Face Idioms

Several words have found themselves used in a number of phrases. We looked at 'touch' last time and this time it's 'face'.

Face to face is from as early as the 14th century. This seems odd looking back as, aside from a handwritten letter or a messenger, it was the only means of communication.

Face time appeared as an application on 24 June 2010. The expression came from 20 years earlier, when it meant exactly the same as 'face to face' did. Again, this seems odd for the application is designed to enable two people to chat and see one another without having to be in the same place.

To lose face dates from 1835, a translation of the Chinese tu lien.

To show one's face or put in an appearance dates back as far as the middle of the 14th century.

To make a face, and in the sense of showing disgust or disapproval (not gurning!), is found documented in 1560.

Two faces under one hood is from the middle of the 15th century. Having now fallen out of use, it suggested duplicity.

Face lift, and while nobody had a face lift before 1934, face-lifting is documented from 1922. This is another example of a process, and thus the verb, become a noun.

Face plates did not offer any protection under than name before 1874, prior to that they covered the face and this face plate is simply a guard over something.

Face value originated as a reference to stocks, shares and banknotes and is first attested in 1842.

Face card, otherwise known as a court card, are the King, Queen, Jack in a pack of plying cards. Not known as such until 1826, the name is somewhat inaccurate as three cards (jack of spades, jack of hearts, and king of diamonds) are shown in profile and thus not 'facing' us.

Face off, used in hockey and also lacrosse, is used in a sporting sense from 1867. As this is the means to start (or restart) a contest, it is thought to have a link to stand-off, where the two sides are facing one another without yet competing.

Facebook began online in 2004, but the term existed rather earlier. In 1983, it referred to a directory of college students where names and head and shoulders images of students was made available to help students remember their colleagues.

Po-faced is used to mean 'without expression' and dates from 1934. This can be taken back further to 1893, and a word which is rarely heard today and when 'po' was a dialect pronunciation of 'poor'.

Barefaced, as an adjective, is used to mean 'unconcealed' - we use this today in combinations such as 'barefaced lies' or 'barefaced cheek'. In its earliest appearances it was used to mean 'face uncovered, unshaven' and thus in its most literal sense.