face1 nounface2 verb
faceface1 /feɪs/ ●●● S1 W1 noun [countable] 
WORD ORIGINface1
Origin:
1200-1300 Old French, Latin facies ‘form, face’, from facere ‘to make’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- I could see the children's happy faces.
- Jodi has such a pretty face.
- One of the faces of the cube has a line across it.
- One of the victims had scratches all over his face.
- The cliff face was starting to crumble into the sea.
- There were many unsuccessful attempts to climb the North Face of Mount Everest.
- We climbed the north face of Mount Rainier.
- Breeze looked up, meaning to expostulate, but was silenced by what she saw in her sister's face.
- His face was a mask, friendly, but in an impersonal way.
- His face was like wax and his eyes stared like a doll's.
- I kissed her face, which was moist and feverish.
- I want to see dozens and dozens of strange faces.
- It's weird, but when she's asleep she looks real young, even though her face is all puffy.
- She is one of the many faces of poverty; she is one of the many faces of the welfare system.
THESAURUS
a look on someone’s face that shows what they are thinking or feeling: · His expression became more serious as he listened to her story.· She had a contented expression.· He has a very different expression in the next picture.
an expression – used especially with adjectives that describe the expression. Look sounds less formal than expression: · She had a sad look on her face.· With a look of relief, he handed her the baby.· What’s that look for?· She gave me a dirty look (=a look that showed she was angry).
used when talking about someone’s expression, especially in the following phrases: · You should have seen his face!· Look at my face. Am I bothered?· The boys were making faces (=making strange, silly, or rude expressions which show that you dislike someone)through the window.
Longman Language Activatorashamed someone who is ashamed feels very sorry about something they have done or embarrassed by something relating to them, so that they think people may no longer respect them: · I didn't want anyone to know I'd been fired because I felt ashamed.ashamed of: · She was so ashamed of cheating on the test that she went and told the teacher.· For a long time I was ashamed of my father and the fact he never finished school.ashamed about: · There's nothing to be ashamed about - lots of people have money problems.ashamed (that): · I realize now that you were telling the truth, and I'm ashamed that I didn't believe you.ashamed to do something: · She really needed me but - I'm ashamed to admit it - I didn't help her.ashamed of yourself: · You ought to be ashamed of yourself - coming home drunk like that!bitterly/deeply ashamed: · The knowledge that I had caused him to lose his job made me bitterly ashamed.
feeling very ashamed and upset, especially because you have been made to look weak or stupid and you think that no one will respect you: · Ross yelled at me in front of the whole office - I've never been so humiliated in my life!· Many women who have been assaulted feel too frightened and humiliated to report their ordeal.
to be so ashamed about something you have done to someone that you find it difficult to be with them or talk to them: · I'm so embarrassed - I'll never be able to look her in the face again.· After the layoffs were announced, I couldn't look any of the people on the shop floor in the face.
showing in the expression on your face that you are ashamed about something and you know you have behaved badly: · He came to my office, shamefaced, to apologize.· A shamefaced spokesperson admitted that mistakes had been made.
to look ashamed: · He bowed his head in shame as the details of his arrest were read out in court.
spoken use this to tell someone that they should feel shame because of something they have done: · Shame on you for lying to your grandmother!
the feeling of being ashamed the feeling that you have when you know that you have behaved badly or that you have lost other people's respect: · She remembered her angry words with a deep sense of shame.· "Please don't tell my dad about this," he said, blushing with shame.shame of: · She never overcame the shame of having abandoned her children.in shame: · Following the scandal, Garrison resigned in shame.
when you have completely lost other people's respect because of something bad you have done: · While the father was in jail, the whole family suffered his disgrace.disgrace of: · Garton killed himself because he could not bear the disgrace of a public scandal.in disgrace: · Browne was caught using drugs, and was sent home from the private school in disgrace.
a situation in which you are made to look weak or stupid that makes you ashamed and upset: · Her attackers seemed to take special pleasure in her humiliation.humiliation of: · What really upset me was the humiliation of having to ask her for money.public humiliation: · The Senator's public humiliation is almost punishment enough for what he did.
a situation in which you feel that you have no pride or self-respect, because people treat you as if you were completely unimportant: · He suffered insult and indignity in silence.· Being accused of theft was just one of the indignities I suffered under my last employer.indignity of: · I had to endure the indignity of being strip-searched for drugs.
to lose other people's respect for you, especially by doing something that makes you look weak, immoral, or stupid: · The leaders need to find a way of compromising without losing face among their supporters.· Rather than giving in and losing face, she carried on her needless quarrel with her father.
a strong feeling of being hated by society and being ashamed because of your situation or your actions: · Even when someone has been found innocent of a crime, the stigma often remains.stigma of: · At first I found the stigma of being unemployed very difficult to cope with.a stigma attached to something: · In many countries there is still a strong social stigma attached to homosexuality.
when someone accidentally falls from a standing position to accidentally fall from a standing position: · She was going up the stairs when she fell.· George held on tightly, afraid that he might fall.fall down the stairs/steps etc: · There was concern for the Queen Mother yesterday after she fell down a short flight of steps at the airport.
to fall onto the ground from a standing position: · Ben fell down and scraped his knee.· Beginning skiers can expect to fall down a lot.· The pavement was slippery and it was easy to fall over.
British if someone, especially an old person, has a fall , they fall and hurt themselves: · My neighbour has had a fall and broken a rib.· Grandma had a bad fall in the snow that winter.
to fall quickly down a slope or down stairs, rolling over and over and unable to stop: tumble down/off/into etc: · She tumbled down the stairs and landed in a heap at the bottom.· A bus veered off the road and tumbled down the hill into the river below.
to fall over suddenly so that you are lying on your front on the ground, especially in a way that makes you look funny: · She fell flat on her face getting out of the car.· The last time I wore high-heeled shoes I fell flat on my face outside a restaurant.
to fall suddenly and heavily onto the ground, into a chair etc, because of tiredness, illness, or injury: · One of the horses collapsed from exhaustion after the race.collapse on: · Cohen was hospitalized after he collapsed on the floor and briefly lost consciousness.collapse into: · Milligan collapsed into a chair, sighing deeply.
to suddenly fall to the ground, because you are ill or have had a shock: · She'd been complaining of a headache all morning, and suddenly she just keeled over.· Carson keeled over and died in front of the nightclub after taking a number of illegal drugs.
to fall forward with so much force that you roll over: · She slipped on the polished floor and went head over heels.· Shelly's horse stepped into soft sand and went down, horse and rider going head over heels in a cloud of dust.
to harm yourself by your own actions: only harm yourself · They'll only harm themselves if they decide to leave the association.· By making the complaint the only person he harmed was himself.
to behave in a way that is certain to cause you harm, especially because of pride or anger: · It would be silly to give up your job now -- you'd just be cutting your own throat.
to continuously behave in a stupid way that results in you being harmed: · My mother was her own worst enemy. She knew she was ill but she did nothing to help herself.· Many drivers are their own worst enemy -- driving too close, driving too fast, all the usual faults.
to stupidly do something that seriously harms you, especially by saying something stupid or making plans that go badly wrong: · Once again, the government has shot itself in the foot -- this time by reducing widows' pensions.
to deliberately not do something that would make an unpleasant situation better for you, because you are too angry or proud to do it: · If you love him, ask him to stay. Otherwise you'll be cutting off your nose to spite your face.
to hide your feelings to deliberately not show what you are feeling or thinking: · He hides his real feelings under that big smile.· "That's OK," she said, trying to hide her disappointment.hide something from somebody: · I tried to hide my anxiety from the rest of the family by pretending that everything was normal.
to not show in your face, voice, or movements what you really think or feel: · If she was surprised, she didn't show it.· My husband never shows emotion, so I never know if he's upset.
formal to hide your feelings or intentions especially when you have to make an effort to do this: · Kim could barely conceal her annoyance that I had arrived so late.· I yawned, not bothering to conceal my boredom.conceal something from somebody: · Hawkins was incapable of concealing how he felt from his close friends.
to avoid showing your true feelings or intentions by pretending to feel something else: · Kate gave a cheerful smile, somehow managing to disguise her embarrassment.· "That's great!" she cried, unable to disguise her excitement.· He often masked his feelings of guilt by becoming angry at the people he had wronged.
to not allow yourself to show your feelings, especially if you are angry, worried, or upset - use this especially when you think it would be better for someone to show their feelings so they can be dealt with: bottle something up: · It's not healthy to bottle all your feelings up like that.· The anger that he had bottled up inside him finally exploded.keep something bottled up: · She wanted to cry but she kept it bottled up inside.
formal to not allow yourself to feel or show strong feelings such as anger, sadness, or love, especially when you have difficulty controlling these feelings: · She had had to suppress her feelings for George throughout his long marriage to her friend.· Finally Glen could suppress his anger no longer and he lashed out at his mother.
formal to deliberately stop yourself from having or expressing particular feelings, especially because you are ashamed of them, in a way that may have harmful mental effects: · Individuals who repress their sexual desires often suffer from psychological problems.· Denying or repressing sorrow often seems the easiest way out when confronted with death.
to pretend that you are happy or confident when in fact you are very upset about something but you do not want to show this: · When she lost her job she put on a brave face and said it didn't matter.· Most of his teammates put up a brave front when they talked about his departure.put on a brave face/put up a brave front on: · The speech was given to put a brave face on the president's declining popularity.
to stop yourself laughing if you try to keep a straight face , you try not to laugh or smile, because it would be rude to laugh, or you do not want someone to know you are joking: · When reading some of the competition entries, it was hard to keep a straight face.· "I think I've lost that camera you lent me," I said, trying to keep a straight face.with a straight face: · With a completely straight face, Thomas announced he was joining the Girl Guides.
to stop looking at someone or something to turn your eyes away from something that you were looking at: · The accident scene was so horrible that I had to look away.· The minute he looked away, I crumpled the piece of paper and shoved it in my coat pocket.look away from: · She looked away from him, unable to tell him the truth
to stop looking at something and turn your face upwards, in order to see someone or talk to them: · There was a loud bang outside the classroom, and we all looked up.look up from: · "Goodbye, then," she said, without even looking up from her book.
also look round British to turn your eyes away from what you were looking at and start to look at what is around you: · Alan put down his newspaper and looked around, "What was that noise?"· The speaker finished her speech and looked round to see if there were any questions.
to stop looking at someone or something by turning your face in another direction, especially because you are embarrassed or upset: · He burped loudly, and she turned her face away in disgust.turn your face away from: · Turning his face away from her, Glen began to cry.
formal to deliberately turn your eyes away from what you are looking at, because you do not want to look at it any longer: · The two averted their eyes as they passed each other in the hall.· When Celia dropped her robe, Richard averted his gaze and stepped back awkwardly.
extremely obvious and impossible not to notice: unmistakable sight/sound/smell etc · The secretary of state said the measures are designed to send the regime a clear and unmistakable signal.· the unmistakable sounds of mariachi music
informal so obvious that it is impossible not to notice: · The reason she stopped smoking is perfectly obvious: she's pregnant.· a blindingly obvious mistake
if you say that a fact speaks for itself , you mean it shows that something is so obviously good or obviously bad that you do not need to tell people how good or bad it is: · The quality of our products speaks for itself.· The fact that so many parents refuse to send their children to the school speaks for itself.
formal facts, ideas etc that are self-evident are obvious and true, although some people may not accept them or know about them: · The facts in this case are self-evident and cannot be denied.· self-evident truthsit is self-evident that: · It is self-evident to most people that the government is under no obligation to finance the arts.
British informal you say it sticks or stands out a mile when you think that someone's character, feelings, or background are obvious: · I'm absolutely sure he's a retired army officer. It sticks out a mile.· You can see he's desperately jealous. It stands out a mile.
you say it sticks or stands out like a sore thumb when something looks very different from everything around it: · I'm not going to the party dressed like this - I'd stick out like a sore thumb.
you say that you only have to look at something, read something etc when you think something is so obvious that anybody will notice it: · You only have to look at Turner's later oil paintings to see what a genius he was.· You just have to look at family photos from that time to see that there was a lot of sadness and bitterness over my parents' divorce.
if you say that a fact or feeling is written all over someone's face you mean that you can see, just by looking at the expression on their face, that it is true: · You're in love with him. It's written all over your face.· When Joey opened the package and saw that it wasn't a fire engine, the disappointment was written all over his face.
you say you can't miss it when you are giving someone directions to a place that is very easy to find or notice: · Their house is on the left. It has a pink door. You can't miss it.
if something such as a solution to a problem is staring you in the face , it is very obvious - use this especially when someone does not notice or realize something even though it is very obvious: · The solution was staring me in the face.· The answer had been staring him in the face for months.
to be opposite something or someone something that is opposite something else is facing it, for example on the other side of the street or on the other side of a table. In American English this is not used as an adverb: · The bathroom is opposite the bedroom.· When you get off the bus, you'll see a grocery store on the opposite side of the street.directly opposite (=exactly opposite): · The entrance to the park is directly opposite our house.diagonally opposite (=opposite and to one side): · Diagonally opposite the stove is a large stone sink.the house/chair/man etc opposite: · Pointing to the chair opposite, he said "Come and talk to me for a while."sit/stand etc opposite: · There was a thin dark woman sitting opposite me.live opposite (=to live in the opposite house): · The only contact she has is with the woman who lives opposite.
if one person, building, seat etc faces another, they are opposite each other, and each has their front towards the other: · Courtney's apartment faces the harbour.· The seat facing mine was empty.· They stood facing each other for a few minutes.
