face

[feys] /feɪs/
noun
1.
the front part of the head, from the forehead to the chin.
2.
a look or expression on this part:
a sad face.
3.
an expression or look that indicates ridicule, disgust, etc.; grimace:
The child put on a face when told to go to bed.
4.
cosmetics; makeup:
Excuse me while I go to the powder room to put on my face.
5.
impudence; boldness:
to have the face to ask such a rude question.
6.
outward appearance:
These are just old problems with new faces. The future presented a fair face to the fortunate youth.
7.
outward show or pretense, especially as a means of preserving one's dignity or of concealing a detrimental fact, condition, etc.:
Though shamed beyond words, he managed to show a bold face.
8.
good reputation; dignity; prestige:
They hushed up the family scandal to preserve face.
9.
the amount specified in a bill or note, exclusive of interest.
10.
the manifest sense or express terms, as of a document.
11.
the geographic characteristics or general appearance of a land surface.
12.
the surface:
the face of the earth.
13.
the side, or part of a side, upon which the use of a thing depends:
the clock's face; the face of a playing card.
14.
the most important or most frequently seen side; front:
the face of a building.
15.
the outer or upper side of a fabric; right side.
16.
the acting, striking, or working surface of an implement, tool, etc.
17.
Geometry. any of the bounding surfaces of a solid figure:
a cube has six faces.
18.
Also called working face. Mining. the front or end of a drift or excavation, where the material is being or was last mined.
19.
Printing.
  1. the working surface of a type, of a plate, etc.
  2. Also called typeface, typestyle. any design of type, including a full range of characters, as letters, numbers, and marks of punctuation, in all sizes:
    Caslon is one of the most popular faces.
  3. Also called typeface, typestyle. the general style or appearance of type:
    broad or narrow face.
20.
Nautical, Aeronautics. the rear or after side of a propeller blade (opposed to back).
21.
Fortification. either of the two outer sides that form the salient angle of a bastion or the like.
22.
Crystallography. any of the plane surfaces of a crystal.
23.
Electronics. faceplate (def 3).
24.
Archaic. sight; presence:
to flee from the face of the enemy.
verb (used with object), faced, facing.
25.
to look toward or in the direction of:
to face the light.
26.
to have the front toward or permit a view of:
The building faces Fifth Avenue. The bedroom faces the park.
27.
to confront directly:
to be faced with a problem; to face the future confidently.
28.
to confront courageously, boldly, or impudently (usually followed by down or out):
He could always face down his detractors.
29.
to oppose or to meet defiantly:
to face fearful odds; Army faces Navy in today's football game.
30.
to cover or partly cover with a different material in front:
They faced the old wooden house with brick.
31.
to finish the edge of a garment with facing.
32.
to turn the face of (a playing card) upwards.
33.
to dress or smooth the surface of (a stone or the like).
34.
to cause (soldiers) to turn to the right, left, or in the opposite direction.
35.
Ice Hockey. (of a referee) to put (the puck) in play by dropping it between two opposing players each having his or her stick on the ice and facing the goal of the opponent.
verb (used without object), faced, facing.
36.
to turn or be turned (often followed by to or toward):
She faced toward the sea.
37.
to be placed with the front in a certain direction (often followed by on, to, or toward):
The house faces on the street. The barn faces south.
38.
to turn to the right, left, or in the opposite direction:
Left face!
39.
Ice Hockey. to face the puck (often followed by off).
Verb phrases
40.
face down, to confront boldly or intimidate (an opponent, critic, etc.).
41.
face off, Ice Hockey. to start a game or period with a face-off.
42.
face up to,
  1. to acknowledge; admit:
    to face up to the facts.
  2. to meet courageously; confront:
    He refused to face up to his problems.
Idioms
43.
face the music. music (def 9).
44.
face to face,
  1. facing or opposite one another:
    We sat face to face at the table.
  2. in an open, personal meeting or confrontation:
    The leaders spoke face to face about a reduction in nuclear arms.
45.
face to face with, in close proximity to; narrowly escaping; confronting:
face to face with death.
46.
fly in the face of. fly1 (def 35).
47.
get out of someone's face,
  1. Southern U.S. go away!; leave.
  2. Slang. to stop bothering or annoying someone.
48.
in someone’s face,
  1. in a confrontational way that shows annoyance or contempt:
    When I asked for money, he just laughed in my face.
  2. Slang. confrontational toward someone, as by criticizing or annoying persistently:
    My dad got in my face about my bad grades.
49.
in your face, Slang.
  1. (usually used imperatively to tease someone or flaunt something in a confrontational way):
    We won the game. In your face!
  2. involving confrontation; defiant; provocative:
    His political commentary is always in your face.
    See also in-your-face.
50.
in the face of,
  1. in spite of; notwithstanding:
    She persevered in the face of many obstacles.
  2. when confronted with:
    They were steadfast in the face of disaster.
51.
lose face, to suffer disgrace, humiliation, or embarrassment:
It was impossible to apologize publicly without losing face.
52.
make a face, to grimace, as in distaste or contempt; contort one's face in order to convey a feeling or to amuse another:
She made a face when she was told the work wasn't finished. The children made me laugh by making faces.
53.
on the face of it, to outward appearances; superficially; seemingly:
On the face of it, there was no hope for a comeback.
54.
put on a bold face, to give the appearance of confidence or assurance:
Everyone knew that he had been fired, even though he put on a bold face.
Also, put a bold face on.
55.
save face, to avoid disgrace, humiliation, or embarrassment:
She tried to save face by saying that the bill had never arrived.
56.
set one's face against, to disapprove strongly of; oppose:
My parents have set their face against my becoming an actress.
57.
show one's face, to make an appearance; be seen:
I would be ashamed to show my face in such an outlandish outfit. Just show your face at the party and then you can leave.
58.
to one's face, in one's presence; brazenly; directly:
Tell him to his face that he's a liar!
Origin
1250-1300; (noun) Middle English < Anglo-French, Old French < Vulgar Latin *facia, for Latin faciēs facies; (v.) late Middle English facen, derivative of the noun
Related forms
faceable, adjective
subface, noun
underface, noun
underface, verb (used with object), underfaced, underfacing.
unfaceable, adjective
Synonyms
1. Face, countenance, visage refer to the front of the (usually human) head. The face is the combination of the features: a face with broad cheekbones. Countenance, a more formal word, denotes the face as it is affected by or reveals the state of mind, and hence often signifies the look or expression on the face: a thoughtful countenance. Visage, still more formal, refers to the face as seen in a certain aspect, especially as revealing seriousness or severity: a stern visage. 2. appearance, aspect, mien. 7. exterior. 14. façade. 30. veneer.
British Dictionary definitions for show one's face

