Forms: 4 aparant, 5–6 apparaunt(e, 5–7 -ant(e, (7 appearant), 5– apparent. Aphet. 5–6 parent. [a. OFr. aparant, -ent:—L. appārēnt-em (after which it has been subseq. refashioned), pr. pple. of appārē-re to come in sight: see APPEAR, and -ANT, -ENT. Apt to be confused with aperand, the north. pr. pple. of apere, APPEAR (see -AND), whence the mixed form appearant.]
1. Meeting the eyes, showing itself; open to sight, visible, plainly seen. arch.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 269. This merveile, which they sigh So apparaunt to-fore her eye.
1481. Caxton, Myrr., II. xxxi. 125. By cause that it [the mone] is next to therthe it semeth grettest and most apparaunt of alle the other [planetes].
a. 1520. Myrr. our Ladye, 53. Whiche they dyd nat to the apparaunte syght of the worlde, but secretly.
1613. Withers, Abuses Stript, I. vii. (Juvenil. 1633), 51. An Owl-eyed buzzard that by day is blinde, And sees not things apparant.
1637. Gillespie, Eng.-Pop. Cerem., III. ix. 199. Flee … from appearant destruction.
a. 1725. Pope, Odyss., VI. 392. This heard Minerva, but forbore to fly (By Neptune awed) apparent from the sky.
1873. Black, Pr. Thule, xxv. 418. With a very apparent and hearty gratitude in his face.
† 2. Conspicuous, prominent. Obs.
1541. R. Copland, Guydon’s Quest. Cyrurg. The synewy cordes be made bare of the flesshe and apparentes.
1594. T. B., La Primaud. Fr. Acad., II. 129. That place is very fitte … being high, eminent, and apparant.
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turkes (1621), 830. In a place more apparant than the rest, sitting in great majestie.
3. Manifest to the understanding; evident, plain, clear, obvious; palpable.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 5. Some swevene … Which hardely that false ne ben, But afterward ben apparaunte.
1599. Warn. Faire Wom., II. 1569. Ile cleere my conscience And make the truth apparent to the world.
1618. Donne, Serm., cxliii. V. 556. The Broadest and apparantest outward Seal by which he testifies his Love to Man.
1645. [See 6].
1779. Johnson, L. P., Gay, Wks. III. 214. The mind is repelled by useless and apparent falsehood.
1806. A. Knox, Rem., I. 24. The spirituality of our Lord’s meaning … may be made more apparent.
4. In heir apparent (and its imitations): Manifest, evident, obvious; applied to one who will undoubtedly inherit, if he survive the present possessor, as opposed to an heir presumptive, who though at present the nearest in succession, is liable to have his hope intercepted by the birth of a nearer heir.
c. 1375. Wyclif, Wks., 1869, 1. 402. Ȝif a man were ayre aparant of Englond.
[1375. Barbour, Bruce, IV. 71. His son … The eldest and apperande air.
c. 1475. Rauf Coilȝear, 935. Scho is appeirand air To twa Douchereis.]
1490. Caxton, Eneydos, xxix. 113. The mooste parent heyre of the lynage.
1574. trans. Littleton’s Tenures, 122 b. If tenant in the taile enfeoffe his heyre apparante.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett., vi. 21. The Heir apparant of the Crown of France.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 287, ¶ 6. Hopeful Heirs apparent to great Empires.
1841. Miall, Nonconf., I. 248. What will the premier apparent do when he comes into power?
† 5. Likely so far as appearances go. Obs.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. cclviii. 383. They knewe of no maner apparant reskewe comyng to them warde.
1524. Wolsey, in State Papers (1836), IV. 197. The high benefites … apparant to ensue unto theym.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., II. ii. 130. As well the feare of harme, as harme apparant … ought to be preuented.
1654. Fuller, 2 Serm., 40. Utterly unable without his apparent ruine, to contest with the foresaid Duke.
1754. H. Walpole, Lett. H. Mann, 252, III. 61. The three apparent candidates are Fox, Pitt and Murray.
6. Appearing to the senses or mind, as distinct from (though not necessarily opposed to) what really is; seeming. Contrasted with real. (The commonest sense now, but treated as novel in 1645.)
1645. J. G[oodwin], Innoc. Tri., 27. Not an apparant, but an apparent Schisme … for there is no realitie or truth, but onely an appearance or shew of a schisme.
1781. Gibbon, Decl. & F., III. 57. His real merit, and apparent fidelity, had gained the confidence both of the prince and people.
1785. Reid, Intell. Powers, 265. What Berkeley calls visible magnitude, was by Astronomers called apparent magnitude.
1831. Brewster, Optics, iii. 21. The difference between the real and apparent place of any point of an object.
1868. Freeman, Norm. Conq., II. App. 618. The great apparent discrepancy between the two Chroniclers is merely apparent.
† 7. quasi-adv. Evidently, manifestly. Obs. rare.
1565. Jewel, Repl. Harding, 125. He auoucheth that thing for true, that the simplest … knoweth to be apparant false.
† B. sb. [by ellipsis.] An heir-apparent. Also fig.
1393. Gower, Conf., I. 216. He that tho was apparant Upon the regne expectant.
1593. Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., II. ii. 64. Draw thy Sword in right … Prince, Ile draw it as Apparant to the Crowne. Ibid. (1611), Wint. T., I. ii. 178. Next to thy selfe, and my young Rouer, he’s Apparant to my heart.
1646. Row, Hist. Kirk (1842), 389. My Lord of Lorn (appearand of Argyle).
