face
face — verb
- facepresent simple I / you / we / they
- faces3rd person singular
- facing-ing form
- facedpast simple
1. to need to deal directly with a problem, obstacle, or unpleasant situation that
to need to deal directly with a problem, obstacle, or unpleasant situation that cannot be avoided.
After the earthquake, the town faced the huge challenge of rebuilding homes and schools.
Many small businesses face the risk of closure when a large supermarket opens nearby.
face + noun phrase for encountering risks
Ziad faced a difficult decision about whether to move abroad for work.
The hospital is now faced with a shortage of nurses after the government's budget cuts.
The team knows it faces fierce competition from rival companies.
- avoid
to stay away from a problem instead of dealing with it
文法句型
face + noun phrase
be faced with + noun phrase
用法筆記
Frequently used in the passive form 'be faced with' to describe a problem that someone must deal with. The active form ('face + noun') is also common when the subject is actively confronting the difficulty.
常見錯誤
2. to admit that a hard truth exists and take steps to address it, rather than cont
to admit that a hard truth exists and take steps to address it, rather than continuing to look away.
We need to face the fact that our current plan is not working.
Ava finally faced the truth about her health after years of ignoring warning signs.
face + the truth/reality for honest acceptance
It is time for the government to face reality and invest more in public transport.
Yuki had to face the unpleasant fact that her business was losing money every month.
The manager faced the truth that his team needed outside help to finish the project on time.
- acknowledge
less emotional; focuses on admitting the truth without the pressure to act on it
- accept
broader meaning; can be used for pleasant truths too, unlike 'face' which implies difficulty
- deny
to refuse to accept that something unpleasant is true
文法句型
face + noun phrase (truth/facts/reality)
face + that-clause
用法筆記
Often used with nouns like 'truth', 'fact', 'reality'. Distinguish from sense 1 — this sense emphasises accepting and acknowledging the truth rather than dealing with a problem practically.
常見錯誤
3. to feel unable to deal with a difficult or unpleasant activity or situation beca
to feel unable to deal with a difficult or unpleasant activity or situation because it feels too overwhelming.
Sari could not face another day of arguing with her difficult colleagues.
couldn't face + noun phrase for avoiding a situation
After the accident, Anjali could not face driving on the motorway again.
can't face + gerund for avoiding an activity
The thought of cleaning the entire house alone was more than Femi could face.
Joaquín could not face the long queue at the post office and went back home.
Inês simply cannot face eating another bowl of plain rice and beans for dinner.
- dread
emphasises the fear or anxiety about the situation, not just the inability to deal with it
文法句型
can't/couldn't face + noun phrase
can't/couldn't face + gerund
用法筆記
Almost always used in negative constructions with 'can't' or 'couldn't', followed by a noun phrase or a gerund (-ing form). Almost never used in affirmative sentences.
常見錯誤
4. to stand up to another person in a tense or competitive encounter and state your
to stand up to another person in a tense or competitive encounter and state your position openly.
The manager decided to face the employee who had been stealing office supplies.
Nellie faced her neighbour after the argument about the noisy dog.
face + person for direct confrontation
Chiara faced her opponent in the final match with courage and determination.
When the teacher faced the angry parents, she explained her grading rules calmly.
The committee will have to face the protesters at tomorrow's public hearing.
- confront
stronger and more direct; suggests challenging someone's behaviour or opinions openly
- stand up to
more informal; implies resisting someone who is stronger or more powerful
- avoid
to stay away from a person rather than dealing with them directly
文法句型
face + person/opponent/critic
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 — this sense refers to confronting a person directly, while sense 1 refers to dealing with a problem or situation. This sense often involves a face-to-face encounter.
常見錯誤
5. to be positioned so that the front part of something or someone's body is turned
to be positioned so that the front part of something or someone's body is turned towards a particular place or direction.
Our hotel room faces the sea, so we can watch the sunset every evening.
face + landmark for physical orientation
The living room windows face south, which keeps the house warm in winter.
face + compass direction
Adina turned to face the door when she heard someone knocking.
The new library building faces the main square in the city centre.
Our balcony faces the park, giving us a nice view of the trees and flowers.
