\Au"di*ence\, n. [F. audience, L. audientia, fr. audire
to hear. See {Audible}, a.]
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.
{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.