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Noun: countenance  kawn-tu-nun(t)s or kawnt-nun(t)s
  1. The appearance conveyed by a person's face
    "a pleasant countenance";
    - visage
     
  2. [informal] A person's face
    "His countenance revealed years of hard living";
    - physiognomy [informal], phiz [Brit, informal], visage [informal], kisser [informal], smiler [informal], mug [informal], fizzog [Brit, informal], phizog [Brit, informal], pan [US, informal]
     
  3. Formal and explicit approval
    "The project received the countenance of senior management";
    - sanction, endorsement, indorsement, warrant, imprimatur
Verb: countenance  kawn-tu-nun(t)s or kawnt-nun(t)s
  1. Give permission or consent for something to happen
    "The manager countenanced the employee's request for time off";
    - permit, allow, let

Derived forms: countenancing, countenances, countenanced

Type of: accept, appearance, approval, commendation, consent, face, go for, human face, visual aspect

Antonym: prohibit

Part of: human head

Encyclopedia: Countenance