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face down

C1 neutral separable transitive
In simple words

To bravely deal with someone who is threatening you until they give up.

Literal meaning: To turn something so its face or front is pointing downward.

Meanings

1 C1 idiomatic neutral

To confront someone threatening or challenging with courage until they are forced to retreat or concede.

"The prime minister faced down her critics by releasing the full report to the public."

Grammar: separable
2 B1 neutral

To place or position something with its face or surface turned downward (adjective/adverb use, not a true phrasal verb).

"She placed her cards face down on the table so nobody could see them."

Usage notes

Can also be used as an adjective/adverb meaning 'with the face or front pointing downward' (e.g., 'lie face down'), which is a separate, non-phrasal usage. As a phrasal verb, it is mainly used in confrontational or dramatic contexts.

Commonly used with

critics opposition challenger threat bully rival

Forms

Base
face down
I/you/we/they
3rd person
faces down
he/she/it
Past simple
faced down
yesterday
Past participle
faced down
have + pp
-ing form
facing down
continuous

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