- look out onto
more descriptive; used specifically for windows, balconies, or rooms with a view
- overlook
suggests a higher vantage point, like a hill or upper floor looking down on something
文法句型
face + noun (landmark/direction)
face + adverb of direction
用法筆記
Often used with compass directions (north, south, east, west) or landmarks (the sea, the street, the park). When used transitively, no preposition is needed — 'the window faces the street', NOT 'faces to the street'.
常見錯誤
6. to cover the outer surface of a wall, building, or piece of clothing with a laye
to cover the outer surface of a wall, building, or piece of clothing with a layer of a different material as a finish or for protection.
The kitchen wall is faced with white ceramic tiles that are easy to clean.
passive: be faced with [material] for surface covering
The old fireplace was faced with beautiful grey stone from a nearby quarry.
The builders faced the front of the house with red brick to match the street.
The dark grey jacket is faced with red silk along the inside of the collar.
The basement walls were faced with waterproof panels to keep them dry.
文法句型
be faced with + material (brick/stone/tiles)
用法筆記
Almost always used in passive constructions ('be faced with'). This is a specialised sense common in construction, tailoring, and interior design. Not interchangeable with 'cover' — 'face' specifically refers to an outer layer applied for finishing.
常見錯誤
7. to show someone facts, proof, or difficult questions about their actions, puttin
to show someone facts, proof, or difficult questions about their actions, putting them in a position where they must respond or admit the truth
The prosecutor faced the witness with a signed statement that contradicted his earlier account.
active pattern: face + someone + with + evidence
When the board members faced him with the missing receipts, he finally admitted the mistake.
Adaeze faced her landlord with the list of repairs that had never been done.
Zayd's parents faced him with text messages proving he had lied about his whereabouts.
The journalist faced the senator with documents showing money from an illegal fund.
- confront
broader in meaning — does not require presenting evidence
- accuse
specifically about blaming someone, not just showing them facts
- present with
neutral in tone; lacks the confrontational implication of 'face'
文法句型
face + someone + with + something
用法筆記
Typically used in the pattern 'face someone with something', where the final element is evidence, an accusation, or an uncomfortable question. Unlike senses 1–4, the direct object must be a person, not a situation.
常見錯誤
face — noun
- facesingular
- facesplural
1. The area on a human that has two eyes, a nose, a mouth, and two cheeks, sitting
The area on a human that has two eyes, a nose, a mouth, and two cheeks, sitting between your forehead and chin.
Gabriel splashed cold water on his face to wake up before his morning run.
Lisa's face turned red when her boss praised her work in front of everyone.
The baby's face lit up with a big smile when she heard her mother's voice.
Anna wiped the sweat from her face after jogging for an hour in the heat.
A fly landed on the old man's face, and he waved his hand to chase it.
- visage
very formal, mostly literary
- countenance
formal; describes the face and its expression together
用法筆記
Often used with possessive determiners (my face, his face, her face) when referring to a specific person.
常見錯誤
2. The way someone's facial features visibly reveal their emotions or attitude towa
The way someone's facial features visibly reveal their emotions or attitude toward a situation.
Elena's face showed pure joy when she opened the gift box from her sister.
collocation: face showed [emotion]
Folake wore a worried face during the job interview, so the manager asked if she was okay.
Nora's face changed from confusion to understanding as the teacher explained the problem.
The judge kept a stern face while listening to the witness describe the events of that night.
There was a look of surprise on Astrid's face when she saw her birthday cake.
- expression
more general, can apply to eyes or voice as well
- look
informal; often used with an adjective like a worried look
用法筆記
Frequently paired with descriptive adjectives (happy face, sad face, angry face) or emotion nouns (look of surprise, expression of relief).
3. An unusual expression created by twisting your mouth, nose, or eyes to show disl
An unusual expression created by twisting your mouth, nose, or eyes to show dislike, disgust, or to amuse someone.
The little boy made a funny face at his sister across the table, making her laugh.
collocation: make a funny face
Astrid pulled a disgusted face when she bit into the sour lemon by mistake.
collocation: pull a [adjective] face
Hamza's mother told him not to make a face when she served the vegetable stew.
The children made silly faces for the camera before the teacher told them to stop.
Ritu pulled a face at the bitter medicine and quickly drank some orange juice.
- grimace
more formal; specifically shows pain or disgust, not used for humour
文法句型
make/pull a face
用法筆記
Almost always used with the verbs 'make' or 'pull' in phrases like 'make a face' or 'pull a face'. The preposition 'at' indicates the target of the expression (make a face at someone).
