Face
Pronunciation
- enPR: fÄs, IPA: /feɪs/
- Rhymes: -eɪs
Origin
From Middle English face, from Anglo-Norman face and Old French face (Modern French face), from Vulgar Latin *facia, from Latin facies ("form, appearance"), from facere ("to make, do").
Replaced native Middle English onlete ("face, countenance, appearance"), from Old English anwlite; compare Old English ansīen ("face"), Middle English neb ("face, nose") (from Old English nebb), Middle English ler, leor, leer ("face, cheek, countenance") (from Old English hlēor), and non-native Middle English vis ("face, appearance, look") (from Old French vis).
Full definition of face
Noun
face
(plural faces)- (anatomy) The front part of the head, featuring the eyes, nose, and mouth and the surrounding area.
- 1918, W. B. Maxwell, The Mirror and the Lamp Chapter 10, It was a joy to snatch some brief respite, and find himself in the rectory drawing–room. Listening here was as pleasant as talking; just to watch was pleasant. The young priests who lived here wore cassocks and birettas; their faces were fine and mild, yet really strong, like the rector's face; and in their intercourse with him and his wife they seemed to be brothers.
- 1963, Margery Allingham, The China Governess Chapter 7, ‘Children crawled over each other like little grey worms in the gutters,’ he said. ‘The only red things about them were their buttocks and they were raw. Their faces looked as if snails had slimed on them and their mothers were like great sick beasts whose byres had never been cleared. …’
- She has a pretty face.
- One's facial expression.Why the sad face?
- The public image; outward appearance.The face of this company.He managed to show a bold face despite his embarrassment.
- The frontal aspect of something.The face of the cliff loomed above them.
- (figurative) Presence; sight; front.to fly in the face of dangerto speak before the face of God
- The directed force of something.They turned to boat into the face of the storm.
- Good reputation; standing in the eyes of others; dignity; prestige. (See lose face, save face).
- Shameless confidence; boldness; effrontery.
- TillotsonThis is the man that has the face to charge others with false citations.
- The width of a pulley, or the length of a cog from end to end.a pulley or cog wheel of ten inches face
- (geometry) Any of the flat bounding surfaces of a polyhedron. More generally, any of the bounding pieces of a polytope of any dimension.
- Any surface; especially a front or outer one.Put a big sign on each face of the building that can be seen from the road.They climbed the north face of the mountain.She wanted to wipe him off the face of the earth.
- Bible, Genesis ii. 6A mist ... watered the whole face of the ground.
- ByronLake Leman woos me with its crystal face.
- The numbered dial of a clock or watch.
- (slang) The mouth.Shut your face!He's always stuffing his face with chips.
- (slang) Makeup; one's complete facial cosmetic application.I'll be out in a sec, just let me put on my face.
- (slang, professional wrestling) Short for babyface. A wrestler whose on-ring persona is embodying heroic or virtuous traits. Contrast with heel.The fans cheered on the face as he made his comeback.
- (cricket) The front surface of a bat.
- (golf) The part of a golf club that hits the ball.
- (cards) The side of the card that shows its value (as opposed to the back side, which looks the same on all cards of the deck).
- (typography) A typeface.
- Mode of regard, whether favourable or unfavourable; favour or anger.
- Bible, Numbers vi. 25The Lord make his face to shine upon thee.
- Bible, Ezek. vii. 22My face favour will I turn also from them.
- The amount expressed on a bill, note, bond, etc., without any interest or discount; face value.
Synonyms
- (part of head) countenance, visage, phiz (obsolete), phizog (obsolete)
- (facial expression) countenance, expression, facial expression, look, visage
- (the front or outer surface) foreside
- (public image) image, public image, reputation
- (of a polyhedron) facet different specialised meaning in mathematical use, surface not in mathematical use
- (slang: mouth) cakehole, gob, mush, piehole, trap
- (slang: wrestling) good guy, hero
Derived terms
Related terms
Verb
- (transitive, of a person or animal) To position oneself or itself so as to have one's face closest to (something).Face the sun.
- 1910, Emerson Hough, The Purchase Price Chapter 1, Serene, smiling, enigmatic, she faced him with no fear whatever showing in her dark eyes. The clear light of the bright autumn morning had no terrors for youth and health like hers.
- (transitive, of an object) To have its front closest to, or in the direction of (something else).Turn the chair so it faces the table.
- MiltonHe gained also with his forces that part of Britain which faces Ireland.
- (transitive) To cause (something) to turn or present a face or front, as in a particular direction.
- (transitive) To deal with (a difficult situation or person).I'm going to have to face this sooner or later.
- DrydenI'll face
This tempest, and deserve the name of king. - 2013-06-07, Joseph Stiglitz, Globalisation is about taxes too, It is time the international community faced the reality: we have an unmanageable, unfair, distortionary global tax regime. It is a tax system that is pivotal in creating the increasing inequality that marks most advanced countries today ….
- 2013-06-08, Obama goes troll-hunting, According to this saga of intellectual-property misanthropy, these creatures trolls roam the business world, buying up patents and then using them to demand extravagant payouts from companies they accuse of infringing them. Often, their victims pay up rather than face the costs of a legal battle.
- (intransitive) To have the front in a certain direction.The bunkers faced north and east, toward Germany.
- (transitive) To have as an opponent.
- 2011, September 2, Phil McNulty, Bulgaria 0-3 England, And a further boost to England's qualification prospects came after the final whistle when Wales recorded a 2-1 home win over group rivals Montenegro, who Capello's men face in their final qualifier.
- (intransitive, cricket) To be the striking batsman.
- (obsolete) To confront impudently; to bully.
- ShakespeareI will neither be faced nor braved.
- To cover in front, for ornament, protection, etc.; to put a facing upon.a building faced with marble
- To line near the edge, especially with a different material.to face the front of a coat, or the bottom of a dress
- To cover with better, or better appearing, material than the mass consists of, for purpose of deception, as the surface of a box of tea, a barrel of sugar, etc.
- (engineering) To make the surface of (anything) flat or smooth; to dress the face of (a stone, a casting, etc.); especially, in turning, to shape or smooth the flat surface of, as distinguished from the cylindrical surface.