Applause
Applause (Latin applaudere, to strike upon, clap) is primarily the expression of approval by the act of clapping, or striking the palms of the hands together, in order to create noise. Audiences are usually expected to applaud after a performance, such as a musical concert, speech, or play. In most western countries, audience members clap their hands at random to produce a constant noise; however, it tends to synchronize naturally to a weak degree. As a form of mass nonverbal communication, it is a simple indicator of the average relative opinion of the entire group; the louder and longer the noise, the stronger the sign of approval.
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Famous quotes containing the word applause:
“Satirists gain the applause of others through fear, not through love.”
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830)
“I can’t really hear the audience applause when I’m on stage. I’m totally immersed in the piece. But sometimes I get a lot of it and wonder, “Now, why did they applaud here?” If it’s a white crowd, they usually applaud because they think it’s a pretty movement. If it’s a black crowd, it’s usually because they identify with the message.”
—Judith Jamison (b. 1944)
“O God, that men should put an enemy in their mouths to steal away their brains! That we should with joy, pleasance, revel, and applause transform ourselves into beasts!”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)