: across the street/road/river/table etc opposite from where you are, and on the other side of the street, road etc: · She lives across the road.· The prisoners' cells faced each other across an aisle.across the street/road etc from somebody/something: · Bill sat down across the desk from him.· Across the street from where we were standing was a little park.across from (=across the road from a place): · There's a hotel across from the station where we can go.
if two people are face to face , they are very close to and facing each other: sit/stand face to face: · We sat face to face across a narrow table.· They stood face to face, each struggling to control his temper.come face to face with somebody (=suddenly and unexpectedly face someone): · Turning the corner I came face to face with a security guard.
on the opposite side of something: · If you look across the lake, you can see Donald's house on the other side.on the other side of: · You can park on the other side of the road.· There was a little boat moored on the other side of the river.
when you meet or talk to someone directly if you meet or talk to someone personally or in person , you do it by going somewhere yourself, instead of writing, telephoning, or asking someone else to do it: · We thought we'd pay you a visit, as we would like to thank you personally for all your help.· If this is your first passport, you must apply in person, bringing with you proof of U.S. citizenship.· The author of the book had not personally met with the publishers before its publication.
if you meet or talk to someone face to face , you are in the same place as them and looking directly at them: · The senator cannot meet every voter face to face, but he is certainly doing his best.come face to face with (=meet someone personally, especially when you do not want to): · Victims who go to court dread coming face to face with their attacker again.· I stuck my head out of my tent, and came face to face with a cow.
if you say something to somebody's face , especially something unkind or critical, you say it directly to them, instead of to other people: say something to somebody's face: · If she doesn't like my work, I wish she'd say so to my face.tell somebody (something) to their face: · I didn't love him anymore, but I couldn't bring myself to tell him to his face.
informal if you meet or see someone in the flesh , you are in the same place as them, rather than seeing them on television or in a film - use this especially about well-known people: · I saw her outside the TV studios - she looks much older in the flesh.· Michael Jordan was my hero, and meeting him in the flesh was a real thrill.
ways of saying what seems to be happening, if a person, place, or situation is pleasant, normal, calm etc on the surface , they seem that way until you know them better: · On the surface, life seemed normal in Beirut at that time.· Mike was very pleasant on the surface, but he had a nasty temper.
if someone is outwardly calm, happy etc, that is how they seem to be, but in fact they are probably nervous, unhappy etc: · Outwardly she seemed contented and happy with life.outwardly calm/unconcerned etc: · Henry remained calm and outwardly unaffected by the terrible events of the previous day.
use this when something seems to be true about someone or something especially when it is not true: · To all appearances, they were a happily married couple.
use this to say that something seems true, you mean that it seems true, but you are not at all certain that it actually is, because you do not know all the facts: · On the face of it, this seems like a perfectly good idea -- we must wait and see if it turns out well.· On the face of it, he appeared to be an ideal candidate for the position.
: seemingly impossible/endless/unimportant etc seeming to be impossible, endless, unimportant etc, especially when this is not actually true: · Running a mile in under 4 minutes was a seemingly impossible task.· I looked down at the seemingly endless expanse of green of the Serengeti Plain.· The music was strange, seemingly without a melody.
apparent abilities, feelings, or attitudes seem to be real, but you cannot be sure if they are: · She was upset by her father-in-law's apparent dislike of her.· What shocked me was the parents' apparent lack of interest in their child.
formal seeming to be true about someone's feelings, attitudes, or abilities: · I wondered about Richard's seeming reluctance to talk about his family.· The professor became frustrated by his students' seeming inability to understand simple questions.
feelings, attitudes, or qualities that are superficial are not real or true, even though someone or something seems to have them: · The people are friendly, but only in a superficial way.· The landscape bore a superficial resemblance to England's green and pleasant land, and each house had a small suburban garden.
to look serious when you are joking to stop yourself from laughing or smiling when you are joking or when you think something is funny: · Barbara tried to keep a straight face, but in the end she just couldn't help laughing.· He looked so ridiculous -- I don't know how I managed to keep a straight face.
if you say something straightfaced , you do not show by your expression that it is just a joke and is not really true: · Lea told him, completely straightfaced, that sunglasses are called moonglasses in Canada.
if you do or say something funny in a deadpan way, you deliberately do or say it without smiling or laughing: · Laurel and Hardy played all their great comic roles completely deadpan.· the deadpan humour of TV comic Paul Merton· His tone was completely deadpan, and it was difficult to tell if he was joking or not.
to smile to make your mouth curve upwards, as a sign that you are happy or amused or that you want to be friendly: · She smiled and said, "Good morning.''· Kathy couldn't help smiling as the children came back into the room.· 'Stop worrying, you look very nice,' she smiled reassuringly. (=said with a smile)· My father rarely smiled.smile at: · The twins turned and smiled at each other, sharing a private joke.· He winked, and she smiled back at him.smile broadly (=smile with your mouth very wide): · She smiled broadly when her name was called.make somebody smile: · He can make people smile just by walking into a room.
to give a big happy smile: · Grinning shyly, he offered her a drink.· 'I've been a complete idiot', grinned Ian. (=said with a grin)grin broadly (=grin with your mouth very wide): · She sat back down again, grinning broadly.grin at: · She kept grinning at me as if we were old friends.grin from ear to ear informal (=to grin a lot because you are very happy): · She was holding the baby, and grinning from ear to ear.
to smile for a long time, especially because you are very pleased about or proud of something or someone: · Her parents stood there beaming as she went up to receive the prize.beam at: · After the song was over, Miss Timms beamed at the class.beam with pleasure/pride etc: · Daddy sat in the first pew, beaming with pride.· Just a short time before, they had been beaming with optimism.
if someone's face lights up , they suddenly look happy, for example because they have received some good news: · He gave her the letter and watched as her face lit up.· The moment she walked into the room, Bob's face lit up.
to suddenly start smiling: · All at once she broke into a smile as she remembered what had happened.· She broke into a grin, and started to run towards me.· "We're going to have a visitor,'' said her mother, and Anna's face broke into a smile at the thought.
to be very happy, smile a lot, and be friendly toward other people, especially because a situation is the way you want it: · I don't understand it -- he was all smiles this morning and now he won't talk to me.
to try hard to smile when you do not feel happy: · "I'm getting married,'' he said. Somehow I managed to force a smile.· Alice forced a smile, hoping it looked natural.
the outside part of an object · The plant has light green leaves with silver marks on their upper surfaces.· When using glue, make sure both surfaces are completely clean.· Half-empty glasses covered every flat surface in the room.surface of · Exfoliators remove dead cells from the surface of your skin.work surface (=a surface for preparing food etc) · In a kitchen all work surfaces should be kept spotlessly clean.
one of the flat or upright surfaces of something such as a box, a piece of paper, or a shape with straight edges: · A cube has six sides.side of: · Please use both sides of the paper to write your answers.· The word FRAGILE was written on every side of the box in big, red letters.· I'll paint the other side of the fence after lunch.
one of the large steep sides of something such as a mountain, or one of the outside surfaces of a cube, a diamond etc: face of: · There were many unsuccessful attempts to climb the North Face of Mount Everest.· One of the faces of the cube has a line across it.cliff/rock face: · The cliff face was starting to crumble into the sea.
the flat upper surface of an object: · This jewellery box would be worth a lot of money if the top wasn't chipped.· a dressing-table with a glass toptop of: · The top of the piano was covered with a lace cloth.
when it is useless to try to persuade someone also might as well talk to a brick wall British spoken use this to say that it is useless to try to persuade someone or argue with them, because they will not listen to what you are saying: · I wouldn't bother arguing with Francis -- it's like talking to a brick wall.· I told you I don't want to go out again tonight -- honestly, I might just as well talk to a brick wall!
spoken use this to tell someone that there is no point in trying to argue with someone or persuade them about something because they will not change their opinion: · It's no good trying to make Kit change her mind -- you'd just be wasting your breath.· He's wasting his breath. There's no way they're going to lend him the money.
spoken if you talk, argue etc with someone till you're blue in the face , you talk or argue with them for a very long time when it is pointless to do this because they will not listen or understand: · You can argue till you're blue in the face, but it won't do you any good.· Politicians can claim until they are blue in the face that students have never had it so good, but the fact is, they cannot justify those claims.
WORD SETSAD, advance, verbafter, prepositionafternoon, nounalarm, nounalarm clock, nouna.m., Anno Domini, annual, adjectiveApril, nounAsh Wednesday, nounAug., August, nounautumn, nounautumnal, adjectivebank holiday, nounBC, BCE, biannual, adjectivebicentenary, nounbicentennial, nounbiennial, adjectivebimonthly, adjectivebirthday, nounbiweekly, adjectivebonfire night, nounBoxing Day, nounBritish Summer Time, nounBST, nouncalendar, nouncalendar month, nouncalendar year, nouncarriage clock, nouncentenary, nouncentury, nounChristmas, nounChristmas Day, nounChristmas Eve, nounChristmastime, nounchronograph, nounchronological, adjectivechronometer, nouncircadian, adjectiveclock, nouncrystal, nouncuckoo clock, nouncycle, nouncyclic, adjectivedaily, adjectivedaily, adverbdate, noundate, verbdawn, nounday, nounDec., decade, nounDecember, noundiamond anniversary, noundiamond jubilee, noundinnertime, noundiurnal, adjectived.o.b., due date, noundusk, nounface, nounFather's Day, nounfeast, nounFebruary, nounfortnightly, adjectiveFourth of July, the, Fri., Friday, nounGood Friday, nounGreenwich Mean Time, nounGregorian calendar, nounguy, nounGuy Fawkes Night, nounhalf-hourly, adjectivehalf-yearly, adjectiveHalloween, nounhand, nounHanukkah, nounharvest festival, nounHogmanay, nounhorn, nounhour, nounhourglass, nounhour hand, nounhr, Independence Day, nounJan., January, nounjubilee, nounJuly, nounJune, nounLabor Day, nounleap year, nounlunar month, nounmainspring, nounman-hour, nounMar., March, nounMardi Gras, nounmarket day, nounMaundy Thursday, nounMay, nounMay Day, nounMichaelmas, nounmidday, nounmiddle age, nounmiddle-aged, adjectivemidnight, nounMidsummer Day, nounmidweek, adjectivemillennium, nounmin., minute hand, nounMon., Monday, nounmonth, nounmorn, nounmorning, nounMothering Sunday, nounMother's Day, nounmovable feast, nounnew moon, nounNew Year, nounNew Year's Day, nounNew Year's Eve, nounnight, nounnightfall, nounnighttime, nounnocturnal, adjectiveNoel, nounnoon, nounnoonday, adjectiveNov., November, nounOct., October, nounp.a., Pancake Day, nounPDT, penultimate, adjectiveper annum, adverbper diem, adverbperiodic, adjectivep.m., PST, public holiday, nounquarter, nounquotidian, adjectiveRemembrance Day, nounSat., Saturday, nounschoolday, nounseason, nounsecond, nounsecond hand, nounself-winding, adjectiveSeptember, nounshockproof, adjectivesilver anniversary, nounsilver jubilee, nounsilver wedding anniversary, nounsolar year, nounsolstice, nounspring, nounspringtime, nounstandard time, nounstopwatch, nounsummer, nounsummer solstice, nounsummertime, nounsummery, adjectiveSun., Sunday, nounsundown, nounsunrise, nounsunset, nounsun-up, nountercentenary, nounThanksgiving, nounthirty, numberThursday, nountime, nountime, verbtimepiece, nountimer, nountime signal, nountime warp, nountime zone, nountoday, adverbtoday, nountomorrow, adverbtomorrow, nountonight, adverbtonight, nountriennial, adjectiveTuesday, nountwilight, nounWed., Wednesday, nounweek, nounweekday, nounweekend, nounweekly, adjectiveweeknight, nounWhit, nounWhitsun, nounwinter, nounwintertime, nounwk., wristwatch, nounyear, nounyesterday, adverbyr., Yule, nounYuletide, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY Meanings 1 & 2adjectives
his courage in the face of adversity Zoe looked at me with a blank expression. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. Ken fell asleep face down (=with his face towards the ground) on the couch. The body was lying face downwards (=with the front of the body on the floor). A million people are facing famine. Hold on. Let me just fix my face (=put on make-up) before we go out. He’s someone who never forgets a face (=forgets who someone is). a foxy face clothes for the fuller figure The police are trying to tackle car crime head-on. Her impassive face showed no reaction at all. There was a scuffle and he kicked me in the stomach. In the final he will meet his old nemesis, Roger Federer. Stand with your elbows pointing outwards. He sat stiffly, with a pained expression on his face. an elderly pale-faced woman She was powdering her face. a woman with dark hair and a sallow complexion Talk like that and I’ll give you a smack in the mouth. ‘I knew I’d win,’ she said with a smug smile. Eliza was tall and thin, with a rather sour face. a sour-faced old man Tony stared at me in stony-faced silence. I told him straight to his face (=speaking directly to him) what I thought of him. I found it very difficult to keep a straight face. Could you turn your chairs to face this way? He smiled down into her upturned face.
· Her face was beautiful in the morning light.
· Her face was round and jolly.
· Tears rolled down her thin face.
· His face suddenly became pale and I thought he was going to faint.
(=so thin that you can see the bones)· She stared at his dark, angular face.
· Maggie looked at him with a sad face.
· Shelley looked at the children’s happy faces.
· He looked down at the boy’s grinning face.
· Beth’s angry face stared fiercely at her husband.
· My father watched us go with a worried face.
· He looked at his son’s puzzled face.