face

/feɪs/
noun
1.
  1. the front of the head from the forehead to the lower jaw; visage
  2. (as modifier): face flannel, face cream
2.
  1. the expression of the countenance; look: a sad face
  2. a distorted expression, esp to indicate disgust; grimace: she made a face
3.
(informal) make-up (esp in the phrase put one's face on)
4.
outward appearance: the face of the countryside is changing
5.
appearance or pretence (esp in the phrases put a bold, good, bad, etc, face on)
6.
worth in the eyes of others; dignity (esp in the phrases lose or save face)
7.
(informal) impudence or effrontery
8.
the main side of an object, building, etc, or the front: the face of a palace, a cliff face
9.
the marked surface of an instrument, esp the dial of a timepiece
10.
the functional or working side of an object, as of a tool or playing card
11.
  1. the exposed area of a mine from which coal, ore, etc, may be mined
  2. (as modifier): face worker
12.
the uppermost part or surface: the face of the earth
13.
Also called side. any one of the plane surfaces of a crystal or other solid figure
14.
(mountaineering) a steep side of a mountain, bounded by ridges
15.
either of the surfaces of a coin, esp the one that bears the head of a ruler
16.
(Brit, slang) a well-known or important person
17.
(printing) Also called typeface
  1. the printing surface of any type character
  2. the style, the design, or sometimes the size of any type fount
  3. the print made from type
18.
(nautical, aeronautics) the aft or near side of a propeller blade
19.
fly in the face of, to act in defiance of
20.
in one's face, directly opposite or against one
21.
in face of, in the face of, despite
22.
look someone in the face, to look directly at a person without fear or shame
23.
on the face of it, to all appearances
24.
set one's face against, to oppose with determination
25.
show one's face, to make an appearance
26.
(slang) (often imperative) shut one's face, to be silent
27.
to someone's face, in someone's presence; directly and openly: I told him the truth to his face
28.
(informal) until one is blue in the face, to the utmost degree; indefinitely
verb
29.
when intr, often foll by to, towards, or on. to look or be situated or placed (in a specified direction): the house faces on the square
30.
to be opposite: facing page 9
31.
(transitive) to meet or be confronted by: in his work he faces many problems
32.
(transitive) to accept or deal with something: let's face it, you're finished
33.
(transitive) to provide with a surface of a different material: the cuffs were faced with velvet
34.
to dress the surface of (stone or other material)
35.
(transitive) to expose (a card) with the face uppermost
36.
(military, mainly US) to order (a formation) to turn in a certain direction or (of a formation) to turn as required: right face!
37.
(hockey:Ice)
  1. (of the referee) to drop (the puck) between two opposing players, as when starting or restarting play See also face-off
  2. to start or restart play in this manner
38.
(informal) face the music, to confront the consequences of one's actions
See also face down, face out, face up to
Derived Forms
faceable, adjective
Word Origin
C13: from Old French, from Vulgar Latin facia (unattested), from Latin faciēs form, related to facere to make

FACE

abbreviation
1.
Fellow of the Australian College of Education
Word Origin and History for show one's face

face

n.

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.

v.

"confront with assurance, show a bold face," mid-15c., from face (n.) Related: Faced. To face the music is theatrical.

show one's face in Medicine

face (fās)
n.

  1. The front portion of the head, from forehead to chin.

  2. Facies.

show one's face in Science
face
  (fās)   

  1. A plane surface of a geometric solid. A cube has 6 faces; a dodecahedron, 12.

  2. Any of the surfaces of a rock or crystal.


Slang definitions & phrases for show one's face

face

noun
  1. A celebrity, esp a show-business notable (1960s+ Show business)
  2. A person: bad face, a surly, mean, no-good cat (1950s+ Cool talk)
  3. A white person; fay1: Don't see why we need some high-priced face down here telling us how to live (1940s+ Black)
verb

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 Terms

bag 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


show one's face in the Bible

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).

Idioms and Phrases with show one's face

show one's face

Appear, as in She was so upset that we were sure she'd never show her face at the theater again. This idiom has appeared in slightly different forms, such as show one's neck or visage or nose, since about 1225.

face

also see: