face

1 of 2

noun

ˈfās 

often attributive

1

a

: the front part of the head that in humans extends from the forehead to the chin and includes the mouth, nose, cheeks, and eyes

b

: the face as a means of identification : countenance

would know that face anywhere

2

archaic : presence, sight

3

a

: facial expression

a friendly face

b

: a facial expression of distaste or displeasure

he made a face when he saw the test results

c

: makeup sense 3a(1)

—usually used in the phrase put one's face on

… I have never been the kind of woman who feels comfortable popping to the shops without putting my face on first.

—Vicki Michelle

4

a(1)

: outward appearance

put a good face on it

(2)

: the aspect of something that is perceptible or obvious upon superficial examination

the theory is absurd on its face

—Kim Neely

b

: disguise, pretense

c(1)

: assurance, confidence

maintaining a firm face in spite of adversity

(2)

: effrontery

how anyone could have the face to ask that question

d

: dignity, prestige

afraid to lose face

5

: surface:

a(1)

: a front, upper, or outer surface

vanished from the face of the earth

(2)

: the front of something having two or four sides

the face of a clock

(3)

: facade

the face of a building

(4)

: an exposed surface of rock

(5)

: any of the plane surfaces that bound a geometric solid

A cube is a solid with six square faces.

b

: a surface specially prepared: such as

(1)

: the principal finished surface (as of a tool or implement)

The tendency of the belt is to slip over the face of the pulley in a counter clockwise direction.

—H. W. Harkness

Cans are made from … thin sheets of steel lightly coated with tin. This tin coating serves two purposes: it covers the face of the steel sheet, preserving it from rust; and it acts as a medium by which parts of a sheet may be made to adhere to one another by soldering.

—B. S. Luh et al.

(2)

: the right side (as of cloth or leather)

(3)

: an inscribed, printed, or marked side

the two faces of a coin

c

: a striking surface (as of a tool)

the face of the golf club

the face of an anvil

d(1)

: the surface (as of type) that receives the ink and transfers it to the paper

(2)

: a style of type

6

: the end or wall of a mine tunnel, drift, or excavation at which work is progressing

7

: face value

8

a

: person

lots of new faces around here

b

professional wrestling : baby face sense 2

Randy Orton earned respect as a heel because of his cocky, overconfident persona. As a face, he's lost the smugness that defined his character and is struggling to find his identity.

—Rennie Detore

face

2 of 2

verb

faced; facing

transitive verb

1

: to confront impudently

faced him with evidence of treachery

2

a

: to line near the edge especially with a different material

b

: to cover the front or surface of

faced the building with marble

3

: to meet face-to-face or in competition

The team will face a tough opponent in its next game.

4

a

: to stand or sit with the face toward

The teacher faced the class.

b

: to have the front oriented toward

a house facing the park

5

a

: to recognize and deal with straightforwardly

face the facts

b

: to master by confronting with determination

—used with down

faced down his critics

6

a

: to have as a prospect : be confronted by

face a grim future

b

: to be a prospect or a source of concern for

the problems that face us

c

: to bring face-to-face

he was faced with ruin

7

: to make the surface of (something, such as a stone) flat or smooth

8

: to cause (troops) to face in a particular direction on command

The captain faced his company to the left.

intransitive verb

1

: to have the face or front turned in a specified direction

The house faced south.

2

: to turn the face in a specified direction

She faced to her left.

Phrases

in one's face

: directly and aggressively in one's presence

dunked the ball in his face

—often used with get to describe aggressively confrontational speech or behavior

his boss got in his face about being late

in the face of or less commonly in face of

: face-to-face with : despite

fearless in the face of danger

to one's face

: in one's presence or so that one is fully aware of what is going on

If you have something to say about me, say it to my face.

face the music

: to meet an unpleasant situation, a danger, or the consequences of one's actions

Synonyms

Noun

• countenance
• kisser [slang]
• mug
• pan [slang]
• puss [slang]
• visage

Verb

• front
• look (toward)
• point (toward)

Examples of face in a Sentence

Noun

He has a round face.

His face is familiar but I can't remember his name.

I'll never forget the look on her face.

He fell flat on his face.

I didn't recognize any of the faces around the table.

There are lots of new faces around the office.

Verb

The teacher faced the class.

She turned around to face the window.

He sat facing the wall.

Turn and face to the east.

The house faces the park.

The living room faces the afternoon sun.

My shoe was lying in the corner with its sole facing upward.

The flower opens facing skyward.

Look at the illustration on the facing page.

