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to face

to face

∞ 1.0
To point toward something or someone
  • verb
  • /feɪs/
: orientarse hacia
  • The teacher asked the students to face the board during the lesson.
  • turn to face
  • face-to-face
  • face north

We're at Dodger Stadium and I facing, I'm facing Eric Hosmer.

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Examples

  • Face away from me, face away from me.

  • Like do you are you going to face lots of problems?

  • I think it's important to sort of face whatever it is directly.

  • And cancer patients, of course, often are facing the possibility of death.

  • The United States is facing unprecedented problems right now.

  • Two gladiators face one another.

  • And his house faces where Cuidobro is buried.

  • The student and partner can meet face-to-face or correspond electronically or by mail.

    Academic text (2013)
  • Slouched in a chair in the corner of the room, facing Tom, is Bernie Bernheim.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Meeting these friends face-to-face really solidified for me the importance of my PLN.

    Academic text (2012)

Synonyms

to look
vsto face
29 4.4

To face a particular direction and give a view of something

means the same but also covers turning toward people or things
to front
vsto face
7 4.3

To face a particular direction or place

is broader and applies to people turning toward others as well

Antonyms

∞ 1.0

Choose not to pay attention to someone or something

178 2.3

Move your body so you do not face someone or something

Idioms

193 2.3

In the same place as someone and looking at them directly

in your face
  • Informal
101 8.1

Bold and aggressive to get attention or challenge others

to face facts
  • Informal
61 4.1

Accept the truth about a difficult situation

to save face
  • Informal
31 5.3

Keep respect in front of others after making a mistake

To be very obvious and hard for someone to ignore

Move parts of your face to show dislike, pain, or to be funny

24 8.2

Act in a way that shows strong disrespect and insults someone

18 4.5

Accept and deal with unpleasant results or criticism for something you did

Openly oppose something, often against common sense or tradition

to lose face
  • Informal
16 6.6

To feel embarrassed and seem less respected in front of other people

Judging something only by what you first see without checking hidden facts

Something looks true at first but may not be

To keep going when you face serious problems

A strong feeling you can clearly see on someone's face

3 9.9

To threaten to hurt someone very badly

to pull a face
  • Informal
3 5.5

Make a face to show dislike or discomfort

Disappear completely so no one knows what happened and no sign is left

2 9.9

Hit someone's face hard so it looks damaged

2 7.6

A person who is attractive but thought to have little intelligence or real skill

Deliberately do something that hurts you more than the person you want to punish

1 9.9

To surprise someone very strongly, often in a funny way

Someone or something disappears completely so nobody knows where they are

to face Goliath
  • Informal
1 8.1

To take on a much more powerful person or group

1 7.4

Act confident and serious to hide nerves before a challenge

To keep your face looking serious and not show you are laughing

1 5.5

To talk directly to someone when they are there

1 8.2

In a job or place where the real work is done

to about-face
  • Literature
1 6.7

To change your opinion or position completely and suddenly

1 9.9

A face that looks very ugly

1 7.6

To fail badly and embarrass yourself in front of other people

A face that looks healthy and young

A face that people think is very ugly

A face so ugly that it shocks people

To fail completely and feel embarrassed in front of others

To eat a lot of food quickly

To look at your fear and act without avoiding it

A face that clearly shows success and happiness

Phrasal Verbs

to face
  • Informal
294 3.9

Speak directly to someone, not behind their back

57 2.0

With the front side turned down toward a surface

40 7.7

To accept that you will die while staying calm and brave

to face up
  • Informal
34 4.1

To accept and deal with a difficult situation directly and bravely

31 5.7

To begin play with two players trying to win the puck or ball when the referee drops it

To leave someone alone when you bother them

A plan or action that fails suddenly and causes big problems for the person who planned it

Deal with a difficult problem or situation

Accept real facts even when they are painful

Believe something is true without checking it

18 1.0

With the top side turned up so it is visible

Deal with a problem directly instead of avoiding it

11 9.9

Threaten to hit a person's face and hurt them

6 9.9

To kiss someone passionately for a long time

5 9.8

Hit someone in the face very hard to hurt them

Experience unfair treatment because of your race, gender, or religion

to face backlash
  • Literature
4 6.1

To receive strong public criticism for something you do or say

4 6.6

To suddenly change your opinion or plan to the opposite

3 6.1

To turn quickly to face the other way

To hit someone's face very hard to hurt them

To deal directly and openly with a problem

To be left out and avoided by people in your group

Experience problems that make progress harder

To get very harsh public criticism

1 8.2

To eat a lot of food very quickly

To receive harsh criticism in public

Compounds

An expression on a person's face that shows their feelings

157 2.8

Happens when people sit or stand opposite each other in the same place

The surface of the world or being anywhere in the world

55 3.2

Happens when people meet and talk in the same place

pretty face
  • Offensive
50 4.2

An attractive person who others think has nothing besides looks

43 2.0

Someone you have seen before and can easily recognize

face value
  • Specialized
40 4.4

A number printed on a ticket, coin, or bond that shows its official worth

37 3.9

A face that shows no feeling, often to avoid laughing

22 5.3

A tense meeting between two people or groups on opposite sides

game face
  • Informal
18 6.5

A serious, focused look people make before a challenge

poker face
  • Informal
18 4.8

A face that shows no feeling so others cannot tell what you feel

face time
  • Jargon
17 4.0

Time spent in the same place with the people you work with

16 3.5

A face that makes someone look younger and more innocent than they are

face lift
  • Specialized
15 4.4

Surgery that tightens the skin on the face and removes extra tissue to make someone look younger

