Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Face?

\Face\, n. [F., from L. facies form, shape, face, perh. from facere to make (see {Fact}); or perh. orig. meaning appearance, and from a root meaning to shine, and akin to E. fancy. Cf. {Facetious}.] 1. The exterior form or appearance of anything; that part which presents itself to the view; especially, the front or upper part or surface; that which particularly offers itself to the view of a spectator. A mist . . . watered the whole face of the ground. --Gen. ii. 6. Lake Leman wooes me with its crystal face. --Byron. 2. That part of a body, having several sides, which may be seen from one point, or which is presented toward a certain direction; one of the bounding planes of a solid; as, a cube has six faces. 3. (Mach.) (a) The principal dressed surface of a plate, disk, or pulley; the principal flat surface of a part or object. (b) That part of the acting surface of a cog in a cog wheel, which projects beyond the pitch line. (c) The width of a pulley, or the length of a cog from end to end; as, a pulley or cog wheel of ten inches face. 4. (Print.) (a) The upper surface, or the character upon the surface, of a type, plate, etc. (b) The style or cut of a type or font of type. 5. Outside appearance; surface show; look; external aspect, whether natural, assumed, or acquired. To set a face upon their own malignant design. --Milton. This would produce a new face of things in Europe. --Addison. We wear a face of joy, because We have been glad of yore. --Wordsworth. 6. That part of the head, esp. of man, in which the eyes, cheeks, nose, and mouth are situated; visage; countenance. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread. --Gen. iii. 19. 7. Cast of features; expression of countenance; look; air; appearance. We set the best faceon it we could. --Dryden. 8. (Astrol.) Ten degrees in extent of a sign of the zodiac. --Chaucer. 9. Maintenance of the countenance free from abashment or confusion; confidence; boldness; shamelessness; effrontery. This is the man that has the face to charge others with false citations. --Tillotson. 10. Presence; sight; front; as in the phrases, before the face of, in the immediate presence of; in the face of, before, in, or against the front of; as, to fly in the face of danger; to the face of, directly to; from the face of, from the presence of. 11. Mode of regard, whether favorable or unfavorable; favor or anger; mostly in Scriptural phrases. The Lord make his face to shine upon thee. --Num. vi. 25. My face [favor] will I turn also from them. --Ezek. vii. 22. 12. (Mining) The end or wall of the tunnel, drift, or excavation, at which work is progressing or was last done. 13. (Com.) The exact amount expressed on a bill, note, bond, or other mercantile paper, without any addition for interest or reduction for discount.
\Face\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Faced}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Facing}.] 1. To meet in front; to oppose with firmness; to resist, or to meet for the purpose of stopping or opposing; to confront; to encounter; as, to face an enemy in the field of battle. I'll face This tempest, and deserve the name of king. --Dryden. 2. To Confront impudently; to bully. I will neither be facednor braved. --Shak. 3. To stand opposite to; to stand with the face or front toward; to front upon; as, the apartments of the general faced the park. He gained also with his forces that part of Britain which faces Ireland. --Milton. 4. To cover in front, for ornament, protection, etc.; to put a facing upon; as, a building faced with marble. 5. To line near the edge, esp. with a different material; as, to face the front of a coat, or the bottom of a dress. 6. To cover with better, or better appearing, material than the mass consists of, for purpose of deception, as the surface of a box of tea, a barrel of sugar, etc. 7. (Mach.) To make the surface of (anything) flat or smooth; to dress the face of (a stone, a casting, etc.); esp., in turning, to shape or smooth the flat surface of, as distinguished from the cylindrical surface. 8. To cause to turn or present a face or front, as in a particular direction. {To face down}, to put down by bold or impudent opposition. ``He faced men down.'' --Prior. {To face (a thing) out}, to persist boldly or impudently in an assertion or in a line of conduct. ``That thinks with oaths to face the matter out.'' --Shak.
\Face\, v. i. 1. To carry a false appearance; to play the hypocrite. ``To lie, to face, to forge.'' --Spenser. 2. To turn the face; as, to face to the right or left. Face about, man; a soldier, and afraid! --Dryden. 3. To present a face or front.