常見錯誤
4. The outer side or visible side of something, such as a building wall, a cliff, o
The outer side or visible side of something, such as a building wall, a cliff, or any other physical item that has a clear forward-facing part.
The north face of the mountain is too steep for climbers in winter.
collocation: north face (of a mountain)
Lien wiped the dust off the face of the old wooden cabinet with a cloth.
The building's stone face was covered in beautiful carvings from the 1800s.
The face of the old stone building was covered in thick green ivy.
The cliff face crumbled slightly after three days of heavy rainfall.
用法筆記
When used for mountains, 'face' typically refers to a steep side. For buildings, 'face' often means the front exterior wall. For objects, it refers to the most prominent or functional side.
5. The side of a timepiece, such as a watch or clock, where the hours and minutes a
The side of a timepiece, such as a watch or clock, where the hours and minutes are displayed using numerals or pointers.
The old clock had a round face with Roman numerals painted in black.
collocation: clock face
Elena glanced at her watch face and realized she was already late for the meeting.
Steam covered the kitchen clock face, so Nora could barely read the numbers.
Gabriel's new watch has a simple white face with thin silver hands.
A crack appeared across the classroom clock face, but it still ticked normally.
- dial
more technical; also refers to the panel on radios or compasses
用法筆記
Often used in compound form 'clock face' or 'watch face'. Can also appear as 'face of the clock/watch'.
6. The degree of honour and respect that others feel toward a person or group, espe
The degree of honour and respect that others feel toward a person or group, especially when it can be kept, lost, or damaged.
The diplomat offered a public apology to save face after the misunderstanding at the summit.
idiom: save face (avoid embarrassment)
Losing the match in front of his home town was a serious loss of face for the young athlete.
idiom: loss of face (loss of respect)
The company paid the fine quietly to preserve its face with business partners.
Folake's manager warned her in private to avoid making her lose face with the team.
In many cultures, saving face matters more than winning an argument.
- shame
the opposite of having face; the feeling of dishonour
用法筆記
This sense most commonly appears in fixed expressions: 'save face' (avoid embarrassment), 'lose face' (become less respected), 'a matter of face' (involving personal honour). Rarely used outside these patterns.
常見錯誤
7. A person of a particular type, especially one who you know or have seen before.
A person of a particular type, especially one who you know or have seen before.
Erik recognized a familiar face among the group of new students.
collocation: familiar face
The bakery hired several fresh faces to work at the counter.
collocation: fresh face
Beatrix is a well-known face in the local theatre community.
Many new faces appeared at the town meeting about the park.
Selim saw an old face from his school days on the train.
- individual
more formal and neutral; does not imply that you know the person
用法筆記
Often paired with an adjective that describes how familiar the person is, such as 'new', 'old', 'familiar', 'fresh', or 'well-known'.
常見錯誤
8. The visible or noticeable character of a place, activity, or system, especially
The visible or noticeable character of a place, activity, or system, especially as it appears after a change or development.
Modern technology has changed the face of education around the world.
collocation: the face of [education/industry/city]
The face of the old city was transformed by the new buildings and parks.
Behind the cheerful face of the festival there were many problems.
The company presented a friendly face to the public through its ads.
The arrival of high-speed trains changed the face of public transport across the country.
- appearance
can describe both physical and abstract qualities, but is less idiomatic in the 'face of something' pattern
- reality
what something is truly like, as opposed to how it appears on the surface
文法句型
the face of [city/industry/education]
用法筆記
Often used with 'of' to describe an area or activity that has undergone visible change. The subject is usually an abstract noun or a geographical area, not a person.
9. Rude or disrespectful behaviour that shows no shame, especially when someone is
Rude or disrespectful behaviour that shows no shame, especially when someone is too confident or says something that they should not say.
Tomás had the face to ask his boss for a holiday after working only one week.
construction: have the face to + infinitive
Hari had the face to blame his teammate for the mistake that he himself made.
Adaeze had the face to complain about the food after eating three full plates.
Bao had the face to arrive late and then tell everyone else to hurry up.
Jessica had the face to ask for a refund after wearing the dress twice.
- respect
polite and thoughtful behaviour towards others
文法句型
have the face to + infinitive
用法筆記
Chiefly British English. Almost always appears in the fixed expression 'have the face to do something' — the definite article 'the' is required before 'face'.