different between slant vs countenance

English

Etymology

Late Middle English, from a variant of the earlier form dialectical slent, from Old Norse or another North Germanic source, cognate with Old Norse slent, Swedish slinta (“to slip”), Norwegian slenta (“to fall on the side”), from Proto-Germanic *slintan?. Probably influenced by aslant.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?slænt/, /?sl??nt/
• Hyphenation: slant
• Rhymes: -ænt, -??nt

Noun

slant (plural slants)

1. A slope; an incline, inclination.

2. A sloped surface or line.
3. (mining) A run: a heading driven diagonally between the dip and strike of a coal seam.
4. (typography) Synonym of slash ??/??, particularly in its use to set off pronunciations from other text.
5. An oblique movement or course.
6. (biology) A sloping surface in a culture medium.
7. A pan with a sloped bottom used for holding paintbrushes.
8. A container or surface bearing shallow sloping areas to hold watercolours.
9. (US, obsolete) A sarcastic remark; shade, an indirect mocking insult.
10. (slang) An opportunity, particularly to go somewhere.
11. (Australia, slang) A crime committed for the purpose of being apprehended and transported to a major settlement.
12. (originally US) A point of view, an angle.

    Synonym: bias

13. (US) A look, a glance.
14. (US, ethnic slur, derogatory) A person with slanting eyes, particularly an East Asian.

Synonyms

• (typography): See slash

Derived terms

• downslant
• slant bar
• slant height
• slant line
• slant of wind
• slant rhyme
• slant sight

Related terms

• slent

Translations

Verb

slant (third-person singular simple present slants, present participle slanting, simple past and past participle slanted)

1. (transitive, intransitive) To lean, tilt or incline.

   If you slant the track a little more, the marble will roll down it faster.

   • 1753, Robert Dodsley, Agriculture

     On the side of yonder slanting hill

2. (transitive) To bias or skew.

   The group tends to slant its policies in favor of the big businesses it serves.

3. (Scotland, intransitive) To lie or exaggerate.

Related terms

• aslant
• slent

Translations

Adjective

slant

1. Sloping; oblique; slanted.
   • 2015, Michael Z. Williamson, A Long Time Until Now

     By the eighth day, Alexander and Caswell had lashed together a hut with a slant roof […]

References

• Oxford English Dictionary, 1884–1928, and First Supplement, 1933.

Anagrams

• lants

English

Alternative forms

• countenaunce (obsolete)

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.

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /?ka?n.t?.n?ns/, /?ka?n.t?n.?ns/, /?ka?nt.n?ns/
• (General Australian) IPA^(key): [k??æ??.???.n?ns]

Noun

countenance (countable and uncountable, plural countenances)

1. Appearance, especially the features and expression of the face.
   • , Genesis 4:5

     But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
2. Favour; support; encouragement.
   • September 8, 1706, Francis Atterbury, a sermon

     This is the magistrate's peculiar province, to give countenance to piety and virtue, and to rebuke vice.

3. (obsolete) Superficial appearance; show; pretense.
   • c. 1570, Roger Ascham, The Scholemaster

     The election being done, he made countenance of great discontent thereat.

4. Calm facial expression, composure, self-control.

Synonyms

• see also Thesaurus:countenance

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Verb

countenance (third-person singular simple present countenances, present participle countenancing, simple past and past participle countenanced)

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.

   • 1937, Willa Muir and Edwin Muir (translators), The Trial, (Der Prozess 1925, Franz Kafka), Vintage Books (London), pg. 99

     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.

Synonyms

• (tolerate, support): approve, sanction, support, tolerate

Translations

References

• countenance in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• countenance in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Old French

Alternative forms

• contenance
• contennaunce
• continance

Etymology

From contenant, the present participle of contenir, with the suffix -ance, corresponding to Late Latin continentia. See also continence.

Noun

countenance f (oblique plural countenances, nominative singular countenance, nominative plural countenances)

1. (Anglo-Norman) appearance; countenance
   • e moustre par contenance q'il ad honte de ceo q'il ad fet

     And he showed by his appearance that he was ashamed of what he had done.

Related terms

• contenant
• contenir

Descendants

• English: countenance
• French: contenance

References

• contenance on the Anglo-Norman On-Line Hub