(=showing no emotion or thoughts)· What was she really thinking behind that blank face?
(=with a lot of small lines, especially because of old age)· His wrinkled face must once have been handsome.
(=showing that you are not pleased about something)· He looked around and saw his boss's scowling face behind him.
(=an unhappy expression)· What’s the long face for?
verbs (=becomes red)· His face went red with embarrassment.
(=becomes pale)· I saw her face go pale when he walked in.
(=they start to look happy)· Denise’s face lit up when she heard the news.
(=they start to look angry or threatening)· She handed him the letter and his face darkened.
(=they look sad or disappointed)· Her face fell when she saw who it was.
(=to change your expression to make people laugh or to show you are angry, disappointed etc)· Here’s a funny photo of Joe pulling a face.
(=someone’s face is twisted out of its normal shape because they are angry)· Eve’s face was contorted with anger as she picked up the broken vase.
phrases· She had a rather surprised look on her face.· I could tell by the look on Dan’s face that he was disappointed.
· There was a mischievous grin on her face.· He was reading the newspaper with a frown on his face.
(=you know what someone is feeling from the expression on their face)· She could see the despair in his face.
(=their feelings can be seen very clearly in their expression)· You’re jealous – it’s written all over your face!
(=used to say that someone was very angry, surprised etc)· You should have seen his face when I told him that I was resigning.
(=a very angry expression)· The boss had a face like thunder when he arrived this morning.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES (=have an accusation made about you)· The police faced accusations of using excessive force.
· The council demanded that we remove the posters, or face legal action.
his courage in the face of adversity· He faced a four-year ban after failing a drugs test.
· Paul faces a frantic battle to be fit for the match in November.
(=have a lot to pay on a bill)· They were facing a mounting legal bill.
Zoe looked at me with a blank expression. (=have to deal with one)· The company still faces some challenges.
(=have been charged with a crime)· A farmer is facing charges of cruelty and neglect.
· He was faced with a difficult choice.
(=a steep surface or side of a cliff)· Some climbers were scrambling up the steep cliff face.
(=the front part that you look at)· I couldn’t see the clock face from where I was sitting.
· Website designers face increasing competition.
(=in a situation where you are competing to be successful)· They won the contract in the face of tough competition.
(=accept the bad results of something you have done)· He broke the law, and he will have to face the consequences.
(=talking to someone who is with you)· Certain types of jobs do not need face-to-face contact.
· Many families are facing a debt crisis.
· He has often faced criticism in the local press.
He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her.· Today’s police officers face danger every day.
(=be likely to be defeated)· In May 1945 Germany faced defeat at the hands of the Allies.
· The party is facing a deficit of £1.3million for this year, so it must find ways of cutting its costs.
(=be likely to experience them)· Commuters face long delays as a result of the rail strikes.
· The hotel’s owners were facing financial difficulties.
· Women may still be faced with the dilemma of choosing between jobs and families.
· The men were facing the direction from which they expected the attack.
· Government figures suggest that ethnic minorities face discrimination looking for jobs.
Ken fell asleep face down (=with his face towards the ground) on the couch. The body was lying face downwards (=with the front of the body on the floor). (=be due to be killed)· He is facing execution after being found guilty of murdering three women.
· He had a very serious expression on his face.
· I could tell by the expression on her face that she was angry.
(=be likely to stop existing soon)· The red squirrel faces extinction in England and Wales unless conservation measures are taken.
A million people are facing famine. Hold on. Let me just fix my face (=put on make-up) before we go out. He’s someone who never forgets a face (=forgets who someone is). a foxy face clothes for the fuller figure· Many pensioners face a bleak future.
· He looked at Sarah, a big grin on his face.
(=will be affected by a difficult or painful situation)· One in four families in Britain is facing financial hardship.
The police are trying to tackle car crime head-on. Her impassive face showed no reaction at all. (=in which people meet in person)· I had to do a face-to-face interview followed by an entry test.
(=accept that an issue exists and deal with it)· Politicians seem to be reluctant to face the issue.
There was a scuffle and he kicked me in the stomach.· He leaned back in his chair and laughed till the tears ran down his face.
(=stop having as much respect from other people) A settlement was reached in which neither side lost face.
A settlement was reached in which neither side lost face.· There are many problems facing our nation.
In the final he will meet his old nemesis, Roger Federer. (=have to deal with an obstacle)· The investigation has faced numerous obstacles.
· The team were facing their final opponent of the season.
(=experience opposition that has to be dealt with)· The proposal faced opposition from road safety campaigners.
· He faced the ordeal of caring for his dying wife.
Stand with your elbows pointing outwards.· See the diagram on the opposite page.
He sat stiffly, with a pained expression on his face. an elderly pale-faced woman· He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment.
(=very clear)
She was powdering her face.· Terrorism is possibly the most important problem facing western countries.
· The owners of a golf course are facing prosecution for blocking footpaths.
· Now they face the prospect of unemployment.
· His face went purple with rage.
· Mike's usually calm face was contorted with rage.
(=accept it)· It's painful, but you have to face reality.
· Up to 300 leather factory workers are facing redundancy.
· The dominant male faces the risk that adult males from the group will attack him.
· Many shopkeepers are facing ruin.
a woman with dark hair and a sallow complexion (=be likely to receive a sentence)· He faces a long prison sentence if he is caught.
(=be likely to suffer a shortage)· The refugees face desperate shortages of food and water.
Talk like that and I’ll give you a smack in the mouth. (=hit someone hard in the face or head) I’ll smash his head in if he comes here again!
I’ll smash his head in if he comes here again!· They all had broad smiles on their faces.
(=they suddenly smile)· Anna’s face broke into a smile at the prospect of a guest.
(=they smile)· A faint smile spread across her face.
‘I knew I’d win,’ she said with a smug smile. Eliza was tall and thin, with a rather sour face. a sour-faced old man Tony stared at me in stony-faced silence. I told him straight to his face (=speaking directly to him) what I thought of him. I found it very difficult to keep a straight face.· Given the nature of the task facing us, three days might not be enough.
· Oliver laughed until tears ran down his face.
(=likely to be affected by something)· The factory is facing the threat of closure.
(=be judged in a court of law)· Doctors said he was unfit to stand trial.
· Its managing director is awaiting trial on corruption charges.
Could you turn your chairs to face this way? He smiled down into her upturned face. (=the value printed on something)· The tickets are selling for far more than their face value.
(=disappear so that no sign remains) The youngster vanished without a trace one day and has never been found.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE The youngster vanished without a trace one day and has never been found.· She may have put a brave face on it.· Whether in denial or putting on a brave face, the delegates professed to be unperturbed by those numbers.· Newspaper staff put on a brave face.· No one said a word all of us were consciously putting on a brave face.· Her brave and beaming face was duplicated on the reversed covers.· In 1982, despite all our attempts at putting on a brave collective face, we knew we would lose.· He was shattered, though he put on a brave face.· Leaving the court the families all tried to put on a brave face.
· It would have filled the count's dark face with fury and suspicion.· Even at that distance, I could see that his mood was dark, his face tense.· Focusing resentfully on the dark, angular face, her heart had flipped over suddenly in her chest.· Her dark, pretty face glittered there in front of me.· He was tall, with a thin dark face and cool white hands.· In the fading light of the patio, Yolanda can not make out the expression on the dark face.· Benjamin, with his long, dark face, kindly eyes and lawyer's stoop.· Reverend Stamina Jones was a tall, stately, white-haired man with clear eyes in an extremely dark round face.
· He voiced their torment at knowing their children would be medically examined without consent and without any familiar face being present.· It therefore seems that he ascribes this voice to a visually familiar face.· It's always nice to see a friendly familiar face.· He had shunned the opposition, reshuffled his government with familiar faces and retained the prime minister many wanted out.· But this could soon be the more familiar face of coal production in Gloucestershire.· One by one the familiar names and faces of the independence period were passing from the political picture.· Social needs are met with familiar faces attending each week and consultations with the same nurses and doctors.· He turned the volume up as loud as it would go and stared at the familiar faces on the screen.
· If successful, it will produce a deeper understanding of the human face recognition system.· What he fails to do is to put a human face on these processes.· A mountain that weirdly echoes the shape not of the human face but of a human artefact!· Food brought me back to the human face.· It was very far from being a human face.· They become bogeymen, earthly Aliens, and -- despite the fake human faces they develop -- very easy to spot.· To show Christopher the human face of the dreaded development.· Whether a capitalist or socialist approach to development is adopted, it must be development with a human face.
· She had a lovely pale oval madonna face with blue eyes and her hair was light-brown.· Her blue eyes are eerily pale, her face pretty and concentrated.· She has a modest expression and a pale sweet face.· Her thick dark hair was swept up in spiraling tiers above a too-thin pale face.· Her lips were swollen against her pale face and the sight of her distress seemed to infuriate him more.· Her appearance had changed since her illness, but there was a strange beauty in her pale face.· Nick's pale face glimmered as he looked up at her.· Not that pale faces are making a comeback.
· He was always a horrid little boy for all his pretty face, and now he's a horrid man.· He could be suckered in by a soft story or a pretty face.· And his pretty face hasn't changed in all that time.· Her dark, pretty face glittered there in front of me.· Pity to cut such a pretty face but she'd asked for it.· Her hair was parted in the middle and drawn back from a round, pretty face.· A young pretty face and an invitation, and he succumbed.· Tis not a feeling of yesterday, to be effaced by the first pretty face which crosses my path.
· Theda was therefore acutely conscious of one gentleman, rather stout and red of face.· McBride spluttered, yelled, got red in the face.· Mrs Medlock was a large woman, with a very red face and bright black eyes.· He paused, his red face turned toward the blank television set.· She was not a beautiful woman, being tall and thin, with black hair and eyes and a very red face.· He was short, with a red face and a redder nose.· He went very red in the face.· Around the bar, the sweating, red and white faces of the male tourists turn upwards in salacious worship.
· How can you say that and keep a straight face?· Kemp is straining to maintain a straight face.· I keep a straight face and the composure of a chemist dispensing a prescription.· We start with safe conversation and straight faces.· The plot is one that you can hardly repeat with a straight face.· Despite the problem of trying to maintain a straight face, there are distinct advantages to being on Cube's team.
· The ambulance doors closed out the white face of my recently acquired 17-year-old husband.· Immediately upon their entrance, they were washed by a shoal of white faces gazing at them from behind cold masks.· A clutch of long white Friday evening faces confronted me.· He saw their white faces and felt their cold hands.· His white face was spiteful, threatening and suggestive.· He's got long fair hair and a little white face too.· When she came to, she was in a chair and Jack was all white in the face, looking at her.
VERB· Then she struggled up, burying her face in his hand and her own.· With a sob, Theda flung her arms about his neck and buried her face in his shoulder.· Suddenly he raced across the stage and buried his face behind the curtain.· Then with a groan, he buried his face in her neck and began stroking her thighs.· She buried her face in his neck and felt the warmth of his skin against her face.· With a choked sob she brought the bear closer until she had buried her face in it.
· Ambush marketing has changed the face of sport and sport sponsorship.· Following the Civil War came the period of rapid railroad develop-ment that changed the face of Kansas for ever.· Version 3.0 and the further improved 3.1 version of Microsoft Windows have changed the face of modern Personal Computing.· By doing so, they say they hope to change not only the face of Downtown housing, but the whole economy.· A decade of merger-mania has changed the face of Los Angeles.· But their ancestors had changed the face of California earth.· Like stepping out of your skin, like changing your face.
· A bitter smile crossed his face as his eyes ranged over the top men in the giant corporation.· Some sort of unpleasant thought crossed her face.· Nate Cocello allowed a knowing smile to cross his face at what he knew would be the natural reactions of line managers.· A cynical smile crossed his face, hidden behind the lip of the beer glass.· When the doctor saw me sitting beside the boy a puzzled look crossed his face.· A sly grin crossed his face as he thought of an alternative billet in which to spend what remained of the night.· I sat down by the side of Blyth, careful not to let my shadow cross his face.· No flicker of guilt crossed his face, no softening.
· She stepped back, shivering slightly when fitzAlan's hand fell away from her face.· As the youth smoked a cigarette, shadows fell across his face.· Then he reached out and drew the hair back from where it had fallen across her face.· But once the ball tips, the game falls flat on its face faster than a top-ranked team after a first-round upset.· How stupid to fall on your face.· As we were going out to the car Babe slipped and fell flat on her face.
· She left her head where it was, and glimpsed the satisfaction that flew across Luke's face.· But strong biological determinism flies in the face of experience.· The decades since Malthus's time have seen progress of a kind that flies in the face of everything he foresaw.· And all my frustration was flying in their faces.· I find this hard to believe since it flies in the face of all the principles of wrestling.· Neill triumphantly flies in the face of a long line of buffoon kings on film.· When she was ecstatic, and she was often ecstatic, ecstasy flew from her face like the sun from a mirror.· Whatever the riddle is called, it flies in the face of 3, 000 years of logical philosophy.
· It's fantastic, John, there she is, a new person, lying on her face, sound asleep.· I unlocked the door and went in and lay face down on the bed.· Douglas went down to the cells to talk to Marco, who was lying face down on the narrow cot.· A man lay face down, feet toward the center, head away from it.· Now he could see that it was lying face down.· Side by side, the two men lay face down in the grass, feet toward the rear of the pale car.· She lay watching his face as he tried to concentrate on the complexities of the novel.· The view while lying face down, shielding our eyes from the sun with our hands, was superb.
