appear
Americanverb (used without object)
-
to come into sight; become visible.
A man suddenly appeared in the doorway.
-
to have the appearance of being; seem; look.
to appear wise.
-
to be obvious or easily perceived; be clear or made clear by evidence.
It appears to me that you are right.
-
to come or be placed before the public; be published.
Her biography appeared last year.
-
to perform publicly, as in a play, dance, etc..
He appeared as the king in the play.
-
to attend or be present, especially to arrive late or stay but a short time.
He appeared at the party but left quickly.
-
to come into being; be created, invented, or developed.
Speech appears in the child's first or second year.
-
Law. to come formally, especially as a party or counsel, to a proceeding before a tribunal, authority, etc.
verb
-
to come into sight or view
-
(copula; may take an infinitive) to seem or look
the evidence appears to support you
-
to be plain or clear, as after further evidence, etc
it appears you were correct after all
-
to develop or come into being; occur
faults appeared during testing
-
to become publicly available; be published
his biography appeared last month
-
to perform or act
he has appeared in many London productions
-
to be present in court before a magistrate or judge
he appeared on two charges of theft
Related Words
See seem.
Other Word Forms
- reappear verb (used without object)
- well-appearing adjective
Etymology
Origin of appear
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English ap(p)eren, from Anglo-French, Old French aper-, tonic stem of apare(i)r, apparoir, from Latin appārēre “to be seen, appear,” equivalent to ap- ap- 1 ( def. ) + pārēre “to be visible”
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
