audience

n. [ F. audience, L. audientia, fr. audire to hear. See Audible, a. ] 1. The act of hearing; attention to sounds. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thou, therefore, give due audience, and attend. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

According to the fair play of the world,
Let me have audience: I am sent to speak. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. An auditory; an assembly of hearers. Also applied by authors to their readers. [ 1913 Webster ]

Fit audience find, though few. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

He drew his audience upward to the sky. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]