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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

in someone's face en · ADP

Pronunciation

Meanings

  1. (literally) Onto or into someone's face.
    • And why do you and all men regard or reward a loving thankful, obedient child, more than one that will scorn you and spit in your face? 1675, Richard Baxter, Richard Baxter's Catholick Theologie: Plain, Pure, Peaceable: for Pacification of the Dogmatic Word-Warriours..., page 226:
    • Who would want to sit next to Larry, the guy who's too dumb not to blow his cigar smoke in your face?
  2. (idiomatic) In front of someone's face; before someone's eyes.
    • Well well they smile in your face / When all the time they wanna take your place / Them backstabbers 1994, TLC, “Case of the Fake People”, in CrazySexyCool, performed by TLC:
    • This hypocrite will laugh in your face, and cut your throat... 1658, Samuel Crook, Christopher Barker, William Garrett, Ta diapheronta, or, Divine characters: in two parts..., page 70:
    • The people on the beach blanket near ours were fine until they started changing into their swimsuits right in our faces.
    • They smilin' in your face / All the time, they want to take your place / The back stabbers 1972, the O'Jays, “Back Stabbers (song)”, in Back Stabbers (album), performed by the O'Jays:

Deriveds

in-your-face · in your face

Relateds

to someone's face · facially

Translations (7)

fr dans la tête (literally) · fr au nez (idiomatic) · fr au visage (idiomatic) · fr dans le visage (literally) · ru в глаза́ (idiomatic) · ru в лицо́ (idiomatic) · fr au visage (literally)