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▪ I. † ˈsemblant, n. Obs. Forms: 3 samblant, 3–5 semblaund, 3–6 sembland, -blaunt, 4 sembelande, -aund, -aunt, semblont, 4–5 semblaunde, 5 sembelant, -blande, 5–6 -blaunte, 6 -blante, 3–7 semblant; also 4 semelant, 4–5 semlaunt, -land(e, 4–6 semlant, 5 semeland(e, -awnt, seemlaunte, seymland, semlante. Also semenaunt. [a. F. semblant (11th c.), n. use of pr. pple. of sembler semble v. The corresponding forms in the other Rom. langs. (see semblant a.) are likewise used subst.] 1. A person's outward aspect or appearance.
a1225St. Marher. 5 Salue me mine wunden þat hit ne sem..o mi samblant þat ich derf drehe. c1290S. Eng. Leg. 322/799 Þe eiȝene stareinde, And þe mouth of foul semblaunt. 1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 3985 Þer come in tuelf olde men wiþ euene pas þere, Men of wel vair semblant. c1330Arth. & Merl. 5537 (Kölbing) Alle his barouns him seyd, ywis. It sembled men of gret priis, Her semblaunt hem bar witnisse. c1440Generydes 4019 By hir semlante he thought it shuld be she. a1529Skelton P. Sparowe 936 His foule semblaunt All displeasaunte. 1594R. C[arew] Godfrey (1881) 109 And with a semblant braue and nobellest, (As lightning wonts) he in his armour shines. 1595Southwell Poet. Wks. (1856) 118 In springing locks lay crouched hoary wit, In semblant young, a grave and ancient port. b. esp. as betokening the thoughts, feelings, mood, disposition, etc.: Demeanour, air, look, expression.
a1240Sawles Warde in Cott. Hom. 247 Nis hare nan þe ne..gulteð ilome, oðer ifol semblant oder in vuel dede. 13..Coer de L. 3464 Kyng Richard..Abouten hym gan loke ful yerne With wrathful semblaunt and eyen sterne. 1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) III. 275 Socrates..drank venym wiþ stedfast semblaunt [L. constanti vultu]. 1390Gower Conf. III. 253 And thei hire sihe of glad semblant, Al full of merthes and of bordes. c1460Towneley Myst. iii. 211 With seymland full sory, wryngand both my handis ffor drede. 1531Elyot Gov. iii. xi. (1880) II. 277 Pacience is a noble vertue,..retayninge all wayes glad semblaunt in aduersitie and doloure. 1596Spenser F.Q. iv. x. 31 Therein sate an amiable Dame, That seem'd to be of very sober mood, And in her semblant shewed great womanhood. 1651Life Fr. Sarpi 4 Being in himselfe..of a semblant or meane, alwaies thoughtfull, and rather melancholique then serious. c. The demeanour or ‘countenance’ which a person exhibits towards others; good semblant or fair semblant, favourable countenance, favour. Also, a look or glance cast upon another. Cf. 3 b.
c1330R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 6434 He tok sire Conan by þe hond, & on hym low wyþ god semblaunt [Petyt MS. faire semblande]. 1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VI. 87 Som wikked men sight þat Berthericus hadde good semblant of meny men [L. quod Bercaricus a multis esset salutatus]. 1387–8T. Usk Test. Love ii. xii. 3 And she, aperceyving this fantasyse in myne herte, gan her semblaunt goodly on me caste. 1470–85Malory Arthur ii. xvii. 96 He sawe an hondred ladyes and many knyghtes that welcommed hym with fayr semblaunt. c1477Caxton Jason 61 And Ysiphile on that other syde alwaye in her amerouse semblants and regardes. a1586Sidney Arcadia iii. (Sommer) 278 A minde which could cast a carelesse semblant vppon the greatest conflictes of Fortune. 1598Yong Diana 49 Whereupon Doria with a gratious semblant answered her thus againe. d. With contextual implication that the appearance is deceitful or misleading. Often false semblant or fair semblant (= F. faux, beau semblant).
