appearance

appearance [ə pir′əns]

n.

[ME aparaunce < OFr aparance < LL apparentia < apparere, APPEAR]

1. the act or an instance of appearing

2. the look or outward aspect of a person or thing

3. anything that appears; thing seen

4. Archaic an apparition

5. an outward show; pretense [to give the appearance of being busy]

6. [pl.] the way things seem to be [from all appearances he's innocent]

——————

keep up appearances

to maintain an outward show of being proper, decorous, well-off, etc.

——————

make an appearance

1. to put in an appearance

2. to appear publicly

——————

put in an appearance

to be present for a short time, as at a party, meeting, etc.

SYN.- APPEARANCE and LOOK refer generally to the outward impression of a thing, but the former often implies mere show or pretense [an appearance of honesty ], and the latter (often in the plural) refers specifically to physical details [the look of an abandoned house, good looks]; ASPECT also refers to physical details, esp. to facial features or expression [a man of handsome aspect] or to the distinguishing features at a given time or place [in spring the yard had a refreshing aspect]; SEMBLANCE, which also refers to the outward impression as contrasted with the inner reality, usually does not imply deception [a semblance of order ]; GUISE is usually used of a deliberately misleading appearance [under the guise of patriotism ]