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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

barefaced en · ADJ

Pronunciation

  • (Southern-England) audio
  • /ˈbeə(ɹ)feɪst/ (UK)

Etymology

Perhaps an alteration of barefast (compare shamefast); or from bare + faced. Compare typologically cheeky; Italian sfacciato (< Latin ex- + faciēs); French effronté, Italian sfrontato (< Latin ex- + frōns), Polish czelny (< czoło).

Meanings

  1. Undisguisedly offensive and bold; crude.
    • And they vvere become ſo bare-faced and impudent in their Vices, that good and prudent Men thought fit to keep ſilence in that Time, becauſe it vvas an evil Time. 1680 September 12 (date delivered; Gregorian calendar), Gilbert Burnet, A Sermon Preached before the Right-honourable the Lord-Mayor and Aldermen of the City of London, at Bow-Church, September 2. 1680. being the Anniversary Fast for the Burning of London, London: […] Richard Chiswel, […], published 1680, →OCLC, page 5:
    • Mrs Biddle actually stamped that booted foot of hers. 'You rude, barefaced child!' she said. 1904, E. Nesbit, The Phoenix and the Carpet:
  2. Open, undisguised.
    • It's simply bare-faced fortune hunting; but there you are—she is her own mistress, and she's married him. 1920, Agatha Christie, The Mysterious Affair at Styles:
  3. Unbearded (not having a beard or other facial hair).
  4. Unmasked (not wearing a mask) or not wearing a face covering.
  5. Not wearing makeup on the face.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
more barefaced Degree=Cmp lexicographic
most barefaced Degree=Sup lexicographic
barefast alternative lexicographic
bare-faced alternative lexicographic

Deriveds

barefaced lie · barefacedly · barefaced liar · barefacedness

Synonyms

bareface · bald-faced · brazen · smooth-shaven · boldfaced · coarse · clean-shaven

Translations (10)

es caradura (shameless) · fi julkea (shameless) · es desvergonzado (shameless) · fi röyhkeä (shameless) · pdt onveschämt (shameless) · es descarado (shameless) · bg безочлив (shameless) · pl bezczelny (shameless) · pt descarado (shameless) · ja 白々しい (shameless)