· And she pulled a face back at him.· He told me that the oxygen mask had pulled away from my face some, and that I was probably just blacking out.· Without meaning to, he pulled a face.· She pulled a face at the speaker.· He likes me to smile at the camera, so twice I pulled shocking faces.· Her hair was pulled back from her face and tied in a bun.· I wear sweats and my hair is pulled from my face with a rubber band.· At the end, she pulls her face into a lion.
· I had to do this to save face for my father.· The only person that didn't was Fish, who had to save face and went on claiming it was true.· Determined to save face, I kept devouring everything set before me.· We may accept them, to oblige: to save another's face.· By agreeing to the staged confrontation, Barnett would save face while permitting Meredith to register.· There was an awkward silence which Maidstone might have broken with some amiable remark to save Sandison's face.· As a result of the turmoil, Frank resigned in order to save face.
· The door to Joe's house closed suddenly and Nina felt as though she had been slapped in the face.· Vasili shook her shoulders violently then slapped her across the face.· It was like somebody slapped me across my face.· That hurt him almost as much as when I slapped his face for not letting me escape.· When the Chicago creature got Cyd Charisse, I slapped my face for haute le monde to see.· It made me want to slap his face.· Clarisa turned and slapped her face.
· People were whispering about me behind my back - smiling to my face of course - but whispering behind my back.· Instead, the smiling face of the popular 49-year-old Gov.· He's smiling out of a rugged face, with thick black eyebrows and curling hair.· He is also a deeply private person whose kindly, smiling face could fool you.· Rage rarely visits that open, smiling face but Massimo was volcanic.· The world of successful entrepreneurs is full of smiling faces and confident attitudes.· He was tall and strong with a big, smiling face.· He is outspoken, witty, occasionally vulgar, and when he smiles his whole face lights up.
· Mrs Simpson turned her face and looked out of the window.· We turned our faces glum to reaffirm the forced nature of this trip.· I lay back and turned my face to it.· She turned a terrified face to them.· From the contemplation of this inescapable judgment he turned his face resolutely away.· Eventually, he turns his face to the wall and encounters the photograph of the coroner from Philadelphia, Gold.· She turned her face to him and smiled, feeling pain as she moved her head.· They were all the same, those men, turning away their heavy faces and failing to acknowledge my greetings.
· When they spilled over, she did not wipe them from her face.· Charles and Clarissa made thankful noises, drank a little champagne, and metaphorically wiped their faces.· The man took a handkerchief from his suit pocket and wiped his face.· I wipe my face on my sleeve.· She stood up straight, wiped at her face and seemed alarmed to find it veiled.· I wiped my face with a handkerchief and thought about Barbara Porter.· Fakhru smiled and wiped his whole sweating face on his pyjama front, which he lifted with two hands.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► say something/tell somebody something to their face► disappear/vanish from/off the face of the earth► on the face of the earth► somebody’s face doesn’t fit► get out of my face► what’s his face/what’s her face► pale-faced/round-faced etc► grim-faced/serious-faced etcPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► argue/talk etc till you’re blue in the face► bury your face/head in your hands► the colour/blood drains from somebody’s face/cheeks► feed your face► fill yourself (up)/fill your face► capitalism/communism/socialism etc with a human face► somebody will be laughing on the other side of their face► not just a pretty face► purple with rage/purple in the face etc► blood rushes to somebody’s face/cheeks► shut your mouth/face/trap!► slam the door in somebody’s face► wipe something off the face of the earth/wipe something off the map► have something/be written all over your face
1- Bob and I sat face to face across the table.
- I stuck my head out of my tent, and came face to face with a cow.
- In a face-to-face confrontation angry demonstrators threw bricks and bottles at the police.
- The senator cannot meet every voter face to face, but he is certainly doing his best.
- They stood face to face, each struggling to control his temper.
- Turning the corner I came face to face with a security guard.
- Victims who go to court dread coming face to face with their attacker again.
- We sat face to face across a narrow table.
- Couples who want to remain close have to spend some time face to face, time talking.
- Stern insisted that she come downtown so that he could explain this to her face to face.
- The two stood face to face without a word, as lofty pine trees when the wind is still.
- Then they came face to face again to discover they lived in neighboring towns only one hour apart.
- There he was face to face with himself - times six.
- There is conversation which is usually face to face but may sometimes involve telecommunication.
- They couldn't harm him face to face.
- You only need type the merest hint of innuendo into a search engine to come face to face with a porno advert.
- A man lay face down, feet toward the center, head away from it.
- Gently, he brought his face down on to Joe's and kissed him on his lips.
- I set my book face down on the chair and followed after him.
- I was lying face down on the ground.
- Larry Flynt presents the infamous pornographer as a likable slob who faced down the big guys and won.
- On return to Earth the orbiter orients itself so that the underside is facing down and slightly forwards.
- Side by side, the two men lay face down in the grass, feet toward the rear of the pale car.
- He fell across the wall, twisting, face up.
- If convicted, they face up to a year in jail and up to a $ 2, 500 fine.
- If found guilty, he could face up to two years in jail.
- It took time until she could face up to it.
- Sabit Brokaj of the Socialist Party faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
- We must face up to this.
- With palms facing upwards, take your arms behind you and hold them as high as possible.
- With palms facing upwards, take your arms behind you and pull them towards each other 35 times.
- It is amazing how Daniels has survived in the face of such strong political opposition.
- And yet most remarkable of all is his coolness in the face of massive inexperience.
- Award-winning entertainment that flies in the face of gravity lands in Tucson for two nights only.
- Babies are weak and vulnerable in the face of huge shapes and loud noises that they can only dimly perceive.
- Environmental organisations are near to despair in the face of such skilful procrastination.
- Henceforth the Painswick cloth mills gradually closed in the face of competition.
- It was an error to take the long view in the face of moral objections.
- My memos are spitballs in the face of the faceless monolith where I work.
- The defeat that had frightened her in the faces of black men was the defeat of black for ever defined by white.
- It looks, on the face of it, like a pretty minor change in the regulations.
- On the face of it, he appeared to be an ideal candidate for the position.
- On the face of it, this seems like a perfectly good idea -- we must wait and see if it turns out well.
- A contractual obligation, such as an exchange rule gives rise on the face of it to strict liability.
- All three candidates were acceptable on the face of it.
- As I say, on the face of it obvious.
- Innocuous enough on the face of it.
- It is, on the face of it, a very considerable offer.
- They were not, on the face of it, a likely match.
- This seems a contradiction on the face of it.
- It's a new book about the changing face of the suburbs.
- Roosevelt's bold policies changed the face of the nation.
- All of this construction took place, of course, in the face of the most severe weather conditions imaginable.
- I wish you could have seen the faces of the jury as the awful specter of the future unfolded before them.
- In the face of the real danger to the boys in combat, everything at home seemed temporary.
- It simply has more earthquakes than any other place on the face of the globe.
- One is already the face of the other.
- She had seen too many ghost skulls, and all under the faces of people who were now dead.
- The M-forty extension through fifty nine miles of Oxfordshire and Warwickshire has changed the face of the countryside.
- This explains the neutral look on the faces of people in the streets.
- Rather than giving in and losing face, she carried on her needless quarrel with her father.
- The government suffered a severe loss of face when details of the scandal emerged.
- The leaders need to find a way of compromising without losing face among their supporters.
- They want to negotiate a ceasefire without either side losing face.
- Better to lose face and be open about not understanding the cryptic message, than to lose sleep at night over it.
- Criticism should never cause the recipient to lose face, inner dignity or self-respect.
- Eventually the policeman was prepared to lose face.
- No government likes to lose face like that.
- Senior managers can not afford to lose face too often and will bide their time to re-assert their authority.
- The country is asked to pay the price of the Government's overriding concern that they should not lose face.
- The vital thing was not to lose face.
- Thus the other follows because she does not want to lose face with her white friend.
- Rather than admit defeat, Franklin compromised in order to save face.
- As a result of the turmoil, Frank resigned in order to save face.
- Bosnia would survive as a constitutional fiction, allowing the world to save face.
- By agreeing to the staged confrontation, Barnett would save face while permitting Meredith to register.
- Determined to save face, I kept devouring everything set before me.
- I had to do this to save face for my father.
- The important thing now was to let him save face.
- The only person that didn't was Fish, who had to save face and went on claiming it was true.
- Alternatively, the rule-makers can set their faces against the pressures for change.
- Does the hon. Gentleman really want to set his face against the improvements that trust status could deliver?
- I would set my face against the casualisation of the Corporation.
- It has set its face against cutting prices.
- The Lord Chancellor set his face against growing criticism over his behaviour.
- "I think I've lost that camera you lent me," I said, trying to keep a straight face.
- Barbara tried to keep a straight face, but in the end she just couldn't help laughing.
- He looked so ridiculous -- I don't know how I managed to keep a straight face.
- She looked so ridiculous it was hard to keep a straight face.
- When reading some of the competition entries, it was hard to keep a straight face.
- With a completely straight face, Thomas announced he was joining the Girl Guides.
- For the first hundred yards we keep straight faces.
- How can you say that and keep a straight face?
- I keep a straight face and the composure of a chemist dispensing a prescription.
- I try and keep a straight face, but I can't help grinning at myself.
- It was very difficult to keep a straight face.
- The old trick of keeping a straight face was failing him these days.
- Bingham has a real "in your face" writing style.
- Because from the very first day I looked in his face and saw a different boy.
- He reciprocated by flaunting his other affairs in her face.
- It hissed and spat in their faces.
- Most people, when they laugh, also exercise more than 14 groups of muscles in their face.
- The next time you hear a native-born athlete complain about adversity, remember Livan Hernandez and laugh in his face.
- You could see it in their faces, minute by minute.
- You get in their face, they get in yours.
- They play a gritty game, always in your face, always yapping, getting in your face.
- You get in their face, they get in yours.
- Jill's still busy putting on her face.
- Then I put her face on her desk, supported by a heap of loose files.
- It was kind of funny watching the presentation blow up in Harry's face.
- Kristin knew that if anyone found out, the whole thing could blow up in her face.
- Auditors some-times miss big potential problems that blow up in the face of bondholders.
- But I also fear that this encryption stuff is so powerful it could blow up in my face.
- Having opted for a formation that he thought would beat Leicester, David O Leary saw it blow up in his face.
- Liable blow up in their faces.
- Not only could be, but would be, and the whole thing would blow up in my face.
- Nothing of its kind had ever been done before, and it could have blown up in his face.
- When the clothes iron blows up in your face.
- He was shattered, though he put on a brave face.
- I suppose parents have to put on a brave face.
- Leaving the court the families all tried to put on a brave face.
- Meanwhile, Llandundo put on a brave face yesterday and struggled to get back to normal after last week's devastating floods.
- Newspaper staff put on a brave face.
- No one said a word all of us were consciously putting on a brave face.
- Whether in denial or putting on a brave face, the delegates professed to be unperturbed by those numbers.
- He and Stapleton can associate to their hearts' content and that's something to bring a smile to his face.
- It brought a smile to her lips.
- Nothing was more likely to bring a smile to his face than being told he was talked about.
- She invented a hundred little things to make him happy, to bring a smile to his face.
- The thought brought a smile to his face.
- Their screams of horror and cries for mercy only brought a smile to my face.
- We thank him profusely, and manage to bring a smile to his face.
- Jessamy buried her face against her husband's shoulder.
- She gripped his hands, his shirt, burying her face in his chest, hiding and laughing at her own reaction.
- She returned to her chair and sank down into it burying her face in her hands.
- Suddenly he raced across the stage and buried his face behind the curtain.
- Then with a groan, he buried his face in her neck and began stroking her thighs.
- You will notice phrases like crocodile tears, the elephant never forgets, and the ostrich burying its head in the sand.
- He held out his hand to his junior master and composed his face into a solemn expression of trust.
- I compose my face into a smile.
- I tried to compose my features into a combination of nonchalance and justification.
- They had composed their faces, but their eyes sparkled and their mouths yearned to smile.
- When asked a question do not rush at your answer but give yourself a second or two to compose your thoughts.
- A look of horror crossed Ken's face.
- If you love him, ask him to stay. Otherwise you'll be cutting off your nose to spite your face.
- If we think they are easy meat we will end up with egg on our faces.
- Meanwhile, Hutcheson observed that in 1995 all the chip forecasters had varying degrees of egg on their face.
- People like me, who believed the firing squad had been assembled, were left with egg on our faces.
- The newspapers have taken this propaganda at face value, without questioning it.
- And he no longer took things at face value.
- Because Kate, for all her faults real and imagined, was the only person ever to take him at face value.
- But now, a hundred years on, certain factions persist in taking it at face value.
- She fell flat on her face getting out of the car.
- The last time I wore high-heeled shoes I fell flat on my face outside a restaurant.
- As we were going out to the car Babe slipped and fell flat on her face.
- At last, after several near misses, I fall flat on my face.
- Because if you don't a fresh ambition or optimistic plan will fall flat on its face.
- But once the ball tips, the game falls flat on its face faster than a top-ranked team after a first-round upset.
- It is also a nation waiting for her to fall flat on her face.
- Writers strive for a universal experience distilled from personal memories and tend to fall flat on their faces.
- Yet there are certain composers who fall flat on their face unless the adrenalin really start to flow.
- Eysenck's claim flies in the face of all the evidence.
- Anita Roddick has made a virtue of flying in the face of business convention.
- Award-winning entertainment that flies in the face of gravity lands in Tucson for two nights only.
- But strong biological determinism flies in the face of experience.
- I find this hard to believe since it flies in the face of all the principles of wrestling.
