appear Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
    seem; look.
    • She seems to be sleeping
    • This appears to be a very difficult problem
    • This project looks fishy
    • They appeared like people who had not eaten or slept for a long time
  2. verb come into sight or view
    • He suddenly appeared at the wedding
    • A new star appeared on the horizon
  3. verb be issued or published
    come out.
    • Did your latest book appear yet?
    • The new Woody Allen film hasn't come out yet
  4. verb seem to be true, probable, or apparent
    seem.
    • It seems that he is very gifted
    • It appears that the weather in California is very bad
  5. verb come into being or existence, or appear on the scene
    come along.
    • Then the computer came along and changed our lives
    • Homo sapiens appeared millions of years ago
  6. verb appear as a character on stage or appear in a play, etc.
    • Gielgud appears briefly in this movie
    • She appeared in `Hamlet' on the London stage
  7. verb present oneself formally, as before a (judicial) authority
    • He had to appear in court last month
    • She appeared on several charges of theft

WordNet

Ap*pear" intransitive verb
Etymology
OE. apperen, aperen, OF. aparoir, F. apparoir, fr. L. apparre to appear + parreto come forth, to be visible; prob. from the same root as parre to produce. Cf. Apparent, Parent, Peer, v. i.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Appeared present participle & verbal noun Appearing
Definitions
  1. To come or be in sight; to be in view; to become visible.
    And God . . . said, Let . . . the dry land appear. Gen. i. 9.
  2. To come before the public; as, a great writer appeared at that time.
  3. To stand in presence of some authority, tribunal, or superior person, to answer a charge, plead a cause, or the like; to present one's self as a party or advocate before a court, or as a person to be tried.
    We must all appear before the judgment seat. * Cor. v. 10.
    One ruffian escaped because no prosecutor dared to appear. Macaulay.
  4. To become visible to the apprehension of the mind; to be known as a subject of observation or comprehension, or as a thing proved; to be obvious or manifest.
    It doth not yet appear what we shall be. 1 John iii. 2.
    Of their vain contest appeared no end. Milton.
  5. To seem; to have a certain semblance; to look.
    They disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Matt. vi. 16.
    Syn. -- To seem; look. See Seem.
Ap*pear" noun
Definitions
  1. Appearance. Obs. J. Fletcher.

Webster 1913