face
n. · v.-
1 part of the head (n.) A1 Beginner anatomythe front part of the head that has the eyes, nose, and mouth.
the anterior portion of the head in humans and animals, containing the sensory organs and features.
ExampleShe washed her face with cold water to wake herself up.
ExampleThe portrait painter focused on the subtle lines around the subject's eyes to capture the character of his face.
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2 expression (n.) A2 Elementary Informalthe look on your face that shows how you feel.
a facial expression indicating a specific emotion or state of mind.
ExampleHe made a funny face to make the baby laugh.
ExampleShe pulled a long face when she heard the news, clearly disappointed by the sudden change in plans.
- expression
- look
- grimace
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3 reputation (n.) B2 Upper Intermediatethe respect that other people have for you.
social standing, prestige, or dignity, especially in the context of avoiding embarrassment.
ExampleHe admitted his mistake quickly to avoid losing face in front of his team.
ExampleIn many cultures, the desire to save face can influence how business negotiations are conducted and how conflicts are resolved.
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4 surface of an object (n.) B1 Intermediatethe front or main surface of something, like a clock or a building.
the principal or functional surface of an object, such as a timepiece or a geometric solid.
ExampleThe face of the old clock was covered in dust.
ExampleThe climbers spent three days ascending the sheer granite face of the mountain before reaching the summit.
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5 to look toward (v.) A2 Elementaryto be positioned with the front toward a certain direction.
to be oriented or positioned such that the front is directed toward a specific location.
ExampleOur hotel room faces the ocean, so we can see the sunrise.
ExampleThe architect designed the villa so that all the main living areas face south to maximise natural light during the winter months.
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6 to deal with (v.) B1 Intermediateto accept or deal with a difficult situation.
to confront or acknowledge a difficult reality or problem that requires attention.
ExampleYou need to face your fears if you want to succeed.
ExampleThe company must face the fact that its current business model is no longer sustainable in a digital market.
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7 to have as an opponent (v.) B1 Intermediate Sportto compete against someone in a game or fight.
to encounter someone as an opponent in a sporting contest or legal battle.
ExampleThe team will face their rivals in the final match on Saturday.
ExampleThe defending champion is expected to face his toughest challenger yet in the upcoming tournament's opening round.
From Proto-Indo-European dʰeh₁-?, via Late Latin faciēs and facia, the word passed into Old French as facebor and thence to Middle English face. The Latin faciēs meant "form, appearance," a meaning preserved in its doublet facies and in the English word’s modern sense. The term displaced earlier Old English synonyms such as anwlite and ansīen, though the German Antlitz* — from the same Proto-Indo-European root — retained the notion of facial features as a distinct lexical path.
Old English alternatives included nebb ("nose") and hlēor ("cheek"), both of which merged into the broader concept of "face" in Middle English. The term vis, borrowed from Old French vis, and chere, also from Old French chere, entered the language as competing forms, though face ultimately prevailed. The semantic shift toward "reputation" in Chinese miànzi or liǎn — literal "front of the head," metaphorical "public image" — influenced English usage in the 19th century, though this remains a secondary layer over the older morphological foundations.
The word’s core meaning, inherited from Latin, survives in its modern usage. The Chinese metaphors for social standing, however, added a new dimension to the term without altering its etymological structure. This influence is noted in phrases such as "lose face," a concept absent from the Indo-European lineage but grafted onto the word’s semantic tree in the 19th century.