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 sb.]
† 1. intr. To assume a particular demeanor, behavior or aspect; to behave, pretend, or make (as if …). 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, Lett. (1871), 14. Who, for parsonage, gesture, and vtterauns beside, coountenaunst the matter too very good liking.
1593. 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 favor; to favor, patronize, sanction, encourage, ‘back up,’ bear out: a. a person.
1568. North, trans. Gueuara’s Diall Pr. (1619), 625. Noble men, whose credit … with the Prince, may honour and countenance them [Gentlemens sonnes].
1597. Shaks., 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.
1849. 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. Ht. 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. trans. Scudery’s Curia Pol., 159. Their power must not countenance them to be severe.
1699. Dampier, Voy., II. II. iv. 116. The very Negroes will domineer over them; and 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. Shaks., Macb., II. iii. 85. Malcolme, Banquo, As from your Graues rise vp, and walke like Sprights, To countenance this horror.