a1225Ancr. R. 128 Ant te valse ancre..habbeð efter þe uoxe a simple semblaunt sume cherre, & beoð þauh ful of gile. 1390Gower Conf. I. 7 The word was lich to the conceite Withoute semblant of deceite. 140126 Pol. Poems 13/122 The world is like a fals lemman, ffayre semblaunt, and moche gyle. 1591Savile Tacitus, Hist. iv. xlvii. 204 Shortly after the necessity ceased, or the false semblant [L. simulatio]. 1600O. E. Repl. to Libel i. v. 121 In outward semblant they are sheepe, but inwardly they are goates. e. The face, countenance. (= L. vultus.)
c1315Shoreham Poems ii. 57 Hy..By-spet hym þat swe[t]e semblant Þat heuene and erþe a-lyȝtte [L. Vultum Dei conspuunt, lumen caeli gratum]. c1380Wyclif Last Age Ch. (1840) 36 Jhūs wente into heuene to apere to þe semlant of God for us [Heb. ix. 24 ut appareat nunc vultui Dei pro nobis]. 1382― Luke xxiv. 5 Whenne thei dredden, and bowiden her semelant [1388 semblaunt, sembland, Vulg. declinarent vultum] in to erthe. c1425St. Mary of Oignies i. xii. in Anglia VIII. 147/43 In swote of þy semelande þou schalte ete þy mete. c1440Promp. Parv. 452/1 Semelawnt [Winch. MS. Seemlaunte], vultus. 1483Cath. Angl. 329/1 A Semlande (v.r. Semblande), vultus. 2. gen. Appearance, seeming, outward aspect; also, an appearance or show (whether true or false) of some quality, etc. Also, something that exists only in appearance or pretence.
a1225Ancr. R. 416 Vnder semblaunt of gode is ofte i-heled sunne. c1386Chaucer Clerk's T. 872 No pompe, no semblant of roialtee. 1554Philpot Exam. & Writ. (Parker Soc.) 388 So that I dare say that the temples of the cruel barbarous nations have more semblant of religion. 1590Spenser F.Q. iii. iv. 54 And thousand fancies bett his ydle brayne With their light wings, the sights of semblants vaine. 1591― Virg. Gnat 93 Ne measures all things by the costly rate Of riotise, and semblants outward braue. 1624Brief Inform. Palatinate 42 Counterfeit Embassades sent here and there, vnder false pretexts and semblants. b. by semblant, in appearance or aspect (cf. OF. par semblant). Also in semblant, in seeming.
a1366Chaucer Rom. Rose 152 And ful of gyle, and felle corage, By semblaunt [F. par semblant] was that ilke ymage. c1386― Sqr.'s T. 508 Right so this god of loue, this ypocryte..kepeth in semblant alle hise obseruances That sowneth in to gentillesse of loue. c1400Brut i. 120 He saw a wonder faire ymage, & wel made, & in semblant as it were an Archire. 1513Douglas æneis i. xi. 43 As Cupide hingis abowt Eneas hals,..fenȝeand luif full fals, By sembland as he his fader hed bene. 3. to make semblant [= F. faire semblant]. a. To have or assume a (specified) expression, look, or demeanour.
c1290S. Eng. Leg. 322/797 Ȝwane huy i-seoz heore felawe to torment i-brouȝt, Luþur semblaunt huy makiez boþe, as it ne likede heom nouȝt. 1375Barbour Bruce ix. 250 Thai..maid gude sembland for the ficht. 1474Caxton Chesse iii. vii. (1883) 141 Allway where he wente he made heuy and tryste semblant. 1561Randolph Let. to Cecil (MS. Cott. Calig. B. 10 lf. 32), It is said..what semblant somever the noble men do make, that they are grieved with their queen's refusal. 1603Knolles Hist. Turks (1621) 803 Valetta although his mind..was inwardly attainted with exceeding griefe, yet made semblant otherwise. 1624Brief Inform. Palatinate 49 Where yet neuerthelesse was made all manner of faire semblant, and seeming to haue a desire to giue satisfaction. b. To show a (good or ill) countenance (to any one); to give (a person) a welcome, reception, or entertainment (of a specified character, friendly or unfriendly). Cf. 1 c.
