Visual Dictionary: Countenance
Welcome to Visual Dictionary, a series of posts about words that are better expressed in pictures.
Countenance as a verb means “approve or tolerate.”
But countenance can also literally mean face or “facial expression,” as in Her countenance was familiar “ did we know each other?
The metaphorical meaning makes sense when you think about a similar expression: I cannot look you in the face after what you did. (We would usually say I cannot face you when the speaker is the guilty party).
I saw you cheating off my paper, and I can’t countenance cheating “ either you turn yourself in or I’ll report you.