1face 
/ˈfeɪs/ noun
plural faces /ˈfeɪs/ noun [count] 1 : the front part of the head that has the eyes, nose, and mouth on it
▪ He has a round face. ▪ He punched me (right) in the face. ▪ His face is familiar but I can't remember his name. ▪ I'll never forget the look on her face. ▪ She slapped him in the face. = She slapped his face. ▪ He fell flat on his face. ▪ a bearded/freckled/tanned face ▪ a fresh/youthful face ▪ face cream ▪ face powder ▪ Her face lit up [=she looked pleased and happy] when she saw him. ▪ Her face fell [=she looked unhappy] when I told her the bad news. ▪ I don't know how he can show his face around here. [=how he can stand being seen here] ▪ Why the long face? [=why do you look so unhappy?] ▪ He was wearing a silly grin/smile on his face. [=he was grinning/smiling in a silly way] ▪ She angrily told him to wipe that smile off his face. [=to stop smiling] ▪ Her guilt was written all over her face. [=the expression on her face showed her guilt very clearly] ▪ The answer to the problem was staring me in the face all along. [=the answer was obvious but I did not see it] 2 : a facial expression
▪ a happy/sad face ▪ a friendly/smiling face ▪ She tried to put on a brave face [=she tried to appear brave or calm] despite the pain of the injury. ▪ It was hard to keep a straight face. [=it was hard not to laugh] ▪ You should have seen his face when we shouted “Surprise!” [=he had a shocked, surprised, etc., look on his face] — see also poker face 3 : person
▪ I didn't recognize any of the faces around the table. ▪ There are lots of new faces around the office. ▪ It's good to see a familiar face. [=a person that I know] 4 a : the way something appears when it is first seen or thought about — usually singular ▪ On the face of it, her proposal seems ridiculous. [=when you first hear about her proposal it seems ridiculous, although it may not be ridiculous when you learn more about it] ▪ Her proposal seems ridiculous on its face.
b : the way something is seen or thought of by people — usually singular ▪ If she wins the election it will change the face of American politics. ◊To put a brave/good/positive face on something or to put the best face on something is to talk about it or describe it in a way that makes it seem as good as possible.
▪ She can put a positive face on the worst situations. ▪ He was disappointed by the results of the election, but tried to put the best face on the situation by saying he had come closer to winning than people expected. 5 a : a front or outer surface of something
▪ the face of a cliff = a cliff face ▪ the face of a building ▪ the face of a golf club ▪ a species that has vanished from the face of the earth [=a species that is no longer found anywhere in the world] ▪ If you ask me, he's the biggest fool on the face of the earth. [=in the world]
b : a surface or side that is marked or prepared in some way
▪ the face of a document
c : a side of a coin
▪ Which face will the coin land on—heads or tails?
d : the part of a clock or watch that shows the time
▪ a clock face
e mathematics : any one of the flat surfaces of a solid shape
▪ A cube is a solid with six square faces.
▪ He has a round face. ▪ He punched me (right) in the face. ▪ His face is familiar but I can't remember his name. ▪ I'll never forget the look on her face. ▪ She slapped him in the face. = She slapped his face. ▪ He fell flat on his face. ▪ a bearded/freckled/tanned face ▪ a fresh/youthful face ▪ face cream ▪ face powder ▪ Her face lit up [=she looked pleased and happy] when she saw him. ▪ Her face fell [=she looked unhappy] when I told her the bad news. ▪ I don't know how he can show his face around here. [=how he can stand being seen here] ▪ Why the long face? [=why do you look so unhappy?] ▪ He was wearing a silly grin/smile on his face. [=he was grinning/smiling in a silly way] ▪ She angrily told him to wipe that smile off his face. [=to stop smiling] ▪ Her guilt was written all over her face. [=the expression on her face showed her guilt very clearly] ▪ The answer to the problem was staring me in the face all along. [=the answer was obvious but I did not see it]
▪ a happy/sad face ▪ a friendly/smiling face ▪ She tried to put on a brave face [=she tried to appear brave or calm] despite the pain of the injury. ▪ It was hard to keep a straight face. [=it was hard not to laugh] ▪ You should have seen his face when we shouted “Surprise!” [=he had a shocked, surprised, etc., look on his face] — see also poker face
▪ I didn't recognize any of the faces around the table. ▪ There are lots of new faces around the office. ▪ It's good to see a familiar face. [=a person that I know]
b : the way something is seen or thought of by people — usually singular ▪ If she wins the election it will change the face of American politics. ◊To put a brave/good/positive face on something or to put the best face on something is to talk about it or describe it in a way that makes it seem as good as possible.
