Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Countenance, -tinance, n. Also: -tenaunce, -ans, cowntenance; -tynans, -tinans, cowntinance. [ME. countenance, -aunce (14th c.), -tynance, etc., var. of con-, cuntenance. Cf. Contenance, -tinance, and Cuntenance.]

1. Bearing, appearance; look, visage, face.(a) 1456 Hay II. 97/16.
Sa sall thou … kepe thy countenaunce and thy temperaunce fra all excesse Brus vii. 553.
By hir countenans hym thoucht That for gud cummyn wes scho nocht Ib. ix. 12.
The kyng gud counternans [sic] thaim maid c1500-c1512 Dunb. ix. 130.
I me confes Of feid vndir ane freindly countenance 1560 St. A. Kirk S. 63.
With ane proterve and severe visage and cowntenance a1570-86 Maitl. F. lxxxv. 31.
Thairfoir in countenance ay be cleir 1596 Dalr. II. 77/15.
Tha vset to cal him James with the fyrie countenance, becaus of a braid rid spott in his cheik(b) Brus xi. 197.
Suld I tell all thar effer, Thair countynans and thar maner Ib. 496.
Of thar host the lest hardy, Be countinans, vald formast be For till begin the gret melle a1578 Pitsc. I. 21/7.
Erle of Douglas with ane yrefull countinance lykas he haid beine wood [etc.]

2. Support, encouragement. 1649 Misc. Spald. C. V. 380/1.
[To] keepe themselves free of anie accessione, or giwing cowntinance to swche wnhape men