a1225Ancr. R. 90 His eie euer bihalt te ȝif þu makest ei semblaunt, oðer eni luue lates touward unðeauwes. c1290S. Eng. Leg. 41/256 Þe schrewe heom made fair semblaunt,..Þat huy were for-dronke beie and a-slepe leiȝen sone. c1430Syr Tryam. 1142 The kyng toke hym be the hande, And made hym glad semelande. a1450Knt. de la Tour 24 Y praie you..that ye make me never the worse chere..nor that ye make me not the worse semblaunt. c. To make a show, appearance, or pretence of; to appear to do or be something; to seem likely, threaten, to do. (Cf. F. faire semblant de). Also occas. without const.
1375Barbour Bruce viii. 238 Lordingis, now ȝhe se How ȝon men, throu thar gret pouste, Wald, and thai mycht fulfill thar will, Slay vs, and mak sembland thar-till. 1470–85Malory Arthur vii. viii. 224 And therwith al he made a semblaunt to slee hym. 1481Caxton Myrr. iii. xvi. 171 They..make semblaunt to be moche grete clerkis & experte. a1533Ld. Berners Huon lix. 205 Whan they saw them comynge, they made semblaunt to returne to the cyte a soft pace. 1573New Custom Prol., Making semblant of antiquitie in all that they did. 1602Dolman La Primaud. Fr. Acad. (1618) iii. 830 He will make semblant to despise and scorne the hounds. 1629Maxwell Herodian App. 98 Seeing what was done, could not be vndone, they..made semblant of reioycing, as others did. d. With clause introduced by that, as, as if, as though. Also rarely with obj. + inf.
a1300Cursor M. 17288 + 389 Iesus made hom semblant as he wald ferrer goo. c1340Ayenb. 137 Þe wel couaytouse wrechche, þet..makeþ alneway semblont þet he ne heþ naȝt. c1386Chaucer Pars. T. ⁋570 Þay make semblaunt as þough þay speke of good entencioun. c1450Merlin ii. 25 When Vortiger wiste he was ded, he made semblaunt as he hadde be right wroth. 1548Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Mark vi. 45–52 Jesus..made semblaunte as though he would haue passed by them. 1561T. Hoby tr. Castiglione's Courtyer i. E ij b, Some Oratours..dissemblinge their cunning, made semblant their orations to bee made very simply. 1609Holland Amm. Marcell. xiv. vii. 15 Making faire semblant, That himselfe was much disquieted. e. With negative (or its equivalent): Not to let one's thoughts, feelings, etc. appear; to show no sign (of); not to seem (or not to seem likely) to be or do something. (So in Fr., esp. in phr. ne faire semblant de rien, to take no notice.)
c1230Hali Meid. 44 (MS. Bodl.) Me þeo þe best luuieð, ham to-beoreð ofte þrin, þah ha na semblant [MS. Titus þerof na semblaund] ne makien ine marhen. 13..Guy Warw. 2290 Þurch his bodi þe blod ran; Tirri made no semblaunt of þan. a1330Otuel 467 To smiten made he semblant non, Er otuwel was risen & gon. a1450Knt. de la Tour xiv. 19 Her suster, that had lost atte the plaie as well as she, made no semblaunt of her losse.., but made as good chere as she hadd wonne. 1471Caxton Recuyell (Sommer) 65 Whan saturne sawe that his enemyes made no semblant to meue. a1533Ld. Berners Huon lxxxii. 256 Whan Gerard vnderstode the kynge he was ioyfull ther of in his herte, but he made no semblaunt of ioy by cause of the lordes that were there present. 1559Mirr. Mag., Dk. Glouc. xxii, Yet openly in shewe made he no semblaunt, By worde nor by deed to beare displeasure. 1603Knolles Hist. Turks (1621) 368 For all that, Moses neither word or countenance made any semblant of liking, or disliking the message. f. In similar phrases with other vbs., as to show semblant or kithe semblant; to give a semblant (of). to let no semblant be seen: cf. e.
