right about face
Americannoun
-
Military.
-
a command, given to a soldier or soldiers at attention, to turn the body about toward the right so as to face in the opposite direction.
-
the act of so turning in a prescribed military manner.
-
-
any complete reversal, as of conduct or opinion.
Etymology
Origin of right about face
First recorded in 1805–15
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.
They commanded us to “right about face.”
From Slate
Then she turned right about face and looked in his direction.
From Project Gutenberg
Any of your nonsense and it'll be right about face with you.
From Project Gutenberg
Everybody back up—I mean, right about face.
From Project Gutenberg
‘We all know what it is to be young—no one likes a joke better than I do—but rules are rules, and the hour for going home has struck, so right about face, march! and quick step too.’
From Project Gutenberg
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.