face

face1 [ feıs ] noun count ***

▸ 1 front of head

▸ 2 mountain/building side

▸ 3 side of coin

▸ 4 way something looks/appears

▸ 5 one flat side of object

▸ 6 front of clock

▸ + PHRASES

1. ) the front part of your head, where your eyes, nose, and mouth are:

She wiped her face.

He had a big smile on his face.

The ball hit me in the face.

a ) the expression on someone's face, that shows how they are feeling:

Marsha came back in with a worried face.

b ) used for referring to a person:

There were a lot of famous faces at the book launch.

a familiar face (=someone you know or recognize): It was very nice to see all the familiar faces again.

a new face (=someone you did not know before): Look out for a couple of new faces in the team.

the same old faces (=the same people): It's always the same old faces at the club.

2. ) a side of a mountain or building that is high and very steep:

the north face of the Eiger

a cliff face

3. ) one side of a coin

4. ) the way that something looks or appears to people:

the face of something: players who changed the face of tennis

a ) the qualities that something such as an organization has, or wants people to think it has:

This is the new face of banking in America.

5. ) one flat side of an object such as a CUBE (=a shape with six square sides)

6. ) the front of a clock, where the numbers are:

The clock face was scratched.

face down

with the front or face toward the ground

someone's face fits

used for saying that someone is the right type of person for something

face up

with the front or face upward

from/off the face of the earth

used for emphasizing that something does not exist anywhere or cannot be found anywhere:

Steve has disappeared off the face of the earth.

get out of my face SPOKEN

used for telling someone angrily and rudely to stop annoying you or trying to get involved in what you are doing

in the face of

in a situation where you have to deal with something unpleasant or difficult:

They won in the face of stiff competition from all over the country.

lose face

to lose people's respect, especially by appearing weak or stupid:

We need to find a way to end the conflict without either side losing face.

make a face

to put a silly or rude expression on your face, or an expression that shows you dislike someone or something

on the face of the earth

used for emphasizing that something is the biggest, best, worst, etc. that could possibly exist:

He's the most expensive designer on the face of the earth.

on the face of it

used for saying that something appears to be true but might not be true when you have examined it in more detail:

There is a document that, on the face of it, confirms his right to the property.

put your face on INFORMAL

if a woman puts her face on, she puts MAKEUP on

save face

to avoid being embarrassed or losing people's respect:

This is an attempt by politicians to save face at taxpayers' expense.

set your face against something BRITISH OLD-FASHIONED

to be determined not to do or accept something

to someone's face

if you say something to someone's face, you say it to them directly

=> BLUE1, BRAVE1, EGG1, FLY1, IN-YOUR-FACE, PRETTY 2, SHOW1, STRAIGHT1 6B, WRITE

face

face 2 [ feıs ] verb ***

▸ 1 be pointing/turned to

▸ 2 deal with problem

▸ 3 accept

▸ 4 talk to someone although hard

▸ 5 have to compete against

▸ + PHRASES

1. ) transitive to be opposite someone or something so that your face or front is toward them:

The two men faced each other across the table.

I turned to face the sun.

a ) intransitive or transitive if something faces in a particular direction, its front is pointing or turned in that direction:

face onto/toward/away from: The building faces onto a busy road.

face upward/downward/inward/outward: Keep your hands by your sides with the palms facing inward.

face north/south etc.: My dining room faces north.

2. ) transitive if you face a problem or it faces you, it is likely or certain to happen and you have to deal with it:

The family is behind with the rent and now faces eviction.

How to combine a career and children is a dilemma facing many women.

be faced with/by something: The country is now faced with the prospect of war.

face doing something: Many of the shipyard workers face losing their jobs.

3. ) face or face up to transitive to accept that a bad situation exists and try to deal with it:

We have to face the reality that, so far, the treaty has had little effect.

I decided I must face up to the truth.

face (up to) the fact that: She had to face the fact that she still missed him.

a ) face facts used for saying that someone has to accept the truth, although it is unpleasant:

When are these people going to face facts?

b ) (let's) face it SPOKEN used before saying something that people might not want to accept, although it is true:

Let's face it, unless we plan ahead we are going to be in trouble.

4. ) transitive to talk to someone or deal with someone although this is difficult or embarrassing:

I'll never be able to face her again after what happened.

5. ) transitive to have to compete against a person or team:

The Bruins face the Flyers in the playoffs.

can't face something SPOKEN

to not want to do something because it is too difficult or unpleasant:

He couldn't face the housework, so he left it until the morning.

face doing something: I just can't face attending another conference.

face charges/counts (of something)

to be accused officially of committing a crime:

He appeared in court facing two counts of theft.

face the music INFORMAL

to accept punishment or criticism for something you have done wrong

,face `down phrasal verb transitive

to appear strong and confident when someone is threatening or criticizing you:

They showed they could face down the opposition.

,face `up to phrasal verb transitive

same as FACE 2 3:

He was the only one who faced up to the problem.