The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Audience \Au"di*ence\, n. [F. audience, L. audientia, fr. audire
   to hear. See Audible, a.]
   1. The act of hearing; attention to sounds.
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            Thou, therefore, give due audience, and attend.
                                                  --Milton.
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   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.
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            According to the fair play of the world,
            Let me have audience: I am sent to speak. --Shak.
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   3. An auditory; an assembly of hearers. Also applied by
      authors to their readers.
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            Fit audience find, though few.        --Milton.
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            He drew his audience upward to the sky. --Dryden.
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   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.
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