(adv) from appearances alone; ; ; -Thomas Hardy, Syn. ostensibly, on the face of it, seemingly, Example:irrigation often produces bumper crops from apparently desert land; the child is seemingly healthy but the doctor is concerned; had been ostensibly frank as to his purpose while really concealing it; on the face of it the problem seems minor
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English (GCIDE) v.0.53 Collaborative International Dictionary (GCIDE)