late 14c., "the action of hearing," from Old French audience, from Latin audentia "a hearing, listening," from audientum (nominative audiens), present participle of audire "to hear," from PIE compound *au-dh- "to perceive physically, grasp," from root *au- "to perceive" (cognates: Greek aisthanesthai "to feel;" Sanskrit avih, Avestan avish "openly, evidently;" Old Church Slavonic javiti "to reveal"). Meaning "formal hearing or reception" is from late 14c.; that of "persons within hearing range, assembly of listeners" is from early 15c. (French audience retains only the older senses). Sense transferred 1855 to "readers of a book." Audience-participation (adj.) first recorded 1940.
例文
1. My audience certainly isn 't the proverbial man in the street.
私の観客はもちろん街の庶民ではありません。
2.The offending comment was in fact a heckle from an audience member.
という失礼な言葉は、実際には観客の詰みである。
3.They would always come out and warm up the audience .
彼らはいつも観客の気持ちを動かすために出てくる。
4.Say 's writings reached a wide audience during his lifetime.
サイが生きている間、彼の作品は多くの読者を持っていた。
5.After the show，the audience deserts the Blackpool streets.