outface
/aut'feis/
Definition
- Verb:
- To confront someone with a bold, steady, or defiant look that causes them to lose confidence, become unsettled, or submit. It involves overcoming an opponent or a challenge through the power of an unyielding gaze or demeanor.
Usage
- The verb "outface" is used to describe the act of staring down an opponent, whether literal or figurative, until they back down. It implies a contest of wills where one person's resolve, shown through their expression, is stronger.
- It is a transitive verb, requiring a direct object (the person or thing being faced down).
Examples
- Verb:
- The seasoned negotiator managed to outface the aggressive executive across the table.
- She outfaced her critics with a calm and confident smile, refusing to be intimidated.
Advanced Usage
- "to outface danger": To confront a perilous situation with courage and composure.
- The captain outfaced the storm, guiding the ship through the towering waves.
- "to outface a challenge": To meet a difficult test with unwavering determination.
- The team outfaced the challenge of the final quarter and secured their victory.
Variants and Related Words
- Outstare (verb): To stare back at someone until they look away; a close synonym, though "outface" can imply a broader sense of defiance beyond just the eyes.
- Face down (phrasal verb): To confront and overcome through boldness. This is a common phrasal verb with a very similar meaning to "outface."
Synonyms
- Stare down: To look fixedly at someone until they yield.
- Defy: To openly resist or refuse to obey.
- Confound: To cause surprise or confusion, which can be a result of outfacing someone.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Face up to: To accept and deal with a difficult situation bravely. While similar, this phrasal verb focuses more on acceptance and confrontation rather than the act of causing another to submit through a look.
- He had to face up to his responsibilities.
Related Idioms
- Look someone in the eye: To face someone directly and honestly. This is a component of the act of outfacing.
- She could look her accuser in the eye, knowing she was innocent.
- Stand one's ground: To refuse to retreat or change one's position. This describes the resolute stance inherent in outfacing.
- Despite the pressure, he stood his ground.
Verb
-
overcome or cause to waver or submit by (or as if by) staring
-
He simply stared down his opponent
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