late 13c., "front of the head," from Old French face (12c.) "face, countenance, look, appearance," from Vulgar Latin *facia (cf. Italian faccia), from Latin facies "appearance, form, figure," and secondarily "visage, countenance;" probably related to facere "to make" (see factitious).
Replaced Old English andwlita (from root of wlitan "to see, look") and ansyn, the usual word (from the root of seon "see"). In French, the use of face for "front of the head" was given up 17c. and replaced by visage (older vis), from Latin visus "sight." To lose face (or save face), 1876, is said to be from Chinese tu lien. Face value was originally (1878) of bank notes, postage stamps, etc.
"confront with assurance, show a bold face," mid-15c., from face (n.) Related: Faced. To face the music is theatrical.
face (fās)
n.
The front portion of the head, from forehead to chin.
Facies.
To insult; embarrass; humiliate; burn •This sense probably originated in basketball, where aggressive players put their hands in front of other players' faces: face, which means to embarrass (1980s+ Students)
Related Termsbag your face, dollface, feed one's face, get out of someone's face, go upside one's face, have a red face, have egg on one's face, not just another pretty face, laugh on the other side of one's face, let's face it, paleface, pieface, poker face, red face, she can sit on my face anytime, shit-faced, shoot off one's mouth, a slap in the face, straight face, suck face, till one is blue in the face, what's-his-name, white-face
means simply presence, as when it is recorded that Adam and Eve hid themselves from the "face [R.V., 'presence'] of the Lord God" (Gen. 3:8; comp. Ex. 33:14, 15, where the same Hebrew word is rendered "presence"). The "light of God's countenance" is his favour (Ps. 44:3; Dan. 9:17). "Face" signifies also anger, justice, severity (Gen. 16:6, 8; Ex. 2:15; Ps. 68:1; Rev. 6:16). To "provoke God to his face" (Isa. 65:3) is to sin against him openly. The Jews prayed with their faces toward the temple and Jerusalem (1 Kings 8:38, 44, 48; Dan. 6:10). To "see God's face" is to have access to him and to enjoy his favour (Ps. 17:15; 27:8). This is the privilege of holy angels (Matt. 18:10; Luke 1:19). The "face of Jesus Christ" (2 Cor. 4:6) is the office and person of Christ, the revealer of the glory of God (John 1:14, 18).