facer

American  

[fey-ser] / ˈfeɪ sər /

noun

1. a person or thing that faces.

2. Informal. a blow in the face.

3. British Informal. an unexpected major difficulty, dilemma, or defeat.

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facer British  

/ ˈfeɪsə /

noun

1. a person or thing that faces

2. a lathe tool used to turn a face perpendicular to the axis of rotation

3. informal a difficulty or problem

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Etymology

Origin of facer

First recorded in 1505–15; face + -er ¹

Example Sentences

Here was a facer for Mr. Lightfoot, and Jefferson Creede, to whom all eyes were turned in the crisis, smiled maliciously and let him sweat.

From Hidden Water by Dixon, Maynard

Rough on him, and rough on the Foltlebarres, and a facer for Lessie ... and what price the girl?'

From The Dop Doctor by Dehan, Richard

To tell you the truth, Patricia, the news was rather a facer, don't you know; for my first impulse was to believe it.

From The Last Woman by Beeckman, Ross

Ordinarily, anybody who had stopped Howell Gruffydd in the street and had asked him a Council secret would have been met with the smiling facer he deserved, but this was extraordinary altogether.

From Mushroom Town by Onions, Oliver

Here Sir Charles threw in something which he felt to be in the nature of a facer.

From Cleek of Scotland Yard Detective Stories by Hanshew, Thomas W.