hide one's face

Idioms

Also, hide one's head. Feel shame or embarrassment. For example, You needn't hide your face—you're not to blame, or Whenever the teacher singled her out for something, shy little Mary hid her head. This idiom alludes to the gesture indicative of these feelings. [Late 1500s]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

For those who have come to feel devalued, degraded, left behind, or shunted aside, being asked to hide one’s face must be the ultimate act of public cruelty.

From Slate • May 14, 2020

It was a comfort to be able to hide one’s face, and besides, just between herself and the handkerchief there was a tear.

From What a Man Wills by Vaizey, George de Horne, Mrs.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023