- It flies in the face of commitments made at the Earth Summit to reduce consumption.
- Neill triumphantly flies in the face of a long line of buffoon kings on film.
- This flies in the face of the cautious nature of the Bush administration.
- Whatever the riddle is called, it flies in the face of 3, 000 years of logical philosophy.
- They gave off a pungent, horsey smell, as if freshly cut.
- What he fails to do is to put a human face on these processes.
- But they would kick your head in if you spilt their pint just the same.
- It goes with some people wanting to kick my head in.
- Lou and Van burst into tears and Hamburglar kicks their heads in.
- So they are all there, kicking our teeth in.
- I confronted my daughter, but she just laughed in my face.
- He mocks death, laughs in its face, and others of his ilk laugh in a chorus all around him.
- If she warned Ace what her father expected of him he'd laugh in her face.
- If some one had told her what was going to happen she would have laughed in their face.
- Instead, have fun with our great £25,000 series of slump-busting contests and laugh in the face of Lamont.
- Ryan laughed in my face, which is what I expected.
- The next time you hear a native-born athlete complain about adversity, remember Livan Hernandez and laugh in his face.
- This is the last in our great £25,000 series of slump-busting contests to help you laugh in the face of Lamont.
- When I was four, I told my sister about the Creation, and she laughed in my face.
- Let's face it, Scott. We're not as young as we used to be.
- A long face, hangdog, sad-sack, and dusty hair, reddish brown.
- Do they really physically raise a sardonic eyebrow, and make a long face, or only metaphorically?
- He was in his early thirties with dark skin and a long face from which protruded a sharp, aquiline nose.
- His long face, punctuated by a pencil mustache, is a place of jowls, creases and inflammation.
- His eyes were wide-set, and his long face was fair-skinned: seen from certain angles it had an almost feminine prettiness.
- Never-ending telly, Mum's long face, and a turkey dinner that nobody wanted to eat, not even Henry.
- Their faces slipped through her mind, round faces and long faces, thin, fat, smiling, sombre.
- Worst of all, his long face was more contorted than ever in the fury of self-pity.
- He finds a woman in black lace, with piercing eyes and a mobile face.
- I finally found Martin Clunes, the most mobile mouth in show business, lurking behind a large moustache.
- They did not show emotions as plainly as more mobile faces did.
- As a result of the turmoil, Frank resigned in order to save face.
- Bosnia would survive as a constitutional fiction, allowing the world to save face.
- By agreeing to the staged confrontation, Barnett would save face while permitting Meredith to register.
- Determined to save face, I kept devouring everything set before me.
- I had to do this to save face for my father.
- The important thing now was to let him save face.
- The only person that didn't was Fish, who had to save face and went on claiming it was true.
- I'd never say it to her face, but her hair looks terrible.
- Never write anything in an e-mail that you wouldn't say to the person's face.
- If you had anything to say, you said it to their face.
- It is, may I suggest, much easier to say goodbye to a face than to a wooden box.
- Blake screwed up his eyes, trying to peer through the fog.
- He screwed up his eyes against the light and Jurnet saw the gipsy in him.
- He screwed up his eyes and put his hands over his ears.
- He screwed up his face as the hot water from the kitchen tap scalded his hand.
- He screwed up his face at the appalling stench but made no move to draw back.
- She screwed up her face and whispered: you're so revoltingly fat you disgusting baboon.
- They scrunch up their faces, peering into the haze.
- He hated the set of different faces glaring up at him night after night.
- Her husband's brow furrowed as he noted the set of her face.
- Something in the set of his shoulders suggested that his pursuers were not far behind.
- It was a dangerous place for a non-Italian to show his face.
- At this palace, as at the other, servility shows its face and performs its tricks.
- How's he gon na show his face?
- Not a weed dared to show its face.
- Old Harker never shows his face.
- She couldn't understand how he dared to show his face after what he had done to Mr Potter.
- So you must show your face at their door, bloody and bloodthirsty and raving.
- Then one by one the other four women find a reason to show their faces.
- Wherever I showed my face, a thousand other faces immediately collected around it.
- Gwynn considered the salary they were offering a slap in the face.
- And make no mistake: He considers the Padres' offer a slap in the face -- even mimicking such a blow.
- Barnes's decision therefore came as somewhat of a slap in the face to these well rehearsed points.
- But choosing that particular moment to do it was a rebuff as callous and shocking as a slap in the face.
- It is a slap in the face and an insult.
- Defeat was staring us in the face.
- The answer had been staring him in the face for months.
- The solution is staring you in the face.
- He thought he was staring death in the face.
- It is staring us in the face.
- With only three games to save themselves, Coventry are staring relegation in the face.
- Despite the problem of trying to maintain a straight face, there are distinct advantages to being on Cube's team.
- For the first hundred yards we keep straight faces.
- How can you say that and keep a straight face?
- I try and keep a straight face, but I can't help grinning at myself.
- It was very difficult to keep a straight face.
- Kemp is straining to maintain a straight face.
- The old trick of keeping a straight face was failing him these days.
- We start with safe conversation and straight faces.
- It was no fun having my own words thrown back at me by my kids.
- A lot of their love would be rebuffed or thrown back in their faces.
- My love - my name thrown back in my face.
- Nobody was throwing anything in their faces.
- This would be thrown back in his face later by North Koreaand sooner than anyone guessed.
- She stood there with hands on her hips, glaring with a face like thunder.
- He needed a slap upside the head.
- I'd like to wipe that stupid grin off your face.
front of your head the front part of your head, where your eyes, nose, and mouth are: She had a beautiful face. Her face was white with fear. A big smile spread across his face. I felt like punching him in the face. ► You say that something is on somebody’s face, not ‘in somebody’s face’: You’ve got a mark on your face.2expression an expression on someone’s face: I’ll never forget my father’s face – I’d never seen him so upset before.3keep a straight face to not laugh or smile, even though something is funny4pale-faced/round-faced etc having a face that has a particular colour or shape: a pale-faced youth → red-faced5grim-faced/serious-faced etc showing a particular expression on your face: Negotiators emerged grim-faced after the day’s talks. → barefaced, po-faced, poker-faced, stony-faced6person a personnew/different face (=someone who you have not seen before) There are a few new faces in class this year. Gordon is a familiar face (=someone who you know or have seen many times before) at the Shrewsbury Flower Show. It’s the same old faces (=people who you see often, especially too often) at our meetings every week.famous/well-known face (=someone who is famous from television, magazines, films etc) She looked around at the sea of faces (=lots of people seen together) in the cafeteria.7face to face a)if two people are standing face to face, they are very close and are looking at each othermeet somebody/talk to somebody/explain something etc face to face (=to meet someone and talk to them, instead of just hearing about them, talking to them on the phone etc) I’ve never met her face to face. ‘You could have just phoned.’ ‘I wanted to explain things face to face.’come face to face/find yourself face to face (with somebody) (=to meet someone, especially in a way that surprises or frightens you) At that moment he came face to face with Sergeant Burke. The two men stood face to face without a word. b)if you come face to face with something difficult, you experience it and have to deal with it: It was the first time he’d ever come face to face with death.bring somebody face to face with something Sometimes one is brought face to face with facts which cannot be ignored. → face-to-face8say something/tell somebody something to their face if you say something unpleasant to someone’s face, you say it to them directly, rather than to other people: I told him to his face just what I thought of him.9face down/downwards with the face or front towards the ground: Keith was lying face down on the bed.10face up/upwards with the face or front towards the sky: The body was lying face up in the rain.11in the face of something in a situation where there are many problems, difficulties, or dangers: It is amazing how Daniels has survived in the face of such strong opposition from within the party.12on the face of it used to say that something seems true but that you think there may be other facts about it which are not yet clear: It looks, on the face of it, like a minor change in the regulations. On the face of it, his suggestion makes sense.13the face of something a)the nature or character of an organization, industry, system etc, and the way it appears to people: technology that has changed the face of society Is this the new face of the Tory party?the ugly/unacceptable/acceptable face of something (=the qualities of an organization, industry etc which people find unacceptable or acceptable) the unacceptable face of capitalism b)the general appearance of a particular place: the changing face of the landscape14mountain/cliff the face of a mountain, cliff etc is a steep vertical surface or sideface of He fell and died while attempting to climb the north face of Mont Blanc. The cliff face was starting to crumble into the sea. a sheer (=very steep) rock face15clock the front part of a clock or watch, where the numbers and hands are16lose face if you lose face, you do something which makes you seem weak, stupid etc, and which makes people respect you less: He doesn’t want to back down (=accept defeat in an argument) and risk losing face.17save face if you do something to save face, you do it so that people will not lose their respect for you: Both countries saved face with the compromise.18disappear/vanish from/off the face of the earth used to say that you have no idea where someone is and have not seen them in a very long time: I haven’t seen Paul in ages; he seems to have vanished off the face of the earth.19 on the face of the earth used when you are emphasizing a statement to mean ‘in the whole world’: If she were the last woman on the face of the earth, I still wouldn’t be interested!20somebody’s face doesn’t fit used to say that someone will not get or keep a particular job because they are not the kind of person that the employer wants21set your face against something especially British English to be very determined that something should not happen: The local Labour Party has set its face against the scheme.22mine the part of a mine from which coal, stone etc is cut → coalface23outside surface one of the outside surfaces of an object or building: A cube has six faces.24sport the part of a racket or bat etc that you use to hit the ball25in your face spoken informal behaviour, criticisms, remarks etc that are in your face are very direct and often shocking or surprising: Bingham has a very ‘in your face’ writing style.26 get in somebody’s face spoken informal if someone gets in your face, they really annoy you27 get out of my face spoken informal used to tell someone in an impolite way to go away because they are annoying you28what’s his face/what’s her face spoken informal used as a way of talking about someone when you cannot remember their name: I saw old what’s his face in school yesterday.29put your face on informal to put make-up on: I just need to run upstairs and put my face on. → blow up in somebody’s face at blow up, → put on a brave face at brave1(3), → do something till you’re blue in the face at blue1(4), → have egg on your face at egg1(5), → face-to-face, → fly in the face of at fly1(18), → laugh in somebody’s face at laugh1(11), → long face at long1(12), → not just a pretty face at pretty2(4), → show your face at show1(15), → shut your face at shut1(2), → a slap in the face at slap2(2), → be staring somebody in the face at stare1(2), → a straight face at straight2(8), → wipe something off the face of the earth at wipe1(8), → wipe the smile/grin off somebody’s face at wipe1(7), → have something written all over your face at write(10)COLLOCATIONS– Meanings 1 & 2adjectivespretty/beautiful/handsome etc· Her face was beautiful in the morning light.round/oval/square· Her face was round and jolly.thin/narrow· Tears rolled down her thin face.pale/dark· His face suddenly became pale and I thought he was going to faint.an angular face (=so thin that you can see the bones)· She stared at his dark, angular face.sad/serious· Maggie looked at him with a sad face.happy/smiling· Shelley looked at the children’s happy faces.a grinning face· He looked down at the boy’s grinning face.angry· Beth’s angry face stared fiercely at her husband.worried/anxious· My father watched us go with a worried face.puzzled· He looked at his son’s puzzled face.blank/impassive (=showing no emotion or thoughts)· What was she really thinking behind that blank face?wrinkled/lined (=with a lot of small lines, especially because of old age)· His wrinkled face must once have been handsome.scowling (=showing that you are not pleased about something)· He looked around and saw his boss's scowling face behind him.a long face (=an unhappy expression)· What’s the long face for?verbssomebody’s face goes/turns red (=becomes red)· His face went red with embarrassment.somebody’s face goes/turns pale (=becomes pale)· I saw her face go pale when he walked in.somebody’s face lights up/brightens (=they start to look happy)· Denise’s face lit up when she heard the news.somebody’s face darkens (=they start to look angry or threatening)· She handed him the letter and his face darkened.somebody’s face falls (=they look sad or disappointed)· Her face fell when she saw who it was.pull/make a face (=to change your expression to make people laugh or to show you are angry, disappointed etc)· Here’s a funny photo of Joe pulling a face.somebody’s face is contorted with anger/rage (=someone’s face is twisted out of its normal shape because they are angry)· Eve’s face was contorted with anger as she picked up the broken vase.phrasesa look/expression on somebody’s face· She had a rather surprised look on her face.· I could tell by the look on Dan’s face that he was disappointed.a smile/grin/frown on somebody’s face· There was a mischievous grin on her face.· He was reading the newspaper with a frown on his face.you can see something in somebody’s face (=you know what someone is feeling from the expression on their face)· She could see the despair in his face.something is written all over somebody’s face (=their feelings can be seen very clearly in their expression)· You’re jealous – it’s written all over your face!you should have seen somebody’s face (=used to say that someone was very angry, surprised etc)· You should have seen his face when I told him that I was resigning.a face like thunder (=a very angry expression)· The boss had a face like thunder when he arrived this morning.face1 nounface2 verb
faceface2 ●●● S1 W1 verb [transitive] VERB TABLE
face
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | face |
| he, she, it | faces | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | faced |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have faced |
| he, she, it | has faced | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had faced |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will face |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have faced |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am facing |
| he, she, it | is facing | |
| you, we, they | are facing | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was facing |
| you, we, they | were facing | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been facing |
| he, she, it | has been facing | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been facing |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be facing |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been facing |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Courtney's apartment faces the harbour.
- Dean turned to face me.
- He was faced with the task of breaking the bad news to the boy's relatives.
- If found guilty, Jones could face up to 20 years in jail.
- Latin America faces a growing debt problem.
- McManus knew he was facing the biggest challenge of his career.
