2. I gratify the vanity of all who pretend to make an Appearance.

1849.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 294. Their fine horses, their rich housings … made a splendid appearance.

  † 7.  Clear manifestation to the sight or understanding; disclosure, detection. Obs. rare.

1587.  Fleming, Contn. Holinshed, III. 325/2. His secret and guilefull behauiour made perfect appeerance of his wicked intent.

1608.  Chapman, Byron’s Trag., I. i. (N.)

1650.  Sherwood, A plaine apparance of a crime, Flagrance d’un delict.

  8.  The action or state of appearing or seeming to be (to eyes or mind); semblance; looking like. To all appearance: so far as appears to anyone.

c. 1430.  Lydg., Chorle & Birde (1818), 1. Emblemes … By resemblance of notable apparence With moralitees concludyng on prudence.

1539.  Bible (‘Great’), 1 Thess. v. 22. Abstayne from all euell appearaunce [1611 all appearance of euill].

1793.  Smeaton, Edystone L., § 253. The weather … had remained to all appearance much the same.

1839.  G. P. R. James, Louis XIV., I. 182. Disdaining the slightest appearance of coveting a sceptre.

  † 9.  Semblance of truth or certainty; likelihood, probability; verisimilitude. Obs.

a. 1533.  Frith, Answ. Fisher (1829), 202. Neither yet can I imagine any way whereby they may have any appearance to escape.

1693.  Mem. Count Teckely, III. 8. These Discourses, wherein was observed something of appearance, were capable of seducing a world of Persons.

1793.  Smeaton, Edystone L., § 333. As near the extremity … as they could with the appearance of safety be built.

  † 10.  subjectively: Perception, idea, notion of what a thing appears to be. Obs. (Cf. ‘to my seeming.’)

a. 1400.  Cov. Myst., 271. This that shewyth as bred to your apparens, Is mad the very flesche and blod of me.

1607.  Topsell, Four-f. Beasts, 509. Many times they leap a great distance and are supported without sinking to mans appearance.

1627.  I. D., in Hakewill’s Apol. (1630), 491. A place [Rom. viii.] which, as to your appearance, so to me, seemes, in truth, very pressing.

  11.  The state or form in which a person or thing appears; apparent form, look, aspect.

c. 1385.  Chaucer, L. G. W., 1372. Ladyis of thyn statly aparaunce [v.r. apparaunce, -ance].

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., III. xvii. (1495), 62. All the lynes … make apperaunce, shapen as a tope.

a. 1581.  Campion, Hist. Irel., v. (1633), 13. Pittyfull in apparance.

1607.  Shaks., Coriol., IV. v. 66. Thou hast a grim apparance, and thy Face Beares a Command in’t.

1722.  De Foe, Plague (1754), 9. Men … fitted out for travelling, as any one might perceive by their Appearance.

1872.  Ruskin, Eagle’s Nest, § 148. In drawing, represent the appearances of things, never what you know the things to be.

  b.  pl. The general aspect of circumstances or events; the ‘look’ of things.

1677.  Temple, Lett., Wks. 1731, II. 430. The Appearances were ill; but Campaigns did not always end as they began.

1713.  Swift, Cadenus & V., Wks. 1751, II. 64. 162.

1814.  Southey, Roderick, XIII. 162.

Mod.  Appearances are all in your favor.

  12.  esp. as distinguished from reality: Outward look or show.

c. 1384.  Chaucer, H. of Fame, 265. Allis what harme dothe Apparence Whan hit is fals in existence.

1413.  Lydg., Pylgr. Sowle, IV. xxx. (1483), 80. Ther must nedes be a difference bytwene trouthe and apparence.

1581.  Campion, in Confer., II. (1584), L. They were of vs in apparance, & in outward shewe.

1611.  Bible, John vii. 24. Iudge not according to the appearance.

1667.  Milton, P. L., IX. 413. The Fiend Meer Serpent in appearance.

1790.  Paley, Hor. Paul., I. 8. To preserve an appearance of consistency.

1871.  Blackie, 4 Phases of Mor., i. 8. But the truth behind the appearance was [etc.].

  b.  To save or keep up appearances: to maintain artificially the outward signs, so as to conceal the absence of the realities which they are assumed to represent.

1711.  Steele, Spect., No. 97, ¶ 2. It often happen’d that a Duel was fought to save Appearances to the World.

1761.  Churchill, Rosciad, Poems 1763, I. 15. Appearances to save his only care.

1861.  Sat. Rev., March, 244/1. The unshrinking heroism a true Briton, of whatever rank, displays in sacrificing real comfort to the desire of keeping up appearances.

  † 13.  Illusive seeming or semblance; concr. an illusion. Obs.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Sqrs. T., 212. An apparence ymaad by som Magyk. Ibid., Frankl. T., 412. Diuerse apparences swiche as thise subtile tregetours pleye.

c. 1400.  Beryn, 2774. Perfite of nygramance And of the art of apparen[c]e.

  14.  concr. That which appears; an object meeting the view; esp. a natural occurrence presenting itself to observation; a phenomenon.

1666.  Phil. Trans., I. 378. The Flux and Reflux of the Sea … Dr. Wallis his Theory touching that Apparence.

1667.  E. King, ibid., II. 426. White and clean appearances … all figur’d like the lesser sort of Birds Eggs.

1783.  Cowper, Lett., 13 June. I am … a great observer of natural appearances.

1879.  Lockyer, Elem. Astron., i. iii. 18. A careful examination of the stars … reveals to us the most startling appearances.

  b.  That which appears without being material; a phantom or apparition.

c. 1470.  Henry, Wallace, V. 206. Quhat perance he sawe thair.

a. 1500.  Lancelot, 364. So befell hyme that nycht to meit An aperans.

1597.  Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., I. ii. 128. Whose well-labouring sword Had three times slaine th’ appearance of the King.

1613.  Purchas, Pilgr., I. V. vi. 406. Other things are shadowes and apparances.

1722.  De Foe, Plague, 26. This appearance passed for as real a thing as the blazing star itself.

1831.  Carlyle, Sart. Res., I. viii. What is this Me? A voice, a Motion, an Appearance.