- appear
- [[t]əpɪ͟ə(r)[/t]]
♦appears, appearing, appeared1) V-LINK: no cont (vagueness) If you say that something appears to be the way you describe it, you are reporting what you believe or what you have been told, though you cannot be sure it is true.
[there V to-inf] There appears to be increasing support for the leadership to take a more aggressive stance...
[V to-inf] The aircraft appears to have crashed near Katmandu...
[it V that] It appears that some missiles have been moved...
[it V adj that/to-inf] It appears unlikely that the UN would consider making such a move...
[V n] The presidency is beginning to appear a political irrelevance...
[V adj] Nine months later, those talks appear as distant as ever...
[V adj] He appeared willing to reach an agreement.
Syn:2) V-LINK: no cont If someone or something appears to have a particular quality or characteristic, they give the impression of having that quality or characteristic.[V adj] She did her best to appear more self-assured than she felt...
[V n] He is anxious to appear a gentleman...
[V to-inf] Under stress these people will appear to be superficial, over-eager and manipulative.
Syn:3) VERB When someone or something appears, they move into a position where you can see them.A woman appeared at the far end of the street...
Last night some of the prisoners appeared on the roof. [Also there V n]
4) VERB When something new appears, it begins to exist or reaches a stage of development where its existence can be noticed....small white flowers which appear in early summer.
...a test which can reveal infection at an early stage, before symptoms appear...
Slogans have appeared on walls around the city. [Also there V n]
5) VERB When something such as a book appears, it is published or becomes available for people to buy.I could hardly wait for `Boys' World' to appear each month.
...a poem which appeared in his last collection of verse.
6) VERB When someone appears in something such as a play, a show, or a television programme, they take part in it.[V in n] Jill Bennett became John Osborne's fourth wife, and appeared in several of his plays...
[V on/at n] Student leaders appeared on television to ask for calm.
7) VERB When someone appears before a court of law or before an official committee, they go there in order to answer charges or to give information as a witness.[V in/at n] Two other executives appeared at Worthing Magistrates' Court charged with tax fraud...
[V before n] The American will appear before members of the disciplinary committee at Portman Square.
English dictionary. 2008.