Audience — Defs

01 n. The act of hearing; attention to sounds.

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.

Phrases & compounds

Court of audience — a court long since disused, belonging to the Archbishop of Canterbury; also, one belonging to the Archbishop of York.

In general audience — publicly.

To give audience — to listen; to admit to an interview.