Only by facing your problems can you hope to overcome them.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The remark came at a Feb. 10 campaign rally in South Carolina when Trump brought up a hypothetical question about whether a NATO nation lagging in its defense obligation could count on U.S. assistance in the face of aggression. —John C. Moritz, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024

The intensity between Paul (10-1, 7 KOs) and Tyson (50-6, 44 knockouts) has continued to build, as just last night, the 58-year-old slapped Paul across his left cheek as the two came face to face during the pre-fight weigh-in. —Dina Kaur, The Arizona Republic, 22 Nov. 2024

Verb

After being hit with some of the coldest temperatures on record, Central Texans will now face rainfall throughout the week. —Bianca Moreno-Paz, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024

Next week, the celebrities and their partners will face each other in the fight for the Mirrorball trophy. —Dina Kaur, The Arizona Republic, 22 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French, going back to Vulgar Latin *facia (attested in early Medieval Latin as facia "portrait"), re-formation of Latin faciēs "appearance, aspect, form, human face," from fac-, stem of facere "to make, do" + -iēs, noun suffix, usually deverbal — more at fact

Verb

Middle English facen, verbal derivative of face face entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing face

• about-face
• a face like thunder
• a slap in the face
• (as) plain as the nose on your face
• at face value
• baby face
• be/get in someone's face
• blue in the face
• cross someone's face
• cut off one's nose to spite one's face
• double-face
• egg on one's face
• face angle
• face card
• face-centered
• face charges
• face cord
• face crumple
• face facts
• face-first
• face fly
• face-lift
• face mask
• face mask penalty
• face off
• face paint
• face-palm
• face-plant
• face-saver
• face shield
• face the fact(s)
• face the music
• face time
• face-to-face
• face up
• face up to
• face value
• fall on one's face
• familiar face
• feed one's face
• fly in the face of
• game face
• get out of someone's face
• hatchet face
• in someone's face
• in-your-face
• just another face in the crowd
• keep a straight face
• laugh in someone's face
• laugh on the other side of one's face
• (let's) face it
• long face
• look (someone) in the face
• lose face
• make a face
• more than just a pretty face
• not just a/another pretty face
• one's face falls
• one's face lights up
• on the face of it
• on the face of the earth
• open-face
• open-face sandwich
• poker face
• procedural face mask
• procedure face mask
• pull a face
• put a human face on
• put on a brave face
• put on a happy face
• save face
• screw one's face/eyes up
• screw up one's face/eyes
• show one's face
• shut one's face
• smiley face
• stand/face trial
• stared death in the face
• stare one in the face
• stare (someone) in the face
• staring someone in the face
• straight face
• stuff one's face
• taken/accepted at face value
• the blood drained from someone's face
• the color drained from someone's face
• the face of the earth
• to someone's face
• volte-face
• wear a silly grin/smile on one's face
• whey-face
• wipe (someone or something) off the face of the earth
• wipe that smile off your face
• wipe that smirk off your face
• wipe the grin off his face
• wipe the smile off one's face
• with egg on one's face
• written all over someone's face
• you should have seen his face

Video

When Body Parts Are Also Verbs

Head, shoulders, metaphors, and toes

Kids Definition

face

1 of 2 noun

ˈfās 

1

: the front part of the head

2

a

: an expression of the face

a friendly face

b

: grimace

make a face

3

a

: outward appearance

on the face of it

b

: dignity sense 1, prestige

lose face

4

a

: a front, upper, or outer surface

the face of a cliff

b

: any of the flat surfaces that form the boundary of a solid in geometry

every cube has six faces

c

: a surface or side that is marked or specially prepared

the face of a certificate

d

: an exposed surface of rock

5

: the end (as of a mine tunnel) at which work is going on

6

: person

a lot of new faces around here

face

2 of 2 verb

faced; facing

1

a

: to line near the edge especially with a different material

face a hem

b

: to cover the front or surface of

faced the building with marble

2

: to meet face-to-face

faced the opposing team

face one's accusers

3

a

: to stand or sit with the face toward

face the class

b

: to have the front oriented toward

a house facing the park

4

a

: to recognize and deal with

face facts

b

: to oppose by confronting with determination

face down their critics

5

: to turn toward

face the east

Medical Definition

face

noun

ˈfās 

often attributive

1

a

: the front part of the human head including the chin, mouth, nose, cheeks, eyes, and usually the forehead

b

: the corresponding part of the head of a lower animal

2

: surface

especially : a front, upper, or outer surface

Legal Definition

face

noun

1

a

: outward appearance

b

: the surface or superficial reading or meaning of something (as a document or statute) that does not take into account outside information

the face of [the] deed reveals that she had two purposes in mind

—State v. Rand, 366 A.2d 183 (1976)

—often used in the phrases on its face and on the face of

is…neutral on its face but has a discriminatory effect on women

—Marcia Coyle

did not see on the face of the amendment that it was precisely directed at public as distinguished from private destruction

—O'Brien v. United States, 376 F.2d 538 (1967)

2

: the inscribed or printed side of something (as a document)

broadly : the front side of something inscribed or printed on both sides

the face of a stock certificate

3

: face value