self-faced

A mason examines a self-faced stone for the wall.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Unworked or unhewn (especially of stone): "self-faced" describes stone that has not been cut, shaped, or dressed by tools; it retains its natural surface as it was found in nature.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • The ancient wall was built with self-faced stones. (Stones that were used without being cut or shaped.)
  • They preferred self-faced granite for the rustic garden path. (Unworked granite with its natural surface.)

Advanced Usage

• "self-faced stone": a technical term in masonry and construction referring to stone used in its natural, unaltered state.
  • The cottage's foundation was made of self-faced fieldstone. (Fieldstone used exactly as it was collected, without dressing.)

Variants and Related Words

• Self-faced (adj): no common variants; the term is primarily used in this form.
• Self-faceted (adj): not a standard term; "self-faced" is the established word.

Synonyms

• Unhewn: not cut or shaped (e.g., unhewn timber or stone).
• Unworked: not subjected to work or processing.
• Rough: in a natural, unrefined state.

Related Idioms

• No common idioms exist for "self-faced"; it is a specialized term in stonemasonry.

Additional Notes

• The term is rare in everyday English but appears in historical or architectural contexts, especially describing pre-modern construction techniques where stone was used directly from quarries without tooling.