right about face

American  

[rahyt-uh-boht-feys] / ˈraɪt əˈboʊtˈfeɪs /

Or rightabout-face,

noun

1. Military.

   1. 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.

   2. the act of so turning in a prescribed military manner.

2. rightabout.

3. any complete reversal, as of conduct or opinion.

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Etymology

Origin of right about face

First recorded in 1805–15

Example Sentences

"Why," answered Bill, "when he throws himself right about face, and then goes sculling backwards."

From The Lost Hunter A Tale of Early Times by Adams, John Turvill

But to me, who had been painfully learning the distances all these days, the right about face of the wind put a very changed aspect on the business.

From Fifty Years of Golf by Hutchinson, Horace G.

"All right, then; right about face, march!" commanded Ned.

From Boy Scouts Mysterious Signal or Perils of the Black Bear Patrol by Ralphson, G. Harvey (George Harvey)

Far out in the lake he turned right about face and pulled rapidly toward the Winnebago dock.

From The Camp Fire Girls in the Maine Woods Or, The Winnebagos Go Camping by Frey, Hildegard G. (Hildegard Gertrude)

The two Americans make a pretense of pursuing them, but truth to tell their course really lies in an altogether different direction, and, as if by mutual consent, they suddenly turn right about face.

From Miss Caprice by Rathborne, George, St.