volte-face | Search Online Etymology Dictionary

274 entries found.

1778, "look in the face of," from French envisager "look in the face of," from en- "in" (see en- (1)) + visage "face" (see visage). Hence "to apprehend mentally, contemplate" (1837). Related: Envisaged; envisaging; envisagement.

deadpan (adj.)

also dead-pan, 1928, of the face, "expressionless, impassive," from dead (adj.) + pan (n.) in the slang sense of "face." As a noun by 1933, "expressionless face." As a verb by 1934. Related: Deadpanned.

puddinghead (n.)

"amiable stupid person," 1851, from pudding + head (n.). Pudding-face for "person having a fat, round, smooth face" is from 1748.

in facie curiae

"before the court," legal Latin, from ablative of Latin facies "form, face" (see face (n.)). + genitive of curia "court" (see curia).

facade (n.)

1650s, "front of a building," from French façade (16c.), from Italian facciata "the front of a building," from faccia "face," from Vulgar Latin *facia (see face (n.)). Figurative use by 1845.

affront (v.)

early 14c., "offend by open disrespect," a figurative use, from Old French afronter "to face, confront; to slap in the face" (13c., Modern French affronter), from Late Latin affrontare "to strike against," from Latin ad frontem "to the face," from ad "to" (see ad-) + frons (genitive frontis) "forehead, front" (see front (n.)). Related: Affronted; affronting.

faceless (adj.)

1560s, from face (n.) + -less. Related: Facelessly; facelessness.

phiz (n.)

"face, countenance, facial expression," 1680s, a jocular abbreviation of physiognomy.

sourpuss (n.)

1937, from sour (adj.) + puss (n.2) "face."

two-faced (adj.)

also two faced, "deceitful," 1610s; see two + face (n.).

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