What does "face down" mean?
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With the upper surface put down, as in Please put these papers face down. This usage appears to come from cardplaying. [First half of 1600s] The antonym, “with the upper surface uppermost,” is face up.
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Overcome, intimidate, or browbeat someone in a bold confrontation. This verbal expression dates from the 16th century. Shakespeare used it in The Comedy of Errors (3:1): “Here's a villain that would face me down.”
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