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Glite Dictionary
to face off

to face off

36 5.7
To begin play with two players trying to win the puck or ball when the referee drops it
  • phrasal verb
  • /feɪs ɔf/
translation icon : enfrentarse a
  • The two rival teams will face off in the championship match this Saturday.

If we're talking about fashion, we have to have her face off against the most gentle, adorable try guy, Zach Kornfeld.

Examples

  • We'll be ready to face off at the middle circle.

    Slap Shot (1977)

  • On Tuesday night, the candidates face off again in the Town Hall debate.

    Blog text (13)

  • Parents chatted in the stands as two middle school teams faced off on the field.

    Academic text (2011)

  • Penguins are facing off against the Islanders.

    She's Out of My League (2010)

  • Saturday's game marked the second time that the Irish faced off against Roseburg this season.

    Blog text (16)

  • Obama and Romney will face off for the second presidential debate Tuesday night in Hempstead, NY.

    Blog text (20)

  • The Austrian women's volleyball team will face off this weekend against Chinese Taipei in a preseason exhibition game that will test both team's new lineups.

    Weekend in Taipei (2024)

  • Viewers also watched as Team Carwin's Igor Araujo faced off against Team Nelson's Colton Smith.

    Blog text (3)

  • As the referee prepared to drop the puck, the players lined up to face off at center ice.

  • In today's game, the home team will face off against their long-time opponents.

Synonyms

to play
vsto face off
∞ 1.0

Compete against another team or player in a sport

is a specific starting action not the whole competition
to bully off
vsto face off
  • Archaic
9.8

A way to start or restart play in field hockey where two players try to get the ball

is the same action but in sports where an official drops puck or ball

Antonyms

stopped play
1 4.3

A pause in a game because of bad weather or other events

Surface Forms

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

Morphology

face + off

The verb 'face' (to confront) combined with the particle 'off' suggests opposition or confrontation, so a learner could infer a sense of facing an opponent. However, the specific sports ritual sense of starting play by a face‑off (the referee dropping the puck/ball) is specialized and not directly predictable from the constituents alone, so full understanding requires exposure.

Etymology

Face off comes from sports like hockey and lacrosse. Two players stand facing each other while the referee drops the puck or ball and they try to win control, so face off means 'to start play by competing for the puck or ball'.