about-face
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a·bout-face
(ə-bout′fās′)n.
1.
a. The act of pivoting to face in the opposite direction from the original, especially in a military formation.
b. A military command to turn clockwise 180°.
2. A total change of attitude or viewpoint.
intr.v. a·bout-faced, a·bout-fac·ing, a·bout-fac·es
To reverse direction.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
about′ face′
interj.
(used as a military command to perform an about-face.)
[1860–65]
a•bout-face
(n. əˈbaʊtˌfeɪs, əˈbaʊtˈfeɪs; v. əˌbaʊtˈfeɪs)n., v. -faced, -fac•ing. n.
1. (in close-order drill) a 180° turn from the position of attention.
2. a complete change in position, direction or attitude.
v.i. 3. to perform an about-face.
[1860–65, Amer.]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
about-face
Past participle: about-faced
Gerund: about-facing
| Imperative |
|---|
| about-face |
| about-face |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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| Noun | 1. |  about-face - act of pivoting 180 degrees, especially in a military formation |
| 2. |  about-face - a major change in attitude or principle or point of view; "an about-face on foreign policy"change - the action of changing something; "the change of government had no impact on the economy"; "his change on abortion cost him the election" undoing - an act that makes a previous act of no effect (as if not done) | |
| Verb | 1. |  about-face - turn, usually 180 degrees turn - change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense; "Turn towards me"; "The mugger turned and fled before I could see his face"; "She turned from herself and learned to listen to others' needs" |
| 2. |  about-face - change one's mind and assume the opposite viewpointrethink - change one's mind; "He rethought his decision to take a vacation" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
about-face
verbThe American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
about-face
, about-turnn (Mil) → Kehrtwendung f; (fig also) → Wendung f → um hundertachtzig Grad; to do an about-face → kehrtmachen; (fig) → sich um hundertachtzig Grad drehen
vi (Mil) → eine Kehrtwendung ausführen or machen
interj about face or turn! → (und) kehrt!
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