- My house faces the bay.
- The Jets face the Dolphins in two weeks.
- The new administration faces the difficult task of rebuilding the country's economy.
- The seat facing mine was empty.
- They stood facing each other for a few minutes.
- This report highlights some of the problems faced by learners of English.
- Today's violence highlights the problems faced by the government here.
- UCLA will face North Carolina tonight at Pauley Pavilion.
- Weber is facing the biggest challenge of his career.
- You're going to have to face her sooner or later.
- As at all his power stations, Scott faced the building in a fine Worcestershire brick that has weathered to a lovely pinky-brown.
- Bedworth, now 19, is facing charges under the Computer Misuse Act, 1990.
- Caught in a green translucent wave were two tiny sea-horses facing in opposite directions, one frolicking, the other melancholy.
- Hughes was the second prominent researcher at Georgetown to face problems because of reproductive research.
- She stood straight as a wand, facing us.
- The crying continued after that, and continues, but now with other parents who face the same kinds of problems.
- They served notice that conservative nominees face delay or worse.
- We had to sit with our backs to the wall, facing the door.
Longman Language Activatorwhat you say when you think someone should admit something
say this when you want other people to admit that something, especially an unpleasant fact, is true: · Let's face it, the England team are not good enough to beat Holland.· People are basically selfish, let's face it.
say this when you want other people to admit that something, especially an unpleasant fact, is true and that it cannot be changed : there's no getting around it: · There's no getting around it - we'll have to start again from the beginning.there's no getting around the fact that: · There's no getting around the fact that most people prefer to travel to work in their own cars, rather than by bus or train.
say this when you want other people to admit that something, especially an unpleasant fact, is true and that it cannot be changed : · We cannot escape the fact that Mr. Mireki's death arose from a job-related activity.· You can't escape the fact that we all have to die some day.
when there are difficult problems that you must deal with if you face a difficult problem or duty, or it faces you, you must deal with it: · Latin America faces a growing debt problem.· McManus knew he was facing the biggest challenge of his career.· This report highlights some of the problems faced by learners of English.· The new administration faces the difficult task of rebuilding the country's economy.be faced with/by something: · He was faced with the task of breaking the bad news to the boy's relatives.· Today's violence highlights the problems faced by the government here.
if you are confronted with/by a difficult problem, you must deal with it: · Nurses are confronted with life-or-death situations on a daily basis.· He remembered when he was first confronted by the racial realities of living in South Africa.
to have to deal with a problem or several problems, especially when you are already in a difficult situation: · The chairman also had to contend with divisions among the committee members.· Rescuers were having to contend with cold weather, snow and ice.
to accept and deal with an unpleasant fact or something difficult instead of ignoring it: · The Principal accused parents of not facing up to their responsibilities.· It's only by facing up to her addiction that she can hope to live a normal life again.face up to doing something: · It's time the government faced up to spending more on health and education.face up to things: · You should face up to things, not just pretend that nothing's happening.
to be in a position where you must deal with something or someone so difficult or powerful that you might not succeed: · You'll have the boss to reckon with if you go home this early.· Anyone attempting to invade the country will have to reckon with the peacekeeping force.
moving down to a lower position or place: · I told you not to climb on that table. Get down!down into/to/from etc: · He's gone down to the basement to get some more beer.· The accident happened when we were coming down off the mountain.roll/fall/jump etc down: · Tears began to roll down her cheeks.· The heat of the fire brought ceilings crashing down onto the floor.look/glance/stare etc down: · She gazed down at the ring on her finger.· The doctor glanced down at the notepad on his desk.
British also downward American moving, looking, or pointing towards a lower level or towards the ground: · We came to a path winding downwards through the trees.· He was gazing downward into the pit.
if you move, walk, drive etc downhill , you go down a slope: · We set off downhill towards the lake.· After we get to the top it'll be downhill all the way to Kendal.
British also earthward American formal down towards the ground from the sky or from a high place: · Moments later he tripped and was falling earthwards.· Flight 427 suddenly rolled and plunged earthward as it approached Pittsburgh.
going or moving towards a lower level or towards the ground: · He managed to pull himself free with a sudden downward movement of his hands.· She gave the bell-rope a swift downward tug.· The downward pressure on my chest became more intense.
if someone is lying face down , they are lying with their face on the ground or a surface: lie face down: · Douglas found her lying face down on the floor.collapse/land/fall etc face down: · She was flung violently forward, to land face down in a heap of blankets.
to be opposite something or someone something that is opposite something else is facing it, for example on the other side of the street or on the other side of a table. In American English this is not used as an adverb: · The bathroom is opposite the bedroom.· When you get off the bus, you'll see a grocery store on the opposite side of the street.directly opposite (=exactly opposite): · The entrance to the park is directly opposite our house.diagonally opposite (=opposite and to one side): · Diagonally opposite the stove is a large stone sink.the house/chair/man etc opposite: · Pointing to the chair opposite, he said "Come and talk to me for a while."sit/stand etc opposite: · There was a thin dark woman sitting opposite me.live opposite (=to live in the opposite house): · The only contact she has is with the woman who lives opposite.
if one person, building, seat etc faces another, they are opposite each other, and each has their front towards the other: · Courtney's apartment faces the harbour.· The seat facing mine was empty.· They stood facing each other for a few minutes.
: across the street/road/river/table etc opposite from where you are, and on the other side of the street, road etc: · She lives across the road.· The prisoners' cells faced each other across an aisle.across the street/road etc from somebody/something: · Bill sat down across the desk from him.· Across the street from where we were standing was a little park.across from (=across the road from a place): · There's a hotel across from the station where we can go.
if two people are face to face , they are very close to and facing each other: sit/stand face to face: · We sat face to face across a narrow table.· They stood face to face, each struggling to control his temper.come face to face with somebody (=suddenly and unexpectedly face someone): · Turning the corner I came face to face with a security guard.
on the opposite side of something: · If you look across the lake, you can see Donald's house on the other side.on the other side of: · You can park on the other side of the road.· There was a little boat moored on the other side of the river.
to play against someone else · Barcelona will play Milan in the final.· This was McDaniel's first game playing against his former teammates.play tennis/golf/chess etc with somebody · Dad's out playing golf with Barry this morning.play somebody at tennis/golf etc British · I'm playing Andy at tennis this afternoon.
also take on to play against a person or team, especially one that will be difficult to beat - used in newspapers and broadcasts: · Tomorrow, Jane Wilkes, a first-round qualifier, takes on the world number one, Monica Seles.· UCLA will face North Carolina tonight at Pauley Pavilion.
British informal to play a game against another person, especially when it is not a serious or important game: · If you want to play chess ask Maria -- she'll give you a game.
against another person or team: · Yesterday in the semi-final we saw Sampras versus Henman.· It's a friendly game - the women versus the men.
also v British written abbreviation of versus: · Today's games include the Chicago Bulls vs. the Boston Celtics.· Gascoigne was back in the UK, to play in the England v France match.
to be punished to be punished for something bad that you have done: · If you commit a crime you must expect to be punished.be punished for: · Ellen was punished for being rude to her teacher.be severely punished: · Anyone who disobeyed his orders was severely punished.
to suffer for having done something wrong, especially for breaking the law: · I've spent the last three years in jail. I tell you, I've paid for what I did.pay dearly for something (=be severely punished for something): · People who sell drugs to our children should pay dearly for it.
informal to be punished or held responsible for something bad, especially for something you did not do: · Until the cause of the accident was proven, the company made it clear that it was not willing to take the rap.take the rap for (doing) something: · The defense argued that Green was set up to take the rap for the murder of Roy Robinson.· I prefer driving; I don't want to take the rap for getting lost.
informal to be ready to accept punishment for something you have done: · Rather than face the music at a trial, Abingdon chose to plea bargain.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRYnouns his courage in the face of adversity Zoe looked at me with a blank expression. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. Ken fell asleep face down (=with his face towards the ground) on the couch. The body was lying face downwards (=with the front of the body on the floor). A million people are facing famine. Hold on. Let me just fix my face (=put on make-up) before we go out. He’s someone who never forgets a face (=forgets who someone is). a foxy face clothes for the fuller figure The police are trying to tackle car crime head-on. Her impassive face showed no reaction at all. There was a scuffle and he kicked me in the stomach. In the final he will meet his old nemesis, Roger Federer. Stand with your elbows pointing outwards. He sat stiffly, with a pained expression on his face. an elderly pale-faced woman She was powdering her face. a woman with dark hair and a sallow complexion Talk like that and I’ll give you a smack in the mouth. ‘I knew I’d win,’ she said with a smug smile. Eliza was tall and thin, with a rather sour face. a sour-faced old man Tony stared at me in stony-faced silence. I told him straight to his face (=speaking directly to him) what I thought of him. I found it very difficult to keep a straight face. Could you turn your chairs to face this way? He smiled down into her upturned face.
· She told me about some of the problems she was facing.
· The hotel’s owners were facing financial difficulties.
· The coal industry faces serious challenges.
· He faced the task of preparing a three-course meal for 50 people.
· He has the courage to face danger in spite of fear.
(=deal with strong disagreement)· The government faced opposition from the Liberal Democrats.
(=be accused of a crime and have to go to a court of law)· He faces charges of fraud and theft.
· The company is facing an uncertain future.
(=something in the future is going to affect you and you will have to deal with it)· Many coastal cities face the prospect of disastrous flooding.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES (=have an accusation made about you)· The police faced accusations of using excessive force.
· The council demanded that we remove the posters, or face legal action.
his courage in the face of adversity· He faced a four-year ban after failing a drugs test.
· Paul faces a frantic battle to be fit for the match in November.
(=have a lot to pay on a bill)· They were facing a mounting legal bill.
Zoe looked at me with a blank expression. (=have to deal with one)· The company still faces some challenges.
(=have been charged with a crime)· A farmer is facing charges of cruelty and neglect.
· He was faced with a difficult choice.
(=a steep surface or side of a cliff)· Some climbers were scrambling up the steep cliff face.
(=the front part that you look at)· I couldn’t see the clock face from where I was sitting.
· Website designers face increasing competition.
(=in a situation where you are competing to be successful)· They won the contract in the face of tough competition.
(=accept the bad results of something you have done)· He broke the law, and he will have to face the consequences.
(=talking to someone who is with you)· Certain types of jobs do not need face-to-face contact.
· Many families are facing a debt crisis.
· He has often faced criticism in the local press.
He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her.· Today’s police officers face danger every day.
(=be likely to be defeated)· In May 1945 Germany faced defeat at the hands of the Allies.
· The party is facing a deficit of £1.3million for this year, so it must find ways of cutting its costs.
(=be likely to experience them)· Commuters face long delays as a result of the rail strikes.
· The hotel’s owners were facing financial difficulties.
· Women may still be faced with the dilemma of choosing between jobs and families.
· The men were facing the direction from which they expected the attack.
· Government figures suggest that ethnic minorities face discrimination looking for jobs.
Ken fell asleep face down (=with his face towards the ground) on the couch. The body was lying face downwards (=with the front of the body on the floor). (=be due to be killed)· He is facing execution after being found guilty of murdering three women.
· He had a very serious expression on his face.
· I could tell by the expression on her face that she was angry.
(=be likely to stop existing soon)· The red squirrel faces extinction in England and Wales unless conservation measures are taken.
A million people are facing famine. Hold on. Let me just fix my face (=put on make-up) before we go out. He’s someone who never forgets a face (=forgets who someone is). a foxy face clothes for the fuller figure· Many pensioners face a bleak future.
· He looked at Sarah, a big grin on his face.
(=will be affected by a difficult or painful situation)· One in four families in Britain is facing financial hardship.
The police are trying to tackle car crime head-on. Her impassive face showed no reaction at all. (=in which people meet in person)· I had to do a face-to-face interview followed by an entry test.
(=accept that an issue exists and deal with it)· Politicians seem to be reluctant to face the issue.
There was a scuffle and he kicked me in the stomach.· He leaned back in his chair and laughed till the tears ran down his face.
(=stop having as much respect from other people) A settlement was reached in which neither side lost face.
A settlement was reached in which neither side lost face.· There are many problems facing our nation.
In the final he will meet his old nemesis, Roger Federer. (=have to deal with an obstacle)· The investigation has faced numerous obstacles.
· The team were facing their final opponent of the season.
(=experience opposition that has to be dealt with)· The proposal faced opposition from road safety campaigners.
· He faced the ordeal of caring for his dying wife.
Stand with your elbows pointing outwards.· See the diagram on the opposite page.
He sat stiffly, with a pained expression on his face. an elderly pale-faced woman· He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment.
(=very clear)
She was powdering her face.· Terrorism is possibly the most important problem facing western countries.
· The owners of a golf course are facing prosecution for blocking footpaths.
· Now they face the prospect of unemployment.
· His face went purple with rage.
· Mike's usually calm face was contorted with rage.
(=accept it)· It's painful, but you have to face reality.
· Up to 300 leather factory workers are facing redundancy.
· The dominant male faces the risk that adult males from the group will attack him.
· Many shopkeepers are facing ruin.
a woman with dark hair and a sallow complexion (=be likely to receive a sentence)· He faces a long prison sentence if he is caught.
(=be likely to suffer a shortage)· The refugees face desperate shortages of food and water.
Talk like that and I’ll give you a smack in the mouth. (=hit someone hard in the face or head) I’ll smash his head in if he comes here again!
I’ll smash his head in if he comes here again!· They all had broad smiles on their faces.
(=they suddenly smile)· Anna’s face broke into a smile at the prospect of a guest.
