countenance

«countenance» in Mova's school dictionary: A person's face, or the look on it — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

part of speech

noun (a countenance, countenances); verb (countenance, countenances, countenanced, countenancing — formal)

meaning for a pupil

1) (formal, old-fashioned) A person's face, or the look on it. tree →

2) (verb, formal) To allow or approve of something, usually used in «not countenance»: the teacher would not countenance cheating. tree →

3) (in «keep your countenance») to keep a calm, straight face and not laugh. tree →

sense in the lessons

Found in older books and the Bible («the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee» — a blessing asking God to look kindly on you). In stories it tells the reader about a face and mood: a cheerful countenance, a grim countenance. Alice often has trouble keeping her countenance when the creatures say silly things.

examples

• The old man had a kind countenance. tree →
• His countenance fell when he heard the news. tree →
• Alice could hardly keep her countenance when the Mock Turtle sang. tree →
• The headteacher would not countenance bullying. tree →
• The Badger's countenance was stern but kind. tree →
• «The Lord make his face shine upon you,» says the blessing in the Bible. tree →
• Her countenance brightened when she saw the letter. tree →
• Dad would never countenance lying. tree →
• Her countenance glowed, and her eyes were like two stars. tree →

note

Old-fashioned and formal; in everyday talk say «face» or «look». «His countenance fell» means he looked disappointed. As a verb it is almost always negative: «I will not countenance it.»

In the corpora

• And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
• And the LORD said unto Cain: 'Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
• And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as beforetime.
• The LORD lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
• a nation of fierce countenance, that shall not regard the person of the old, nor show favour to the young.

Trees and pragmatics

Every meaning and example of «countenance» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.