facing

B1 · Intermediate

v. dealing with a difficult situation or problem.

v. the present participle of 'face', used to describe the act of confronting or being forced to deal with a challenge.

“The company is facing many financial problems this year.”

“Facing an unprecedented budget deficit, the local council was forced to make difficult decisions regarding public services.”

C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Technical

n. an outer layer of stone or brick put on a wall to make it look better.

n. a layer of material applied to the surface of a wall or structure for decorative or protective purposes.

“The workers are applying a new stone facing to the front of the library.”

“The architect specified a granite facing for the ground floor to ensure the building's exterior remained durable against heavy foot traffic.”

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Technical

n. a piece of fabric sewn onto the edge of a garment to finish it or make it stronger.

n. a piece of fabric used to finish the raw edges of a garment, such as at the neckline or armhole, usually turned to the inside.

“The tailor used a silk facing for the collar of the jacket.”

“The pattern requires a contrasting facing on the cuffs to provide a subtle flash of colour when the sleeves are rolled up.”

C2 · Proficiency Plural noun Military Archaic

n. the colourful parts of a military jacket, like the collar and cuffs.

n. the trimmings of a different colour on the collar, cuffs, and lapels of a military uniform, historically used to identify different regiments.

“The soldiers wore red coats with yellow facings on their sleeves.”

“The historical museum displays several nineteenth-century infantry tunics, each distinguished by the unique colour of its facings.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate

adj. turned or positioned toward a specific direction.

adj. positioned or oriented so as to face a particular direction; often used in compound adjectives.

“The south-facing garden gets a lot of sunlight during the day.”

“The developer prioritised east-facing windows in the design to maximise the amount of natural morning light in the living areas.”