Heading
To face or out-face with a card of ten, verb. phr. (old).—To browbeat; to 'bluff.' [Nares: derived from some game (possibly primero) wherein the standing boldly upon a ten was often successful. The phrase originally expressed the confidence of one player who with a ten, as at brag, faced or outfaced one who had really a faced card against him.]
1460-1529. Skelton [quoted by Nares.] First pycke a quarrel and fall out with him then, And so out face him with a card of ten.
1593. Shakspeare, Taming of the Shrew, ii. A vengeance on your crafty wither'd hide, Yet I have fac'd it with a card of ten.
1630. B. Jonson, New Inn, i., 3. Some may be coats, as in the cards; but then Some must be knaves, some varlets, bawds, and ostlers, As aces, duces, cards o' ten to face it Out, i' the game which all the world is.
To face the knocker, verb. phr. (tailors').—To go begging. For synonyms, see Cadge.
To have no face but one's own, verb. phr. (old).—To be penniless; or (gamesters') to hold no court cards. Fr., n'avoir pas une face = 'not to have a sou.'
1785. Grose, Dict. Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
To make faces, verb. phr. (prison).—1. To go back, or 'round' upon a friend. [In allusion to the convicts' habit of distorting their features under the lens.]
2. (old).—To beget children. Cf., Face-making.
To face the Music, verb, phr. (American).—To meet an emergency; also to show one's hand. [J. Fenimore Cooper derived it from the green-room, whence actors go on the boards and literally face the music. Another traces it to militia musters, where every man is expected to appear equipped and armed, when in rank and file, facing the music. A third derives it from drumming out of the army.]
1857. Worcester Spy, 22 Sept. Although such reverses would seem to fall with crushing weight upon some of our most substantial citizens, a strong determination to face the music is everywhere manifested.
1888. Daily Inter-Ocean, 20 Feb. I am sure Fred can explain everything satisfactorily. I hope he hasn't read the newspaper stories about him, for it might scare him, and he'd very foolishly skip out. That would be the worst thing he could do. He must face the music.
Face-entry, subs. (theatrical).—Freedom
of access, the personal
appearance being familiar to
attendants.
Face-making, verb. subs. (old).—Begetting
children. Cf., making
feet for children's stockings.
Facer, subs. (pugilistic).—1. A
blow in the face.
1785. Grose, Dict. Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1819. Moore, Tom Crib's Memorial, p. 24. In short, not to dwell on each facer and fall, Poor Georgy was done up in no time at all.
1834. Harrison Ainsworth, Rookwood. 'The Double Cross.' No claret flows, No facers sound—no smashing blows.
1837. Barham, I.L. (The Ghost). Whom sometimes there would come on A sort of fear his spouse might knock his head off, Demolish half his teeth, or drive a rib in, She shone so much in facers and in 'fibbing.'
1862. Athenæum, 1 Nov., p. 557, col. 1. Before his unknown adversary well
