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. [ 1913 Webster ]
A mist . . . watered the whole face of the ground. Gen. ii. 6. [ 1913 Webster ]
Lake Leman wooes me with its crystal face. Byron. [ 1913 Webster ]
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. [ 1913 Webster ]
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. [ 1913 Webster ]
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. [ 1913 Webster ]
5. Outside appearance; surface show; look; external aspect, whether natural, assumed, or acquired. [ 1913 Webster ]
To set a face upon their own malignant design. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]
This would produce a new face of things in Europe. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]
We wear a face of joy, because
We have been glad of yore. Wordsworth. [ 1913 Webster ]
6. That part of the head, esp. of man, in which the eyes, cheeks, nose, and mouth are situated; visage; countenance. [ 1913 Webster ]
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread. Gen. iii. 19. [ 1913 Webster ]
7. Cast of features; expression of countenance; look; air; appearance. [ 1913 Webster ]
We set the best faceon it we could. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]
8. (Astrol.) Ten degrees in extent of a sign of the zodiac. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]
9. Maintenance of the countenance free from abashment or confusion; confidence; boldness; shamelessness; effrontery. [ 1913 Webster ]
This is the man that has the face to charge others with false citations. Tillotson. [ 1913 Webster ]
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. [ 1913 Webster ]
11. Mode of regard, whether favorable or unfavorable; favor or anger; mostly in Scriptural phrases. [ 1913 Webster ]
The Lord make his face to shine upon thee. Num. vi. 25. [ 1913 Webster ]
My face [ favor ] will I turn also from them. Ezek. vii. 22. [ 1913 Webster ]
12. (Mining) The end or wall of the tunnel, drift, or excavation, at which work is progressing or was last done. [ 1913 Webster ]
13. (Com.) The exact amount expressed on a bill, note, bond, or other mercantile paper, without any addition for interest or reduction for discount; most commonly called face value. McElrath. [ 1913 Webster ]
☞ Face is used either adjectively or as part of a compound; as, face guard or face-guard; face cloth; face plan or face-plan; face hammer. [ 1913 Webster ]
Face ague (Med.), a form of neuralgia, characterized by acute lancinating pains returning at intervals, and by twinges in certain parts of the face, producing convulsive twitches in the corresponding muscles; -- called also tic douloureux. --
Face card, one of a pack of playing cards on which a human face is represented; the king, queen, or jack. --
Face cloth, a cloth laid over the face of a corpse. --
Face guard, a mask with windows for the eyes, worn by workman exposed to great heat, or to flying particles of metal, stone, etc., as in glass works, foundries, etc. --
Face hammer, a hammer having a flat face. --
Face joint (Arch.), a joint in the face of a wall or other structure. --
Face mite (Zool.), a small, elongated mite (Demdex folliculorum), parasitic in the hair follicles of the face. --
Face mold, the templet or pattern by which carpenters, etc., outline the forms which are to be cut out from boards, sheet metal, etc. --
Face plate. (a) (Turning) A plate attached to the spindle of a lathe, to which the work to be turned may be attached. (b) A covering plate for an object, to receive wear or shock. (c) A true plane for testing a dressed surface. Knight. --
Face wheel. (Mach.) (a) A crown wheel. (b) A wheel whose disk face is adapted for grinding and polishing; a lap. --
face value the value written on a financial instrument; same as face{ 13 }. Also used metaphorically, to mean apparent value; as, to take his statemnet at its face value. [ 1913 Webster ]
Cylinder face (Steam Engine), the flat part of a steam cylinder on which a slide valve moves. --
Face of an anvil, its flat upper surface. --
Face of a bastion (Fort.), the part between the salient and the shoulder angle. --
Face of coal (Mining), the principal cleavage plane, at right angles to the stratification. --
Face of a gun, the surface of metal at the muzzle. --
Face of a place (Fort.), the front comprehended between the flanked angles of two neighboring bastions. Wilhelm. --
Face of a square (Mil.), one of the sides of a battalion when formed in a square. --
Face of a
watch, clock, compass, card etc., the dial or graduated surface on which a pointer indicates the time of day, point of the compass, etc. --
Face to face. (a) In the presence of each other; as, to bring the accuser and the accused face to face. (b) Without the interposition of any body or substance. “Now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face.” 1 Cor. xiii. 12. (c) With the faces or finished surfaces turned inward or toward one another; vis à vis; -- opposed to back to back. --
To fly in the face of, to defy; to brave; to withstand. --
To make a face, to distort the countenance; to make a grimace; -- often expressing dislike, annoyance, or disagreement. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]