(=they smile)· A faint smile spread across her face.
‘I knew I’d win,’ she said with a smug smile. Eliza was tall and thin, with a rather sour face. a sour-faced old man Tony stared at me in stony-faced silence. I told him straight to his face (=speaking directly to him) what I thought of him. I found it very difficult to keep a straight face.· Given the nature of the task facing us, three days might not be enough.
· Oliver laughed until tears ran down his face.
(=likely to be affected by something)· The factory is facing the threat of closure.
(=be judged in a court of law)· Doctors said he was unfit to stand trial.
· Its managing director is awaiting trial on corruption charges.
Could you turn your chairs to face this way? He smiled down into her upturned face. (=the value printed on something)· The tickets are selling for far more than their face value.
(=disappear so that no sign remains) The youngster vanished without a trace one day and has never been found.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN The youngster vanished without a trace one day and has never been found.· If the previous chapter of this Report is taken seriously, however, there is a challenge which faces us all.· However, the biggest challenge we face today is a willingness by some in the entertainment industry to produce whatever sells.· We are all out of date in relation to the challenges that we face in our work. 2.· The challenge they faced was more complex.· The challenge facing large organizations of all types is to reduce the time among these three stages.· But the biggest challenge many entrepreneurs face is the temptation to go off-track.· Breaking out of that isolation may be one of the greatest challenges now facing our imagination.· There is a challenge facing the church.
· Former justice minister Tzahi Hanegbi faces indictment on corruption charges.· He now faces charges of having abused his power while in office.· Car drivers are likely to find themselves facing a daily charge of £5 to enter the capital from late next year.· Flynn will not face criminal charges in the case, the sources said.· He may now face the criminal charge of assault.· The younger boy faces a similar charge in the juvenile criminal justice system.· But properties in bands C-H would face higher charges.· He faces charges stemming from accusations made by several trainees.
· The judge's decision can not be over-turned, and it leaves Exxon facing some unappealing choices.· Even knowledgeable thrift presidents felt they faced a choice be-tween rape and slow suicide.· Leapor is faced with a choice between her job and her poetry.· He also faces a choice of methods.· This often applies where a patient is faced by alternative choices.· Anyone concerned with selecting a class book for teaching a language will face a wide choice of texts.
· The offer will face scrutiny under competition rules.· As the new version of Navigator goes on sale Friday, Netscape is facing the toughest competition of its young life.· But there's one area where she faces no competition.· The planned deregulation has bred concern that Petron will face stiffer competition and an erosion of its 42 percent market share.· Will those relying on the home market, particularly in the public sector, be ready to face the new competition?· The company was facing stiff competition and losing market share.· Most sectors face aggressive competition, rapidly changing customer needs and fashions, and further technical change.· The company will face stiff competition from financial service and technology companies in the growing field of electronic commerce.
· But he claimed they were well aware they were breaking the law and were prepared to face the consequences.· They are facing the consequences of having allowed, and encouraged, the entry of a new class of member.· Otherwise Congress would have to face the consequences of automatic across-the-board cuts under the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings budget deficit reduction law.· This was her final act of spite, to take the piece and leave Paige to face the consequences.· He would have to face the consequences of his actions.· Could Eddie have run out of that corner deliberately because he couldn't face the consequences of his gambling?· As far as sin is concerned, we must bin it or face the consequences.
· Campaigners argue that poor countries faced with a health emergency have a right under international trade legislation to buy generic drugs.· The country faces a pivotal presidential election in June in which the choice is quite simply to go forward or regress.· Other Western countries face the same problem of natural monopoly in these industries.· Other countries have had to face up to that problem.· The country must face this epidemic as a unified society.· This country faces an enormous crisis which stretches wider and deeper than the recession.· Since all countries will face the same implicit prices, differences in relative production can be predicted from factor endowments.
· The issues we are facing in the present crisis of faith touch on what I call the Square One Principle.· Bob Dole faced a crisis in 1972.· The Third World faces an energy crisis even without the problems posed by global warming.· This country faces an enormous crisis which stretches wider and deeper than the recession.· Social Security is not facing a crisis.· And just as well, because yesterday's press was perhaps the worst a prime minister has faced since the Suez crisis.· Some opponents of the tax cut also argue that California faces a long-term budget crisis.
· The Safety Centre features full size mock-ups of nearly every danger a child could face including house fires and high speed trains.· The women there said Tuesday they acknowledge the danger they face every day.· The outrage eagerly orchestrated by the newspaper did not focus in a serious way on the needs and dangers facing rape survivors.· Embark on a journey through time, reliving the dangers and excitement that faced smugglers in times past.· The trouble is they've never had to face anything like the dangers you face.· Mourning also helps us to see the dangers facing our planet.· The only financial bonus for the dangers they face is an environmental allowance of £1.14p a day.
· What this discussion reveals is the difficulty that the consumer faces in making a rational decision when it comes to sport.· The novels of Charles Dickens contain moving descriptions of the terrible difficulties people faced during this time.· These were somewhat unrealistic proposals in the light of the existing staffing and resource difficulties already facing the mental health service.· Irwin compared Davis' experiences on parole to his own studies into the difficulties that convicts face when they are freed.· Some of the main difficulties faced by new care assistants are discussed below.· The difficulty faced by Bovis was that Braehead had various cross claims.
· This was the dilemma facing the producers of the film Apollo 13.· Think, for example, of the dilemma that Dave faced when he replaced George at the low-performing brokerage.· The following user describes the dilemma that faced his parents: Well, she was devastated and me dad.· This is the dilemma she faces.· It is also typical of the dilemma facing the new regime.· What Clinton did with the veterans' budget illustrates the dilemma the White House faces with many politically sensitive constituencies.· They bring into focus the dilemmas facing anthropologists who do research in their home territory.· Finally, conflict highlights a painful dilemma facing managers who chair meetings.
· She had to face the fact that she still missed him.· It was anguishing to face the fact that, all other options tried, reconciliation still did not occur.· If you are facing the facts in your relationship or that of some one close to you, be encouraged.· He was very soon to be forced to face the fact that things had moved on since 1939.· Thus, those who are committed to caring for and working with old people have first to face two facts.· To some, killing is a way of life, whether you want to face that fact or not.· He admired Machiavelli for recognizing that sometimes our ends are mutually exclusive and for facing that fact unblinkingly.
· But as she lapped up the five-star treatment on the champagne Concorde flight, angry pensioners were facing a bleak future.· Kevin Smith, still recuperating from a ruptured Achilles' tendon, faces a future very much in doubt.· His marriage has broken up, he rarely sees his teenage daughter and he faces a bleak future.· Lefors, founded in 1900 as the Gray County seat, long has faced an uncertain future.· They also warn that some leading hospitals may face an uncertain future if they lose patients to outside bidders.· Exports to the United States faced an uncertain future because of the rise in costs.· Not only is he facing an uncertain future, he is being forced to behave in an uncharacteristic fashion every day.· As we consider the dream of Jacob we find a man who stood alone and facing an uncertain future.
· The issues we are facing in the present crisis of faith touch on what I call the Square One Principle.· The Republican senator established the task force to help build consensus and draft legislation on issues facing rural areas of the state.· As with so many of the environmental issues that face us now, every little helps.· Relocation is one of the big issues facing the San Francisco Housing Authority.· That is ultimately the issue facing Britain.· The teaching checklist 3 in the Appendix epitomizes some of the issues he faces.· This Summit meeting was supposed to solve critical issues facing the Lakers and Houston Rockets.
· Constance knew the time had come to face the music and speak to Nora.· Now she can face the music.· We gently persuaded them to do the right thing and come back to face the music.· It was hard to believe that it was almost time to face the music.· I had to face the music, I had to face myself.· Read in studio Still to come on Central News, facing the music.· It was not just Diana who had to face the music but her parents as well.· They can't tell us how to live and not face the music when their own conduct is questioned.
· Voice over However that party is facing strong opposition from people living in nearby Wavenden.· But they face opposition from a lobbying powerhouse of credit card companies, banks, auto companies and retail chains.· Despite appearances, it does not face popular opposition to reform itself.· That bill, approved Wednesday afternoon on a 64-32 vote, still faces significant opposition in the House and from President Clinton.· Union leaders warned that the group's attempt to cut jobs could face stiff opposition.· Gramm faces token opposition in the Republican primary scheduled for March 12.· The Government faces opposition from its backbenches on the question of quality.· The reforms will have to be passed by the national conference where they will face considerable opposition.
· As the most expensive section of the labour force, middle-aged workers have faced very severe pressures to terminate their employment.· But it was clear he would face mounting pressure to intervene from not only congressional leaders but travelers.· Many fishermen have done well in recent years but they now face great pressure on the fish stocks.· And I knew it was a diversity facing pressures of unprecedented scale.· Mr Lamont declared the Tories stuck to their election pledges but he faces immense pressure to balance the books.· Hospitals industrywide have been facing pressures from insurers to cut costs amid declining patient stays.· State-owned enterprises are believed to face pressures to select profit-reducing choices where, for example, price rises are politically sensitive.· He faces mounting public pressure to resign.
· We now have another citizens charter that addresses the direct problems faced by the people of this country.· That attitude is the biggest problem facing the government agency responsible for ferreting out discrimination.· She also had been able to put her feelings on hold as she concentrated on the problems facing her.· Censorship is hardly the worst problem facing Hong Kong filmmakers.· But there were many problems to be faced.· Perhaps another way to under-stand the problem we face is to take a simple example.· One of the problems they face, however, is that hotels have a relatively long pay-back period.· Two other big problems facing the organisers are crowd and traffic control.
· Britain faced the prospect of a winter without food and without energy, at the mercy of powerful unions and ineffective employers.· But now they face eviction and the prospect of unemployment.· Some face the prospect of living on the margins for years because of U.S. visa limits and backlogs.· If the Bill is outvoted, we are faced with dire prospects.· But I could not face the prospect of this task.· With only 9,000 tickets allocated to the county, many are faced with the prospect of watching the big match on television.· Pleasant though he was, Amelie couldn't face the prospect of making small talk with him and Madame.
· Four cabinet members were facing questions last night about their part in the fiasco.· He faced questions from 17 organisations all keen to exploit, inconsistencies in the department's published evidence.· Instead of a warm and fuzzy public relations tour during campaign season, she now faces endless questions about supposed hanky-panky.· As we face the issues and questions which are before each of us now, do we know why we believe?· McInerney faces these questions through Patrick, who is the most recent of a line of self-deprecating McInerney narrators.· Ultimately, politicians will have to face the questions raised and deal with them.· However, we are then faced with the question of what we are to understand by autonomy.
· It seemed as if she was facing a sea of glittering gowns.· The other side faced the open sea.· Brighton Marina, luxury 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartments facing sea and boats.· She pointed him to a bridge table set up to face the sea.· She faced out to sea and saw nothing but the impression of Fernando's tortured features before her misty eyes.· He turned to face the sea.· One stands naked facing front with her arms raised around her head which turns to face the sea.· Sepulchers face the sea, as on the mainland, but on this tiny island death seems everywhere.
· Mr Davies, in his letter to staff, says the council is facing a serious financial situation.· When faced with similar situations in the future, why not give yourself prior warning by asking the following question?· Years of army training had taught him to be cautious when faced with an unknown situation.· None of these young States faced a simple situation.· A distillery that wanted to launch a new brand of whisky would face this situation.· Like all sheep farmers, Peter Capener in Staffordshire faced this situation ... until he installed two 3W infra-red heaters.· When faced with a certain situation in wartime, they simply called on extraordinary resources.
· It is difficult to remember the scale of the task facing us then.· But they illustrate the second key task facing public schools: how to increase the academic content and standards for all students.· That is the task facing us.· Grappling with the many varied problems of the nineteenth century, it tackled innumerable tasks and faced innumerable obstacles.· That's the biggest and most urgent task facing the restorers, a company from Hay on Wye.· He radiated quiet enthusiasm about the task facing him on any large steel-framed building.· But ensuring it does is one of the most important tasks facing Mr Major in the aftermath of his election victory.· One of the tasks facing all freshmen is to figure out ways to counter this loneliness.
· Whalers face the threat of government reprisals should they start a commercial hunt which has been banned since 1985.· We face no imminent threat, but we do have an enemy.· They themselves face the threat of social unrest over the coming factory closures.· Its cold-blooded use by cops facing no threat to themselves is plainly inhumane.· Never before were they faced with the threat of losing substantial numbers of accounts.· Augustine says some of those patients may be facing collection agency threats.· The 45 grammar schools among them face the additional threat of comprehensive reorganisation, or closure.
· If we had more courage at Goodison in facing up to the truth unpalatable though it may be things might begin to improve.· It was a thing of a different sort to face the truth.· Humane destruction is not easy to face, but fear of the unknown is often far worse than facing the truth.· Sometimes folks have to face ugly, nasty truths about themselves.· Suddenly, she felt lighter of heart, ready to face the truth she had long denied herself.· The long incubation period means that no Third World country has yet faced the full truth of what is to come.· In his view Fraser had delayed because he didn't want to face the truth.
VERB· She then stood sombrely facing the memorial while the regimental band played Land of My Fathers.· He stood, facing me on the bed.· As we consider the dream of Jacob we find a man who stood alone and facing an uncertain future.· Primo and the man stand facing the crowd.· They stood facing each other for a moment in silence.· He stood facing the wall where the lizard stains were, rubbing the back of his neck.· Now it was lit luridly in green and the puppet in the white ballet dress was standing upright facing them.· I got up and came into the room and we stood facing each other.