13..Cursor M. 29067 (Cott. Galba) Þot when ȝe fast, þan sall ȝe schaw Meri sembland with glad chere. 13..Guy Warw. 2214 Al togider þai gun smite; Semblant of loue þai kidde bot lite. 13..Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 468 Þaȝ Arþer þe hende kyng at hert hade wonder, He let no semblaunt be sene. c1500Melusine 252 The whiche esquyer with his companye came with amyable contenaunce, shewyng no semblaunt but as frendes. 1618Bolton Florus iv. ii. (1636) 288 Had not five cohorts of the Pompeian horse..given a semblant of flying [orig. nisi cohortes hostium quinque..fugae speciem praebuissent]. 4. A likeness or resemblance, an image or portrait (of).
a1400Relig. Pieces fr. Thornton MS. 84/21 Hys semblant he sete my saule with-in. 1422Yonge tr. Secreta Secret. lvi. 217 Phylomon..sayde, ‘who-so Is this ymage?’ They sayden, ‘this ys the Semblaunt of the wyse ypocras’. 1590Spenser F.Q. i. ii. 12 But he the knight, whose semblaunt he did beare, The true Saint George was wandred far away. 1614T. White Martyrd. St. Geo. D 3, Here's thy clay-frame,—God, doe with it thy pleasure; Here's thine owne semblant by my sinnes abased. 1617Collins Def. Bp. Ely ii. x. 416 While we lay downe the old man, and take vp the new, there is a semblant of our dying, as well as of our rising againe. 5. By extension from 3 b (where cf. quot. c 1290): Entertainment furnished to guests. (For the sense-development cf. cheer.)
1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 7167 He ber þe croune & huld þe deis mid oþer atil al so, & mid gret semblant þe feste huld. 13..Seuyn Sag. 404 (W.) Thai..maked at ese the messagers, With god semblant, and glade chers. 13..E.E. Allit. P. B. 131 He..Solased hem with semblaunt & syled fyrre. ▪ II. semblant, a. Now rare or Obs.|ˈsɛmblənt| Forms: 4, 6 sembland, 5 semland, samblant, 6 semblante, 6–9 semblant. [a. Of. semblant, pres. pple. of sembler semble v., used as adj. Cf. Sp. semblante, It. sembiante.] †1. Like, similar. Const. to. Obs.
1377[see semblable a. 1]. 1485Caxton Chas. Gt. 240 O comforte of my body,..resemblyng to Iudas machabeus in prowesse, samblant to sampson in strengthe. 1513Douglas æneis x. xii. 130 Bot siclike chancis and semblant [v.r. sembland] ennoy Abydis the. 1607J. Carpenter Plaine Mans Plough 15 They had..followed after strange and false gods, as semblant to the Heathens. 1612W. Sclater Minister's Portion 1 In other semblant imployments. 1725Pope Odyss. iv. 33 Two youths approach, whose semblant features prove Their blood devolving from the source of Jove. 1729Savage Wanderer ii. 24 This figure tender grief, like mine, implies, And semblant thoughts, that earthly pomp despise. †b. Of a portrait: Resembling the original.
1714Prior Ep. Desiring Queen's Picture 18 That as their Eyes survey The semblant Shade, Men yet unborn may say: Thus Great, thus Gracious look'd Britannia's Queen. †2. That simulates an appearance. Obs.
1725W. Hamilton To C'tess Eglinton 68 in Ramsay Gentle Sheph., And semblant falsehood puts on truth's disguise. 3. Seeming, apparent, counterfeit.
1840Blackw. Mag. XLVII. 776 This alliance between Rome and a wide semblant indifference towards all creeds is the most characteristic and portentous sign of the times. 1840Carlyle Heroes v. (1841) 284 Thou art not true; thou art not extant, only semblant. 1843― Past & Pr. i. ii. 16 A just real union as of brother and brother, not a false and merely semblant one as of slave and master. |