The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Applause \Ap*plause"\, n. [L. applaudere, applausum. See
   Applaud.]
   The act of applauding; approbation and praise publicly
   expressed by clapping the hands, stamping or tapping with the
   feet, acclamation, huzzas, or other means; marked
   commendation.
   [1913 Webster]

         The brave man seeks not popular applause. --Dryden.
   [1913 Webster]

   Syn: Acclaim; acclamation; plaudit; commendation; approval.
        [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

applause
    n 1: a demonstration of approval by clapping the hands together
         [syn: applause, hand clapping, clapping]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

42 Moby Thesaurus words for "applause":
   acclaim, acclamation, alleluia, approbation, approval, big hand,
   burst of applause, cheer, cheering, cheers, chorus of cheers, clap,
   clapping, clapping of hands, commendation, cry, eclat, encore,
   hallelujah, hand, handclap, handclapping, hooray, hosanna, hurrah,
   hurray, huzzah, kudos, ovation, paean, plaudit, plaudits,
   popularity, praise, rah, rooting, round, round of applause, shout,
   thunder of applause, yell, yippee



The Devil's Dictionary (1881-1906):

APPLAUSE, n.  The echo of a platitude.