· She turned to face the shop window.· He was on the trail of a stag, which turned to face him.· It can not move and shoot in the same turn, except that it can be turned to face its intended target.· But then I turned back, facing the road before us.· He turned to face the ocean.· It is sad that he could not have been turned soas to face his favourite church.· They turned to face us, and the sight of them did nothing for our confidence.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► can’t facePHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► argue/talk etc till you’re blue in the face► bury your face/head in your hands► the colour/blood drains from somebody’s face/cheeks► feed your face► fill yourself (up)/fill your face► capitalism/communism/socialism etc with a human face► somebody will be laughing on the other side of their face► not just a pretty face► purple with rage/purple in the face etc► blood rushes to somebody’s face/cheeks► shut your mouth/face/trap!► slam the door in somebody’s face► wipe something off the face of the earth/wipe something off the map► have something/be written all over your face
1difficult situation if you face or are faced with a difficult situation, or if a difficult situation faces you, it is going to affect you and you must deal with it: - It is faced with stone on the outside and red marble inside.
- Rather than face the music at a trial, Abingdon chose to plea bargain.
- Constance knew the time had come to face the music and speak to Nora.
- I had to face the music, I had to face myself.
- It was hard to believe that it was almost time to face the music.
- It was not just Diana who had to face the music but her parents as well.
- Now she can face the music.
- Read in studio Still to come on Central News, facing the music.
- They can't tell us how to live and not face the music when their own conduct is questioned.
- We gently persuaded them to do the right thing and come back to face the music.
- It was kind of funny watching the presentation blow up in Harry's face.
- Kristin knew that if anyone found out, the whole thing could blow up in her face.
- Auditors some-times miss big potential problems that blow up in the face of bondholders.
- But I also fear that this encryption stuff is so powerful it could blow up in my face.
- Having opted for a formation that he thought would beat Leicester, David O Leary saw it blow up in his face.
- Liable blow up in their faces.
- Not only could be, but would be, and the whole thing would blow up in my face.
- Nothing of its kind had ever been done before, and it could have blown up in his face.
- When the clothes iron blows up in your face.
- He was shattered, though he put on a brave face.
- I suppose parents have to put on a brave face.
- Leaving the court the families all tried to put on a brave face.
- Meanwhile, Llandundo put on a brave face yesterday and struggled to get back to normal after last week's devastating floods.
- Newspaper staff put on a brave face.
- No one said a word all of us were consciously putting on a brave face.
- Whether in denial or putting on a brave face, the delegates professed to be unperturbed by those numbers.
- He and Stapleton can associate to their hearts' content and that's something to bring a smile to his face.
- It brought a smile to her lips.
- Nothing was more likely to bring a smile to his face than being told he was talked about.
- She invented a hundred little things to make him happy, to bring a smile to his face.
- The thought brought a smile to his face.
- Their screams of horror and cries for mercy only brought a smile to my face.
- We thank him profusely, and manage to bring a smile to his face.
- Jessamy buried her face against her husband's shoulder.
- She gripped his hands, his shirt, burying her face in his chest, hiding and laughing at her own reaction.
- She returned to her chair and sank down into it burying her face in her hands.
- Suddenly he raced across the stage and buried his face behind the curtain.
- Then with a groan, he buried his face in her neck and began stroking her thighs.
- You will notice phrases like crocodile tears, the elephant never forgets, and the ostrich burying its head in the sand.
- He held out his hand to his junior master and composed his face into a solemn expression of trust.
- I compose my face into a smile.
- I tried to compose my features into a combination of nonchalance and justification.
- They had composed their faces, but their eyes sparkled and their mouths yearned to smile.
- When asked a question do not rush at your answer but give yourself a second or two to compose your thoughts.
- A look of horror crossed Ken's face.
- If you love him, ask him to stay. Otherwise you'll be cutting off your nose to spite your face.
- If we think they are easy meat we will end up with egg on our faces.
- Meanwhile, Hutcheson observed that in 1995 all the chip forecasters had varying degrees of egg on their face.
- People like me, who believed the firing squad had been assembled, were left with egg on our faces.
- The newspapers have taken this propaganda at face value, without questioning it.
- And he no longer took things at face value.
- Because Kate, for all her faults real and imagined, was the only person ever to take him at face value.
- But now, a hundred years on, certain factions persist in taking it at face value.
- She fell flat on her face getting out of the car.
- The last time I wore high-heeled shoes I fell flat on my face outside a restaurant.
- As we were going out to the car Babe slipped and fell flat on her face.
- At last, after several near misses, I fall flat on my face.
- Because if you don't a fresh ambition or optimistic plan will fall flat on its face.
- But once the ball tips, the game falls flat on its face faster than a top-ranked team after a first-round upset.
- It is also a nation waiting for her to fall flat on her face.
- Writers strive for a universal experience distilled from personal memories and tend to fall flat on their faces.
- Yet there are certain composers who fall flat on their face unless the adrenalin really start to flow.
- Eysenck's claim flies in the face of all the evidence.
- Anita Roddick has made a virtue of flying in the face of business convention.
- Award-winning entertainment that flies in the face of gravity lands in Tucson for two nights only.
- But strong biological determinism flies in the face of experience.
- I find this hard to believe since it flies in the face of all the principles of wrestling.
- It flies in the face of commitments made at the Earth Summit to reduce consumption.
- Neill triumphantly flies in the face of a long line of buffoon kings on film.
- This flies in the face of the cautious nature of the Bush administration.
- Whatever the riddle is called, it flies in the face of 3, 000 years of logical philosophy.
- They gave off a pungent, horsey smell, as if freshly cut.
- What he fails to do is to put a human face on these processes.
- But they would kick your head in if you spilt their pint just the same.
- It goes with some people wanting to kick my head in.
- Lou and Van burst into tears and Hamburglar kicks their heads in.
- So they are all there, kicking our teeth in.
- I confronted my daughter, but she just laughed in my face.
- He mocks death, laughs in its face, and others of his ilk laugh in a chorus all around him.
- If she warned Ace what her father expected of him he'd laugh in her face.
- If some one had told her what was going to happen she would have laughed in their face.
- Instead, have fun with our great £25,000 series of slump-busting contests and laugh in the face of Lamont.
- Ryan laughed in my face, which is what I expected.
- The next time you hear a native-born athlete complain about adversity, remember Livan Hernandez and laugh in his face.
- This is the last in our great £25,000 series of slump-busting contests to help you laugh in the face of Lamont.
- When I was four, I told my sister about the Creation, and she laughed in my face.
- Let's face it, Scott. We're not as young as we used to be.
- A long face, hangdog, sad-sack, and dusty hair, reddish brown.
- Do they really physically raise a sardonic eyebrow, and make a long face, or only metaphorically?
- He was in his early thirties with dark skin and a long face from which protruded a sharp, aquiline nose.
- His long face, punctuated by a pencil mustache, is a place of jowls, creases and inflammation.
- His eyes were wide-set, and his long face was fair-skinned: seen from certain angles it had an almost feminine prettiness.
- Never-ending telly, Mum's long face, and a turkey dinner that nobody wanted to eat, not even Henry.
- Their faces slipped through her mind, round faces and long faces, thin, fat, smiling, sombre.
- Worst of all, his long face was more contorted than ever in the fury of self-pity.
- He finds a woman in black lace, with piercing eyes and a mobile face.
- I finally found Martin Clunes, the most mobile mouth in show business, lurking behind a large moustache.
- They did not show emotions as plainly as more mobile faces did.
- As a result of the turmoil, Frank resigned in order to save face.
- Bosnia would survive as a constitutional fiction, allowing the world to save face.
- By agreeing to the staged confrontation, Barnett would save face while permitting Meredith to register.
- Determined to save face, I kept devouring everything set before me.
- I had to do this to save face for my father.
- The important thing now was to let him save face.
- The only person that didn't was Fish, who had to save face and went on claiming it was true.
- I'd never say it to her face, but her hair looks terrible.
- Never write anything in an e-mail that you wouldn't say to the person's face.
- If you had anything to say, you said it to their face.
- It is, may I suggest, much easier to say goodbye to a face than to a wooden box.
- Blake screwed up his eyes, trying to peer through the fog.
- He screwed up his eyes against the light and Jurnet saw the gipsy in him.
- He screwed up his eyes and put his hands over his ears.
- He screwed up his face as the hot water from the kitchen tap scalded his hand.
- He screwed up his face at the appalling stench but made no move to draw back.
- She screwed up her face and whispered: you're so revoltingly fat you disgusting baboon.
- They scrunch up their faces, peering into the haze.
- He hated the set of different faces glaring up at him night after night.
- Her husband's brow furrowed as he noted the set of her face.
- Something in the set of his shoulders suggested that his pursuers were not far behind.
- It was a dangerous place for a non-Italian to show his face.
- At this palace, as at the other, servility shows its face and performs its tricks.
- How's he gon na show his face?
- Not a weed dared to show its face.
- Old Harker never shows his face.
- She couldn't understand how he dared to show his face after what he had done to Mr Potter.
- So you must show your face at their door, bloody and bloodthirsty and raving.
- Then one by one the other four women find a reason to show their faces.
- Wherever I showed my face, a thousand other faces immediately collected around it.
- Gwynn considered the salary they were offering a slap in the face.
- And make no mistake: He considers the Padres' offer a slap in the face -- even mimicking such a blow.
- Barnes's decision therefore came as somewhat of a slap in the face to these well rehearsed points.
- But choosing that particular moment to do it was a rebuff as callous and shocking as a slap in the face.
- It is a slap in the face and an insult.
- Defeat was staring us in the face.
- The answer had been staring him in the face for months.
- The solution is staring you in the face.
- He thought he was staring death in the face.
- It is staring us in the face.
- With only three games to save themselves, Coventry are staring relegation in the face.
- Despite the problem of trying to maintain a straight face, there are distinct advantages to being on Cube's team.
- For the first hundred yards we keep straight faces.
- How can you say that and keep a straight face?
- I try and keep a straight face, but I can't help grinning at myself.
- It was very difficult to keep a straight face.
- Kemp is straining to maintain a straight face.
- The old trick of keeping a straight face was failing him these days.
- We start with safe conversation and straight faces.
- It was no fun having my own words thrown back at me by my kids.
- A lot of their love would be rebuffed or thrown back in their faces.
- My love - my name thrown back in my face.
- Nobody was throwing anything in their faces.
- This would be thrown back in his face later by North Koreaand sooner than anyone guessed.
- She stood there with hands on her hips, glaring with a face like thunder.
- He needed a slap upside the head.
- I'd like to wipe that stupid grin off your face.
Emergency services are facing additional problems this winter. The president faces the difficult task of putting the economy back on its feet. McManus is facing the biggest challenge of his career. As the project comes to an end, many workers now face an uncertain future. He must face the prospect of financial ruin.be faced with something I was faced with the awful job of breaking the news to the girl’s family. the difficulties faced by the police If he is found guilty, he faces up to 12 years in jail.face charges/prosecution (=have legal charges brought against you) He was the first member of the former government to face criminal charges.2admit a problem exists (also face up to something) to accept that a difficult situation or problem exists, even though you would prefer to ignore it: Many couples refuse to face the fact that there are problems in their marriage. You’ve got to face facts, Rachel. You can’t survive on a salary that low. He had to face the awful truth that she no longer loved him. Face it, kid. You’re never going to be a rock star.3can’t face if you can’t face something, you feel unable to do it because it seems too unpleasant or difficult: I don’t want to go back to college – I just can’t face it. I can’t face the thought of going into town when it’s this hot. She couldn’t face the prospect of another divorce.can’t face doing something He couldn’t face driving all the way to Los Angeles.4talk/deal with somebody to talk or deal with someone, when this is unpleasant or difficult for you: You’re going to have to face him sooner or later. I don’t know how I’m going to face her after what happened. The accident left her feeling depressed and unable to face the world (=be with people and live a normal life).5be opposite to be opposite someone or something, or to be looking or pointing in a particular direction: The two men stood facing each other, smiling. When he turned to face her, he seemed annoyed. Lunch is served on the terrace facing the sea.south-facing/west-facing etc a south-facing gardenface north/east etc The dining room faces east.6opponent/team to play against an opponent or team in a game or competition: Martinez will face Robertson in tomorrow’s final.7 face the music informal to accept criticism or punishment for something you have done8building be faced with stone/concrete etc a building that is faced with stone, concrete etc has a layer of that material on its outside surfacesCOLLOCATIONSnounsface a problem· She told me about some of the problems she was facing.face a difficulty· The hotel’s owners were facing financial difficulties.face a challenge· The coal industry faces serious challenges.face the task of doing something· He faced the task of preparing a three-course meal for 50 people.face a danger· He has the courage to face danger in spite of fear.face opposition (=deal with strong disagreement)· The government faced opposition from the Liberal Democrats.face charges (=be accused of a crime and have to go to a court of law)· He faces charges of fraud and theft.face an uncertain/difficult future· The company is facing an uncertain future.face the prospect of something (=something in the future is going to affect you and you will have to deal with it)· Many coastal cities face the prospect of disastrous flooding.face somebody ↔ down phrasal verb especially American English to deal in a strong and confident way with someone who opposes you: Harrison successfully faced down the mob of angry workers.face off phrasal verb American English to fight, argue, or compete with someone, or to get into a position in which you are ready to do this: The two candidates will face off in a televised debate on Friday.face up to something phrasal verb to accept and deal with a difficult fact or problem: They’ll never offer you another job; you might as well face up to it. She had to face up to the fact that he was guilty.