# face

Pronunciation: say "FAYS" /feɪs/

## Noun

1. The front part of the head of a human or other animal, where the eyes, nose, and mouth are found, along with the surrounding area.
   - Simple: The front part of a person's or animal's head, where the eyes, nose, and mouth are.
   - _A long scar ran across the left side of his face._
   - _The swelling on the patient's face made him hard to recognize._
6. The direct presence or immediate sight of someone or something; being set squarely before it.
   - Simple: The direct presence of someone or something right in front of you.
   - _The committee held its position in the face of fierce opposition._
   - _Her decision to quit her secure job flew in the face of conventional wisdom._
7. A surface of something, especially its front or outer side, such as the marked side of a coin or playing card or the steep side of a cliff.
   - Simple: Any surface of something, especially the front or outside, like the steep side of a cliff.
   - _The north face of the cliff stays in shadow for most of the day._
   - _Workers cleaned the towering glass face of the skyscraper._
8. An expression on someone's face showing a feeling or reaction, including one made on purpose to show dislike or mockery.
   - Simple: A look on someone's face that shows a feeling, sometimes made on purpose to show dislike or make fun.
   - _He kept a straight face all through the joke._
   - _Her worried face told me something was wrong._
9. A person, regarded as present or recognizable; an individual.
   - Simple: A person, especially one you see or recognize.
   - _The agency is always looking for fresh faces to put in its ads._
   - _A familiar face greeted us at the reception desk._
10. The outward appearance or public image that someone or something presents.
   - Simple: The way a person or group appears to the public.
   - _As spokesperson, she was the public face of the organization for a decade._
   - _The renovation gave the old hotel a sleeker, more modern face._
11. The numbered dial of a clock or watch, where the hands point to indicate the time.
   - Simple: The flat front part of a clock or watch that shows the numbers and hands.
   - _The antique clock face was painted with delicate gold numerals._
   - _Glare on the watch face made it impossible to read the time._
12. The esteem, dignity, and prestige that a person or organization enjoys in others' eyes.
   - Simple: The respect and good name a person has with other people.
   - _The minister resigned to avoid losing face after the scandal._
   - _Backing down now would mean a serious loss of face for the company._
13. The amount printed on a bill, note, or bond, before any interest or discount is figured in. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: The value printed on money, a ticket, or a bond, not counting interest.
   - _The collector paid only face for the rare banknote._
   - _Resellers rarely move tickets at face once demand spikes._
14. Any of the flat surfaces that bound a solid shape such as a cube, pyramid, or crystal.
   - Simple: One of the flat sides of a solid shape, like a side of a cube.
   - _Each face of the pyramid meets the others along a sharp edge._
   - _The quartz crystal grew with six smooth, flat faces._
16. An aspect of the character or nature of a person or thing.
   - Simple: One part or side of someone's or something's character.
   - _The crisis revealed a darker face of human nature._
   - _The report exposed the uglier face of the industry._
17. A person's complete application of facial makeup, regarded as a single finished look. *(slang)*
   - Simple: All the makeup someone puts on, taken together as one look.
   - _Give me ten minutes to put my face on before we go._
   - _She spent a full hour putting on her face that night._
19. The flat striking surface of a bat, club or racket, the part that meets the ball.
   - Simple: The flat part of a bat or club that hits the ball.
   - _She struck the ball cleanly off the center of the face._
   - _Mud on the face sent the drive wildly off line._
20. Shameless boldness or nerve; brazen effrontery in the face of others.
   - Simple: Bold or rude confidence, or nerve.
21. The exposed surface of a mineral deposit where mining is under way, or the exposed end of a tunnel where digging may still be going on.
   - Simple: The open wall of rock where miners are digging, or the end of a tunnel being dug.
   - _A cutting machine moves along the seam, shearing coal from the face._
   - _Tunnel crews advanced the face about thirty feet a day through soft clay._
22. In professional wrestling, a performer cast as a heroic good guy whom the audience is meant to cheer. *(slang)*
   - Simple: In professional wrestling, a wrestler who plays the good guy that the crowd is meant to cheer for.
   - _After a year as a villain, he turned face and won the crowd back._
   - _The promoters built the whole card around two popular faces and one hated heel._
23. A particular design of type; a set of characters sharing a single, unified style.
   - Simple: A style of lettering used in printing and on screens.
   - _Designers paired a clean sans-serif face with an old-style serif for contrast._
   - _The magazine switched to a narrower face to fit more text per column._
24. The mouth, especially in informal expressions about eating, talking, or being told to be quiet. *(slang)*
   - Simple: The mouth, in casual or rude speech.
   - _Shut your face and get back to work._
   - _The kids stuffed their faces the moment the pizza arrived._
25. The directed force or thrust of something as it presses forward against whatever lies before it.
   - Simple: The full, forward push of something powerful.

## Verb

2. To be presented or confronted with something, or to have it in prospect.
   - Simple: To have something hard or important coming up that you will have to deal with.
   - _Graduates today face a fiercely competitive job market._
   - _The company faces heavy fines if it misses the deadline._
3. To deal with a difficult situation or person, or to accept facts and reality even when they are unwelcome.
   - Simple: To deal with a hard situation or person instead of avoiding it.
   - _After months of denial, he had to face the consequences of his choices._
   - _Communities along the coast must face the reality of rising sea levels._
4. To have someone as an opponent in a contest, game, or fight.
   - Simple: To play or fight against someone as your opponent.
   - _The challenger faces a former world champion next month._
   - _Teams that face each other twice a season tend to build real rivalries._
5. To have one's face or front toward someone or something, or to turn so as to do so.
   - Simple: To be turned toward something, or to turn your body so that you look toward it.
   - _The two buildings face each other across the narrow square._
   - _Her office faces the river, giving her a view of the passing boats._
15. To cover the front or surface of something with a layer of material, for decoration or protection.
   - Simple: To cover the front of something with a different material for looks or protection.
   - _Masons faced the new library with pale limestone._
   - _The builders plan to face the chimney with weathered brick._
18. To position an object with its front or face showing, or pointing in a specified direction.
   - Simple: To turn something so its front points a certain way.
   - _Please face the panels outward so the labels show._
   - _The dealer faced the top card to reveal its suit._

## Other meanings

- (noun) A disposition or attitude shown toward someone, whether favorable or hostile; favor or displeasure.
- (noun) A recognizable regular whom everyone knows in a social world like clubbing or fashion.
- (noun) In heraldry, a lion's head shown from the front, with nothing of the neck visible behind the ears.
- (noun) In video games and trading card games, the player's own character, as distinct from minions or other units that can take hits in its place.
- (noun) How wide a pulley's rim is, or how long each tooth of a gear wheel runs across it.
- (verb) To tidy goods on store shelves by pulling them to the front edge and turning them so their labels show.
- (verb) To be the batter currently receiving the bowling.
- (verb) To stand up to someone rudely and try to intimidate them.
- (verb) To finish an edge, especially of a garment, with a layer of fabric behind it, often a different fabric from the main one.
- (verb) To cover the top layer of goods with finer material than the bulk beneath, so buyers are misled about the quality.
- (verb) To make a surface flat and smooth, especially to machine the flat end of a workpiece on a lathe rather than its round side.

## Origin

"Face" came through Middle English from Old French "face", from Late Latin "facia" and ultimately Latin "faciēs" ("form, appearance"). It is a doublet of "facies" and replaced older native English words such as Old English "anwlite" and "ansīen"; in the sense of reputation it was influenced by Chinese words meaning the front of the head and one's public image.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/face (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).