Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Appear \Ap*pear"\, n.
   Appearance. [Obs.] --J. Fletcher.

Appear \Ap*pear"\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Appeared}; p. pr. & vb.
   n. {Appearing}.] [OE. apperen, aperen, OF. aparoir, F.
   apparoir, fr. L. appar?re to appear + par?reto come forth, to
   be visible; prob. from the same root as par?re to produce.
   Cf. {Apparent}, {Parent}, {Peer}, v. i.]
   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.
                                                  --[hand] 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}.

Source : WordNet®

appear
     v 1: give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect;
          "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" [syn: {look}, {seem}]
     2: come into sight or view; "He suddenly appeared at the
        wedding"; "A new star appeared on the horizon" [ant: {disappear}]
     3: be issued or published; "Did your latest book appear yet?";
        "The new Woody Allen film hasn't come out yet" [syn: {come
        out}]
     4: seem to be true, probable, or apparent; "It seems that he is
        very gifted"; "It appears that the weather in California
        is very bad" [syn: {seem}]
     5: come into being or existence, or appear on the scene; "Then
        the computer came along and changed our lives"; "Homo
        sapiens appeared millions of years ago" [syn: {come along}]
        [ant: {vanish}]
     6: 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: present oneself formally, as before a (judicial) authority;
        "He had to appear in court last month"; "She appeared on
        several charges of theft"