-ance, -ancy

To accept, to approve, or to support an action: The mayor said he would countenance and authorize a rock concert to take place in the city park next Saturday. © ALL rights are reserved.
© ALL rights are reserved.

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1. A burden, an obstacle, or a hindrance.
2. A lot of trouble or bother.

1. Renunciation of faith, allegiance, or amity; a declaration of hostilities.
2. The act of defying or challenging by fighting or a challenge or summons to a combat or contest: "The worker's defiance resulted in a challenge to maintain the objectives of the project or he would take legal action."

A reference to showing or proving something: The TV program showed a demonstrational video of the street scenes.

1. The lack of agreement or harmony by people or groups of people.
2. In music, a combination of inharmonious sounds or tones.

1. To refuse to approve of something: Jake's family discountenanced smoking cigarettes and the excessive drinking of alcohol.
2. To disturb the composure of a person: Peggy was not discountenanced by her fellow student's accusation that she was cheating on the vocabulary test. © ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
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The breaking off or separating of something.

Harsh and inharmonious sounds: The musician horrified his audience with a presentation of dissonance or cacophony in one of his presentations. © ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.

1. The stretch of space or length between two points: All the places of interest in the city were all of walking distance.
2. The expanse between two things when they are far apart from one another: Jim wondered if the distance from his house to the lake was too far to walk.
3. The uninvolved relationship between two people or things: Even though the two students knew each other for a long time, there was still an emotional distance between them that was felt by the others in the group.
4. Farawayness of an object, place, person, or animal: Finally Raymond could perceive the mountain goat in the distance when climbing up the slope.
5. Aloofness, coolness, or unfriendliness of a person's behavior: Valerie turned away from Adam with noticeable distance and stiffness when they accidentally met in the store.

A lack or absence of moderation, specifically an excess in drinking or other indulgences: After being at the pub for a long time, distemperance was noted in Steven’s behavior because he had had too many beers, so he was sent home by taxi instead of being allowed to drive his car.