▪ She can put a positive face on the worst situations. ▪ He was disappointed by the results of the election, but tried to put the best face on the situation by saying he had come closer to winning than people expected.
▪ the face of a cliff = a cliff face ▪ the face of a building ▪ the face of a golf club ▪ a species that has vanished from the face of the earth [=a species that is no longer found anywhere in the world] ▪ If you ask me, he's the biggest fool on the face of the earth. [=in the world]
b : a surface or side that is marked or prepared in some way
▪ the face of a document
c : a side of a coin
▪ Which face will the coin land on—heads or tails?
d : the part of a clock or watch that shows the time
▪ a clock face
e mathematics : any one of the flat surfaces of a solid shape
▪ A cube is a solid with six square faces.
a slap in the face — see 2slap
as plain as the nose on your face — see 1nose
blue in the face — see 1blue
cross someone's face — see 2cross
cut off your nose to spite your face — see 1nose
egg on your face — see 1egg
face to face 1 — used to describe a situation in which two people are together and looking at each other ▪ They were sitting face to face. ▪ I've spoken with him on the phone but I've never met him face to face. [=I've never met him] ▪ We've never had a face-to-face meeting. — often + with ▪ I've never been face to face with him before. 2 : very close to something dangerous, difficult, etc. — + with ▪ The actors were face to face with real flames. ▪ She came face to face with death. [=she nearly died] ▪ When she visited the school she was brought face to face with the problems encountered by teachers every day.
fly in the face of — see 1fly
game face
◊In informal U.S. English, if you are wearing your game face or have your game face on, you have a serious look on your face which shows that you are ready to compete in a game, sport, competition, etc.
▪ He was wearing his game face in the finals.
▪ He was wearing his game face in the finals.
get out of someone's face
US, informal : to go away and stop bothering someone : to leave someone alone
▪ Get out of my face! ▪ Hey, get out of your sister's face and go play somewhere else!
▪ Get out of my face! ▪ Hey, get out of your sister's face and go play somewhere else!
in someone's face 1 : in a direct way that shows anger or disrespect for someone
▪ She laughed in his face. ▪ He slammed the door in my face. 2 ◊In informal U.S. English, if you are/get in someone's face, you are criticizing or shouting at someone in a very direct and angry way.
▪ The coach got in my face because I was late for practice. — see also in-your-face
▪ She laughed in his face. ▪ He slammed the door in my face.
▪ The coach got in my face because I was late for practice. — see also in-your-face
in the face of
: while in a situation in which you have to deal with (something or someone that is dangerous, difficult, etc.)
▪ Their defeat seemed certain in the face of such a powerful opponent. ▪ She showed great courage in the face of danger. [=she showed great courage when she was faced with danger] ▪ She succeeded in the face of [=despite] great difficulties.
▪ Their defeat seemed certain in the face of such a powerful opponent. ▪ She showed great courage in the face of danger. [=she showed great courage when she was faced with danger] ▪ She succeeded in the face of [=despite] great difficulties.
just another face in the crowd — see 2crowd
laugh on the other side of your face — see 1laugh
lose face
: to cause other people to have less respect for you : to lose other people's respect
▪ She was afraid that she would lose face if she admitted her mistake.
▪ She was afraid that she would lose face if she admitted her mistake.
make a face or chiefly Brit pull a face 1 : to make a facial expression that shows dislike or disgust
▪ He made a face when I mentioned her name. 2 : to make a silly or amusing facial expression
▪ She tried to get me to laugh by making a face when I looked at her. ▪ He was entertaining the children by making (funny) faces.
▪ He made a face when I mentioned her name.
▪ She tried to get me to laugh by making a face when I looked at her. ▪ He was entertaining the children by making (funny) faces.
pretty face — see 1pretty
put a human face on — see 1human
save face
: to avoid having other people lose respect for you
▪ He tried to save face by working overtime.
▪ He tried to save face by working overtime.
shut your face — see 1shut
stare (someone) in the face — see 1stare
stuff your face — see 2stuff
to someone's face
: directly to someone
▪ If you have something to say about me, you should say it to my face. [=say it directly to me rather than to someone else]
▪ If you have something to say about me, you should say it to my face. [=say it directly to me rather than to someone else]
