in someone's face

English

Pronunciation

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Prepositional phrase

in someone's face

  1. (literally) Onto or into someone's face.
    • 1675, Richard Baxter, Richard Baxter's Catholick Theologie: Plain, Pure, Peaceable: for Pacification of the Dogmatic Word-Warriours...‎[1], page 226:
      And why do you and all men regard or reward a loving thankful, obedient child, more than one that will scorn you and spit in your face?
  2. (idiomatic) In front of someone's face; before someone's eyes.
    • 1658, Samuel Crook, Christopher Barker, William Garrett, Ta diapheronta, or, Divine characters: in two parts...‎[2], page 70:
      This hypocrite will laugh in your face, and cut your throat...
    • 1972, the O'Jays, “Back Stabbers (song)”, in Back Stabbers (album), performed by the O'Jays:
      They smilin' in your face / All the time, they want to take your place / The back stabbers
    • 1994, TLC, “Case of the Fake People”, in CrazySexyCool, performed by TLC:
      Well well they smile in your face / When all the time they wanna take your place / Them backstabbers

Derived terms

Translations

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