英语词源字典 - 在线词源网站

face (n.)[face 词源字典]: c. 1300, "the human face, a face; facial appearance or expression; likeness, image," from Old French face "face, countenance, look, appearance" (12c.), from Vulgar Latin *facia (source also of Italian faccia), from Latin facies "appearance, form, figure," and secondarily "visage, countenance," which probably is literally "form imposed on something" and related to facere "to make" (see factitious).

Replaced Old English andwlita "face, countenance" (from root of wlitan "to see, look") and ansyn, ansien, the usual word (from the root of seon "see"). Words for "face" in Indo-European commonly are based on the notion of "appearance, look," and are mostly derivatives from verbs for "to see, look" (as with the Old English words, Greek prosopon, literally "toward-look," Lithuanian veidas, from root *weid- "to see," etc.). But in some cases, as here, the word for "face" means "form, shape." In French, the use of face for "front of the head" was given up 17c. and replaced by visage (older vis), from Latin visus "sight."

From late 14c. as "outward appearance (as contrasted to some other reality);" also from late 14c. as "forward part or front of anything;" also "surface (of the earth or sea), extent (of a city)." Typographical sense of "part of the type which forms the letter" is from 1680s.
Whan she cometh hoom, she raumpeth in my face And crieth 'false coward.' [Chaucer, "Monk's Tale"]
Face to face is from mid-14c. Face time is attested from 1990. To lose face (1876), is said to be from Chinese tu lien; hence also save face (1915). To show (one's) face "make or put in an appearance" is from mid-14c. (shewen the face). To make a face "change the appearance of the face in disgust, mockery, etc." is from 1560s. Two faces under one hood as a figure of duplicity is attested from mid-15c.
Two fases in a hode is neuer to tryst. ["Awake lordes," 1460]
[face etymology, face origin, 英语词源]
face (v.): "confront with assurance; show a bold face," mid-15c., from face (n.). From c. 1400 as "deface, disfigure." Meaning "to cover with something in front" is from 1560s; that of "turn the face toward" is from 1630s; meaning "be on the opposite page to" is from 1766. Intransitive sense "to turn the face" (especially in military tactics) is from 1630s. Related: Faced; facing. To face the music (1850, in U.S. Congressional debates) probably is theatrical rather than a reference to cavalry horses.
face-card (n.): "court card," 1826, from face (n.) + card (n.1). So called for the portaits on them.
face-lift (n.): also facelift, 1934, from face-lifting (1922); see face (n.) + lift (n.).
face-off (n.): also faceoff, 1893 in sports (hockey, lacrosse, etc.), from verbal phrase in a sports sense, attested from 1867 (see face (v.) + off (adv.)).
face-painting (n.): 1706, "portrait-painting," from face (n.) + painting (n.). In reference to applying color to the face, by 1778. Related: Face-painter; face-paint.
face-plate (n.): "protective cover, shield," 1874, from face (n.) + plate (n.).
face-value (n.): 1842, from face (n.) + value (n.). Originally of stock shares, banknotes, etc.
facebook (n.): directory listing names and headshots, by 1983, originally among U.S. college students, from face (n.) + book (n.). The social networking Web site of that name (with capital F-) dates from 2004.
faceless (adj.): 1560s, from face (n.) + -less. Related: Facelessly; facelessness.
facet (n.): 1620s, "one side of a multi-sided body," from French facette (12c., Old French facete), diminutive of face "face, appearance" (see face (n.)). The diamond-cutting sense is the original one. Transferred and figurative use by 1820. Related: Faceted; facets.
facetious (adj.): 1590s, from French facétieux (16c.), from facétie "a joke" (15c.), from Latin facetiae "jests, witticisms" (singular facetia), from facetus "witty, elegant, fine, courteous," which is of unknown origin, perhaps related to facis "torch."

Formerly often in a good sense, "witty, amusing," but later implying a desire to be amusing that is often intrusive or ill-timed. Related: Facetiously; facetiousness. "Facetiæ in booksellers' catalogues, is, like curious, a euphemism for erotica." [Fowler]
facia (n.): variant of fascia.
facial (adj.): c. 1600, "face to face," from French facial, from Medieval Latin facialis "of the face," from facies (see face (n.)). Meaning "pertaining to the face" in English is from 1786. The noun meaning "beauty treatment for the face" is from 1914, American English. Middle English had faciale (n.) "face-cloth for a corpse" (early 14c.).
facile (adj.): late 15c., "easy to do," from Middle French facile "easy," from Latin facilis "easy to do" and, of persons, "pliant, courteous, yielding," from facere "to do" (see factitious). Usually now with depreciatory implication. Of persons, "easily led," from 1510s.
facile princeps: Latin, literally "easily first." An acknowledged leader or chief. See facile, prince.
facilis descensus Averni: Latin, literally "the descent of Avernus (is) easy" ["Aeneid," VI.126], in reference to Avernus, a deep lake near Puteoli and a reputed entrance to the underworld; hence, "it is easy to slip into moral ruin."
facilitate (v.): 1610s, "make easy, render less difficult," from French faciliter "to render easy," from stem of Latin facilis "easy" (see facile). Related: Facilitated; facilitates; facilitating.
facilitation (n.): 1610s, noun of action from facilitate.
facilitative (adj.): 1845, from facilitate + -ive.