in-your-face
  • Informal
15 8.4

Very bold and rude in a way that forces people to notice

12 4.0

A small change to the look of something to make it more modern or attractive

about-face
  • Literature
12 7.3

A sudden, complete change of direction or opinion

9 5.1

A round, chubby face with full cheeks

7 1.3

A cream you put on your face to keep the skin soft and not dry

7 1.4

A covering worn over the nose and mouth to protect against dust, germs, or pollution

7 2.7

A cream, clay, or sheet put on the face to make skin look better

6 5.2

A way to start play in ice hockey when a referee drops the puck between two players

5 3.8

A cosmetic update to a building or place that makes it look newer

face recognition
  • Specialized
5 3.1

A computer system that identifies a person by comparing their face with saved photos

3 2.8

A playing card with a picture of a king, queen, or jack

pig face
  • Informal
3 9.3

A silly face that looks like a pig to make people laugh

face lifting
  • Specialized
3 5.1

Surgery that removes loose skin and tightens the face to look younger

A piece of bread with toppings and no top slice

1 1.8

A protective covering worn over the face in sports to prevent injury

The skill of seeing a face and knowing who the person is

1 6.0

An action to help someone avoid embarrassment

1 2.1

A flat surface on a clock that shows the hours and minutes with numbers and hands

1 3.0

A fine powder that you put on your face to make skin look smooth and less shiny

1 7.2

A mask worn to hide the face at a costume party

1 6.3

A thin cloth worn to partly cover the face, often for religious or cultural reasons

1 6.1

A twisted look that shows dislike, annoyance, or slight amusement

1 1.0

A small soft towel you use to wash your face or body

1 3.9

A set of metal bars attached to the front of a football helmet that protects the player's face

resting bitch face
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A calm face that looks unfriendly or annoyed without meaning to

1 1.6

A mild product used to wash the skin on your face

crater face
  • Slang
1 9.8

A face with deep scars or small holes caused by severe acne

hog-face
  • Informal
1 9.9

An exaggerated face people make to show disgust or disapproval

face time
  • Texting
1 3.5

A live video meeting with one or more people

face diaper
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A slang, often rude, name for a mask people wear over their mouth and nose

1 9.6

A sudden complete change of opinion or plan

face saver
  • Informal
1 5.8

Something that helps a person avoid embarrassment or loss of respect

1 1.0

A small towel used to dry the face or hands

1 7.1

The place where work is done and real problems happen

face fungus
  • Slang
1 8.8

Hair that people grow near the mouth and chin, like a beard

1 7.9

A check to see if you can keep a serious face when something is funny

1 5.5

A person who looks attractive on television

face pack
  • Indian
1 3.4

A cream or mask you put on the face to clean and improve the skin

pudding face
  • Offensive
1 8.7

A large round face that looks soft and full

punchable face
  • Offensive
1 9.1

A face that makes people want to hit the person

red face test
  • Informal
1 8.1

A way to see if someone looks embarrassed because they blush

1 9.9

A face with a chin that sticks out

stone-face
  • South African
1 9.9

A small plant with thick leaves that looks like a stone and has yellow or white flowers

face angle
  • Specialized
1 7.5

The turn between two edges that meet at a corner on a flat side of a 3D shape

1 3.9

Computer systems check who a person is by scanning their face

rich face
  • Literature
1 9.9

A face that shows strong character and deep feeling

ewwy face
  • Baby Talk
9.9

A face showing disgust when something tastes or smells bad

face lifting
  • Specialized
4.8

App that edits a person's face in photos to look younger

A company that sells certificates and promises to pay a fixed amount on a set date

mayonnaise face
  • Offensive
9.9

A person whose face looks very pale and unhealthy

goo-goo face
  • Baby Talk
9.9

A silly loving face people make to amuse or show love to a baby

pudding-face
  • Offensive
9.9

A round soft face that looks full and chubby

soyjak face
  • Slang
9.9

A cartoon face with an open mouth and wide eyes used in internet memes to show real or fake excitement

How Direct

to confront
336 4.1
to front
8 4.4
to challenge
  • Formal
433 4.3
to face
∞ 1.0
to meet
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

face infinitive
faced past
faced past participle
facing present participle
faces third person singular

Etymology

The verb face comes from the idea of turning your 'face' toward something (Latin facies 'appearance'), so to face a view or person is to be turned toward it. That's why a window that faces the sea looks in that direction.