countenance

Etymology

From Middle English contenaunce, countenaunce, from Anglo-Norman countenance and Old French contenance, from the present participle of contenir, or from Late Latin continentia, and therefore a doublet of continence.

noun

1. Appearance, especially the features and expression of the face.
   But Richmond, his grandfather's darling, after one thoughtful glance cast under his lashes at that uncompromising countenance appeared to lose himself in his own reflections. 1959, Georgette Heyer, chapter 1, in The Unknown Ajax
   With such powerful selling-points, why is it, as recent editorial comment and correspondence in this journal has revealed, that "Condor" has yet to bring a warm glow to the countenance of the L.M.R.'s accountants? 1960 January, G. Freeman Allen, “"Condor"—British Railways' fastest freight train”, in Trains Illustrated, page 46
2. Favour; support; encouragement.
   All feared and obeyed him; to use his roads we must have his countenance. 1926, T.E. Lawrence, Seven Pillars of Wisdom, New York: Anchor, published 1991, page 174
3. (obsolete) Superficial appearance; show; pretense.
4. Calm facial expression, composure, self-control.

verb

1. (transitive) To tolerate, support, sanction, patronise or approve of something.
   The cruel punishment was countenanced by the government, although it was not officially legal.
   For the Defence was not actually countenanced by the Law, but only tolerated, and there were differences of opinion even on that point, whether the Law could be interpreted to admit such tolerances at all. 1937, Willa Muir and Edwin Muir (translators), The Trial, (Der Prozess 1925, Franz Kafka), Vintage Books (London), pg. 99
   But even though the Pleven Plan was the brainchild of a French prime minister, public debate had revealed the extent of French reluctance to countenance German rearmament under any conditions. 2005, Tony Judt, “The Politics of Stability”, in Postwar: A history of Europe since 1945, London: Vintage Books, published 2010
   There are obvious reasons to cherish and respect imperial units of measure. […] Very few of us would countenance the removal of pints from pubs, for example. 2022-05-31, James Vincent, “Boris Johnson’s move to bring back imperial units is pure piffle – and simply unfathomable”, in The Guardian
   The new chancellor dismantled almost all of the platform that Truss’s leadership victory had been built on, including the majority of her tax cuts, and hinted a new windfall tax was in his sights – a move the PM had previously said she would not countenance. 2022-10-17, “Jeremy Hunt shreds Truss’s economic plans in astounding U-turn on tax”, in The Guardian