What does about face means during the drill?

The American military drill command about-face, dating from the late 19th century, originally meant to turn about in the opposite direction. That meaning remains, but about-face is now more commonly used figuratively to mean a complete, sudden change in position, principle, or attitude.

What does about face mean in the military?

About-face, a drill command in which a unit or soldier makes a 180-degree turn.

What is another word for about face?

In this page you can discover 27 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for about-face, like: policy change, flip-flop, switch, turnabout, volte-face, change, 180 degree turn, overturning, repeal, retraction and reversal.

Did the about face?

To suddenly and completely turn or change one’s direction. This phrase can describe one’s physical movement or a change in concept. She did an about-face and walked back up the steps once she saw that the subway wasn’t running.

Where does about face come from?

What’s the origin of the phrase ‘About face’? From the military command of the English Army – it is still used in the British Army today. The earliest citation that I can find is from Manoeuvres, or Practical observations on the Art of War, 1711, by the English soldier, Major William Young.

What is the meaning of about turn?

about turn in British English 1. a military command to a formation of soldiers to reverse the direction in which they are facing. noun about-turn or US about-face. 2. a complete change or reversal, as of opinion, attitude, direction, etc.

Can you talk at the position of attention?

The position of at attention, or standing at attention, is a military posture which involves the following general postures: Standing upright with an assertive and correct posture: famously “chin up, chest out, shoulders back, stomach in”. No speech, facial or bodily movements except when as required by military drill.

What is the opposite of about face?

Opposite of the act of altering one’s opinion about something. adherence. intransigence. pertinaciousness. pertinacity.

What does about-turn mean?

interjection. a military command to a formation of men to reverse the direction in which they are facing. noun about-turn, US about-face. a complete change or reversal, as of opinion, attitude, direction, etc.

What is slang for face?

dial (British, slang) mug (slang) I managed to get my ugly mug on telly. visage. physiognomy.

What does about turn mean?

What does it mean to have a defined face?

Definition of face. 1 : to have the face or front turned in a specified direction The house faced south. 2 : to turn the face in a specified direction She faced to her left.

What does a face represent?

face(noun) the striking or working surface of an implement. face(noun) a part of a person that is used to refer to a person. “he looked out at a roomful of faces”; “when he returned to work he met many new faces”. side, face(noun) a surface forming part of the outside of an object.

What is in a face?

Face (geometry) In solid geometry, a face is a flat ( planar) surface that forms part of the boundary of a solid object; a three-dimensional solid bounded exclusively by flat faces is a polyhedron . In more technical treatments of the geometry of polyhedra and higher-dimensional polytopes , the term is also used to mean an element…

What is the meaning of in the face of?

Definition of face. 1 a : the front part of the head that in humans extends from the forehead to the chin and includes the mouth, nose, cheeks, and eyes b : the face as a means of identification : countenance would know that face anywhere.