facˈer noun

1. A tool for smoothing or facing a surface
2. A severe blow on the face (slang)
3. An affront (informal)
4. Anything that staggers one, a sudden problem or difficulty (informal)
5. A person who faces something
6. A person who puts on a false show (obsolete)
7. A boldfaced person (obsolete)

facial /fāˈshl/ adjective

1. Of or relating to the face
2. For the face

noun (informal)

A beauty treatment to the face

faˈcialist noun

A beautician who specializes in performing facial treatments

faˈcially adverb

facˈing noun

1. A covering in front for decoration or protection
2. (in pl) the collar, lapels and cuffs of a garment, esp in a contrasting colour

faceˈ-ache noun

1. Neuralgia in the nerves of the face
2. An ugly or disagreeable person (slang; usu used as a mild or facetious insult)

Faceˈbook® noun

A popular social networking website

face card noun

A playing-card bearing a face (king, queen or jack)

faceˈ-centred adjective

(of a crystal structure) with an atom in the centre of the face of each unit cell as well as at each vertex

faceˈcloth or face flannel noun

1. A cloth used in washing the face
2. (facecloth) a cloth laid over the face of a corpse or living person

face cream noun

A cosmetic cream for the face

faceˈ-fungˈus noun (informal)

A moustache or beard

faceˈ-guard or face mask noun

A kind of mask to guard or protect the face

faceˈ-hardˈen transitive verb

To harden on the surface, to case-harden (lit and figurative)

faceˈlift noun

1. A surgical operation to smooth and firm the tissues of the face
2. A renovating process, esp one applied to the outside of a building

faceˈman or faceˈworker noun

A miner who works at the coalface, as opposed to elsewhere in or at the mine

face mask noun

1. A face-guard
2. A face pack

faceˈ-off noun

1. (in ice-hockey, etc) the dropping of the puck between two players to start the game
2. A confrontation (figurative)
3. See also face off below

face pack noun

A creamy cosmetic mixture put onto the face to cleanse and tone the complexion, and removed when dry

face paint noun

Paint used to decorate the face

face painting noun

faceˈplate noun

1. A disc on which a piece of wood, etc can be fixed for turning on a lathe
2. A protective plate in front of a piece of machinery
3. A flat transparent panel on the front of a protective helmet
4. The screen or front of a cathode-ray tube

face powder noun

A cosmetic powder for the face

faceˈ-saver noun

A course of action that saves one's face (see below)

faceˈ-saving noun and adjective

Saving one's face (see below)

FaceˈTime® noun

An application enabling video calls to be made over a wireless network

transitive verb

(usu without caps) to communicate with (a person) using this application

face value noun

1. The value as stated on the face of a coin, share certificate, etc
2. The apparent value of anything, which may not be the same as its real value

facial angle noun

(in skull measurement) the angle formed by lines drawn from the middle of the forehead to the upper jaw above the incisor teeth and from the opening of the ear to the opening of the nose

facial mapping noun

A forensic technique for reconstructing the original face beneath a disguise

face down

1. To shame or intimidate with stern looks
2. To confront and make concede

face off

1. To start a game (of ice-hockey, etc) by a face-off
2. To confront each other
3. To adopt a mutually confrontational attitude

face out

1. To carry off by confident appearance
2. To face down

face the music (informal)

1. To accept unpleasant consequences at their worst
2. To brave a trying situation, hostile reception, etc

face to face

1. Opposite
2. In actual presence, in person
3. In confrontation (faceˈ-to-faceˈ adjective)

face up to

1. To face or stand up to
2. To recognize (a fact or facts) and prepare to endure or act bravely

fly in the face of

To oppose or defy

get in (or out of) someone's face (informal)

To begin (or stop) harassing or obstructing someone

have two faces

To be two-faced (see under two)

in the face of

In defiance of, despite

in-your-face or in-yer-face (slang)

1. Aggressive
2. Direct and provocative

look (someone) in the face

To look at (someone) without shame or embarrassment

lose face

To lose prestige

loss of face

Humiliation, loss of dignity

make or pull faces at

To distort one's face into exaggerated expressions in order to amuse, annoy, etc

off one's face (slang)

1. Drunk or high on drugs
2. Crazy

on the face of it

1. On its own showing
2. As is palpably plain
3. At first glance

pull a long face

To look dismal

put a good or brave face on (it)

To adopt a good-natured or stoical attitude in a troublesome situation

put one's face on (informal)

To apply cosmetics to the face

right face!, left face! or right about face!

Words of command, on which soldiers turn to the side specified

run one's face (obs sl)

To obtain things on credit by sheer impudence

save one's face

To avoid humiliation or appearance of climbing down

set one's face against

To oppose strenuously

show one's face

To appear

to one's face

In one's presence, openly