appearance
appearance — noun
1. a time when a famous person, leader, or speaker shows up at an event so that the
a time when a famous person, leader, or speaker shows up at an event so that the public can see or hear them.
The president made a brief appearance at the school's anniversary ceremony.
make an appearance at [event]
Fans waited four hours outside the studio for Taylor's appearance on the morning show.
appearance on [TV show]
The author's appearance at the Taipei book fair drew a long line of readers.
The mayor cancelled her public appearances after the bad cough returned.
文法句型
make an appearance
appearance at/on
用法筆記
Frequently used with 'make' (make an appearance) and with prepositions 'at' for events and 'on' for TV or radio shows. Distinguish from sense 3, which is about entertainers giving a performance, not just showing up.
常見錯誤
2. an occasion on which a person, often along with their lawyer, goes to a court of
an occasion on which a person, often along with their lawyer, goes to a court of law as part of a legal case.
Mr. Lin's first court appearance is scheduled for Monday morning at nine.
court appearance
The footballer faces a third appearance in court over the assault charges.
appearance in court
Ms. Tan's lawyer entered an appearance on her behalf so she did not have to attend.
After three missed appearances, the judge issued a warrant for the suspect's arrest.
- hearing
the court session itself, not the act of attending
- attendance
more general; appearance is the legal-specific word
文法句型
court appearance
appearance in court
用法筆記
Legal-domain term. Often used with 'court' as a modifier or with the preposition 'in'. The fixed legal phrase 'enter an appearance' means a lawyer formally tells the court they represent someone.
3. a single time when a singer, actor, or other entertainer performs in front of an
a single time when a singer, actor, or other entertainer performs in front of an audience, on stage or on screen.
Hiroshi's first appearance on Broadway was in a small role at age twenty.
appearance on Broadway
The drummer's guest appearance with the orchestra surprised the whole audience.
guest appearance with [group]
Tickets sold out within minutes of her final appearance being announced.
The young magician earns most of his money through weekend appearances at children's parties.
- performance
focuses on what is performed; appearance focuses on the person being there
- gig
informal; mainly for musicians
文法句型
appearance in [show]
guest appearance
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: this sense involves performing (singing, acting, playing music), while sense 1 is just being seen or speaking briefly. 'Guest appearance' is a common collocation for a one-time performance by someone who is not a regular cast member.
4. a short visit to a party, meeting, or other gathering, usually so that people se
a short visit to a party, meeting, or other gathering, usually so that people see you were there.
Ravi put in an appearance at the office party but slipped out after thirty minutes.
put in an appearance at [event]
The director only made a brief appearance at the team lunch before rushing back to a meeting.
brief appearance
Auntie Mei told the kids they had to make an appearance at grandpa's birthday dinner.
I should at least put in an appearance at Sofia's leaving drinks tonight.
文法句型
put in an appearance
make an appearance
用法筆記
Almost always used with 'put in' or 'make', and usually with adjectives like 'brief' or 'short'. Distinguish from sense 1: the focus here is on duty or politeness toward friends and colleagues, not on a public audience.
常見錯誤
5. the way that a person or object looks from the outside — for example, their face
the way that a person or object looks from the outside — for example, their face, hair, clothes, or shape — as noticed by other people.
Quinn takes great pride in her appearance and always irons her uniform before school.
take pride in [one's] appearance
After the renovation, the appearance of the old library completely changed.
appearance of [thing]
Don't judge a stranger by their physical appearance alone.
The chef's white jacket and tall hat give him a very professional appearance.
Years of sun and wind had given the wooden door a rough, weathered appearance.
文法句型
personal appearance
appearance of [noun]
用法筆記
Common collocations: 'physical appearance', 'personal appearance', 'outward appearance'. The most frequent sense for B1 learners. Distinguish from sense 6, which contrasts looks with reality.
常見錯誤
6. the impression that someone or something gives, which may not match the truth of
the impression that someone or something gives, which may not match the truth of the situation.
The smiling family photo gave the appearance of a happy marriage, but the couple had already separated.
give the appearance of [noun]
Don't be fooled by appearances — the quiet boy is the smartest student in the class.
fixed phrase: don't be fooled by appearances
The minister wanted to avoid any appearance of dishonesty during the investigation.
On the surface, the company has the appearance of success, but its debts are huge.
- impression
what someone feels or thinks about something, even when wrong
- facade
stronger; implies a deliberate cover-up
- semblance
formal; often suggests only a partial likeness to the truth
- reality
what is actually true, not just what is shown
文法句型
give the appearance of
the appearance of [noun]
用法筆記
Often paired with verbs like 'give', 'have', 'avoid', or 'create' plus 'the appearance of [something]'. Distinguish from sense 5: sense 5 is neutral description of how something looks, while this sense always implies a contrast with what is actually true.
7. used in fixed phrases such as 'by all appearances' or 'to all appearances' to me
used in fixed phrases such as 'by all appearances' or 'to all appearances' to mean 'as far as anyone can tell from looking', when you cannot be totally sure.
By all appearances, the meeting went well, though the manager has not confirmed it yet.
by all appearances
To all appearances, Mr. Costa is a kind neighbour, but the police are now investigating him.
to all appearances
From all appearances, the storm has weakened and the boats can return to port.
The patient is, to all appearances, recovering well from the operation.
- apparently
more flexible; not stuck inside a fixed phrase
- seemingly
more formal; same hedging meaning
文法句型
by/from all appearances
to all appearances
用法筆記
Only used inside fixed phrases ('by/from/to all appearances'); cannot be replaced with a single word. Often acts as an adverbial at the start of the sentence. Distinguish from sense 6: this is a hedging expression, not a noun for the impression itself.
常見錯誤
8. the moment something or someone arrives, comes into sight, or starts to exist wh
the moment something or someone arrives, comes into sight, or starts to exist where it could not be seen before.
The sudden appearance of a deer on the road forced Mei to brake hard.
sudden appearance of [noun]
Smartphones marked the appearance of a whole new way of staying in touch.
marks the appearance of [innovation]
The first appearance of small green leaves on the trees told us spring had arrived.
Doctors were worried by the appearance of red spots on the child's neck.
The novel's appearance in bookshops last summer caused a small sensation.
- disappearance
the moment something stops being seen
文法句型
the appearance of [noun]
first appearance
用法筆記
Often used with 'the' plus 'of' plus a noun phrase. Common modifiers include 'sudden', 'first', and 'unexpected'. Also covers a book or film coming out, as in example 5. Distinguish from sense 1: that sense is about a person showing themselves; this sense is about something becoming visible or starting to exist.