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Webster 1913 Edition

Appearance

Ap-pear′ance

,
Noun.
[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.

Webster 1828 Edition

Appearance

APPE'ARANCE

,
Noun.
1.
The act of coming into sight; the act of becoming visible to the eye; as, his sudden appearance surprised me.
2.
The thing seen; a phenomenon; as an appearance in the sky.
3.
Semblance; apparent likeness.
There was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire. Num. 9.
4.
External show; semblance assumed, in opposition to reality or substance; as, we are often deceived by appearances; he has the appearance of virtue.
For man looketh on the outward appearance. 1Sam. 16.
5.
Personal presence; exhibition of the person; as, he made his first appearance at court or on the stage.
6.
Exhibition of the character; introduction of a person to the public in a particular character, as a person makes his appearance in the world, as a historian, an artist, or an orator.
7.
Probability; likelihood. This sense is rather an inference from the third or fourth; as probability is inferred from external semblance or show.
8.
Presence; mien; figure; as presented by the person, dress or manners; as, the lady made a noble appearance.
9.
A being present in court; a defendant's filing common or special bail to a process.
10.
An apparition.

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