feɪs
feɪsfront of head
1 the front part of the head between the forehead and the china pretty/round/freckled faceHe buried his face in his hands.You should have seen the look on her face when I told her!The expression on his face never changed.At that time, her face was on the covers of all the magazines.expression
2 an expression that is shown on somebody's facea sad/happy/smiling faceHer face lit up (= showed happiness) when she spoke of the past.His face fell (= showed disappointment, sadness, etc.) when he read the headlines.Sue's face was a picture (= she looked very surprised, angry, etc.) as she listened to her husband's speech.-faced
3 (in adjectives) having the type of face or expression mentionedpale-facedgrim-facedperson
4 (in compounds) used to refer to a person of the type mentionedShe looked around for a familiar face.a well-known face on our television screensIt's nice to see some new faces here this evening.I'm fed up of seeing the same old faces every time we go out!side/surface
5 a side or surface of somethingthe north face of the mountainThe birds build their nests in the rock face.Ivy covered the front face of the house.How many faces does a cube have? see also coalfacefront of clock
6 the front part of a clock or watchcharacter/aspect
7 face of something the particular character of somethingthe changing face of Britain8 face of something a particular aspect of somethingthe unacceptable face of capitalismIdioms
disappear/vanish off the face of the earth
to disappear completely
Keep looking—they can't just have vanished off the face of the earth.somebody's face doesn't fit
used to say that somebody will not get a particular job or position because they do not have the appearance, personality, etc. that the employer wants, even when this should not be important
It doesn't matter how well qualified you are, if your face doesn't fit, you don't stand a chance.somebody's face is like thunder
|somebody has a face like thunder
somebody looks very angry
face to face (with somebody)
close to and looking at somebody
The two have never met face to face before.The room fell silent as she came face to face with the man who had tried to kill her.face to face with something
in a situation where you have to accept that something is true and deal with it
She was at an early age brought face to face with the horrors of war.face up/down
1 (of a person) with your face and stomach facing upwards/downwardsShe lay face down on the bed.2 with the front part or surface facing upwards/downwardsPlace the card face up on the pile.have the face to do something
(British English, informal) to do something that other people think is rude or shows a lack of respect without feeling embarrassed or ashamedI don't know how you have the face to complain after everything they've done for you!in somebody's face
(North American English, informal) annoying somebody by criticizing them or telling them what to do all the timein the face of something
1 despite problems, difficulties, etcShe showed great courage in the face of danger.The campaign continued in the face of great opposition.2 as a result of somethingHe was unable to deny the charges in the face of new evidence.lose face
to be less respected or look stupid because of something you have done
Synonym
be humiliatedon the face of it
(informal) used to say that something seems to be good, true, etc. but that this opinion may need to be changed when you know more about itOn the face of it, it seems like a great deal.What may, on the face of it, seem obvious often turns out to be far more complicated.pull/make faces/a face (at somebody)
to produce an expression on your face to show that you do not like somebody/something or in order to make somebody laugh
What are you pulling a face at now?Do you think it's funny to make faces behind my back?put your face on
(informal) to put on make-upset your face against somebody/something
(especially British English) to be determined to oppose somebody/somethingHer father had set his face against the marriage.to somebody's face
if you say something to somebody's face, you say it to them directly rather than to other people
He's a liar, and I've told him so to his face many times. compare behind somebody's backwhat's his/her face
(informal) used to refer to a person whose name you cannot rememberAre you still working for what's her face?Idioms
see wipe somebody/something off the face of the earth at wipe verb, be written all over somebody's face at write
Usage note: Expressions on your faceTo beam is to have a big happy smile on your face.To frown is to make a serious, angry or worried expression by bringing your eyebrows closer together so that lines appear on your forehead.To glare or glower is to look in an angry, aggressive way.To grimace is to make an ugly expression with your face to show pain, disgust, etc.To scowl is to look at someone in an angry or annoyed way.To smirk is to smile in a silly or unpleasant way that shows that you are pleased with yourself, know something that other people do not know, etc.To sneer is to show that you have no respect for someone by turning your upper lip upwards.These words can also be used as nouns: She looked up with a puzzled frown. ◇ He gave me an icy glare. ◇ a grimace of pain