face down

British  

verb

1. to confront and force (someone or something) to back down

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face down Idioms  

1. With the upper surface put down, as in Please put these papers face down . This usage appears to come from cardplaying. [First half of 1600s] The antonym, “with the upper surface uppermost,” is face up .

2. Overcome, intimidate, or browbeat someone in a bold confrontation. This verbal expression dates from the 16th century. Shakespeare used it in The Comedy of Errors (3:1): “Here's a villain that would face me down.”

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Example Sentences

On the game’s first play from scrimmage, Mendoza took a ferocious hit that knocked him off his feet and deposited him on the carpet, face down, arms wide.

From The Wall Street Journal

Afterwards, Gandhi presided over waves of civil disobedience protests, encouraging supporters of the Indian National Congress to manufacture contraband salt, boycott foreign goods, and face down phalanxes of lathi-wielding policemen.

From BBC

But they will have to wait to do the final side, because that side is lying face down.

From Literature

The Palos Verdes Estates Police Department received a call from a person who saw a man lying face down at the base of the cliff close to the 1400 block of Paseo Del Mar around 12:19 p.m.

From Los Angeles Times

At the workplace software company UKG, Bob DelPonte has asked colleagues in his team meetings to at least put their phones face down.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• argue
• assail
• attack
• debate
• defy
• deny
• disagree
• dispute
• face
• fight
• prevent
• protest
• resist