Au"di*ence (?), n. [F. audience, L. audientia, fr. audire to hear. See Audible, a.]
1.
The act of hearing; attention to sounds.
Thou, therefore, give due audience, and attend.
Milton.
2.
Admittance to a hearing; a formal interview, esp. with a sovereign or the head of a government, for conference or the transaction of business.
According to the fair play of the world,
Let me have audience: I am sent to speak.
Shak.
3.
An auditory; an assembly of hearers. Also applied by authors to their readers.
Fit audience find, though few.
Milton.
He drew his audience upward to the sky.
Dryden.
Court of audience, or Audience court Eng., a court long since disused, belonging to the Archbishop of Canterbury; also, one belonging to the Archbishop of York. Mozley & W. -- In general (or open) audience, publicly. -- To give audience, to listen; to admit to an interview.
© Webster 1913.