downface

downface verb: to persist in an assertion in the face of opposition.

Verb

downface (third-person singular simple present downfaces, present participle downfacing, simple past and past participle downfaced)

(archaic, rare, transitive) To persist in an assertion in the face of opposition.
- He will not admit anything, and downfaces everybody. If he can't out-argue them he bullies them, and then takes their silence for agreement with his views.1897, Bram Stoker, “Mina Murray’s Journal”, in Dracula, New York, N.Y.: Modern Library, →OCLC, chapter VI, page 71
- Didn't I tell you? As true as I'm drinking this porter if he was at his last gasp he'd try to downface you that dying was living.1922 February 2, James Joyce, “[Episode 12: The Cyclops]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company […], →OCLC, part II [Odyssey], page 316
(transitive) To disparage; to cause to lose face.
- Shucks, I didn't want fer them furriners to downface me and, sartin sure, didn't want my kinspeople to be shamed afore them.1958, June E. Reed, Jest Olga, page 13
- For a student to downface and humiliate the Premier in a televised debate, to speak to him as a rather high-handed superior might a junior, as Wuerkaixi did to Li Peng on May 19, was very brave, but also unwise and flatly contradictory to Chinese culture.1989, Colin Mackerras, Kevin B. Bucknall, Russell B. Trood, The Beijing tragedy: implications for China and Australia, page 32

downface (plural downfaces)

A profile characterized by a downward sloping muzzle.
- However, good breeding of dogs with "fill" below the eyes and "downface" together with development of the prick ear, slowly restored the breed to favor.1976, John T. Marvin, The book of all terriers, page 120
- In my opinion, the prevalence of the downface (or bucket head, as described by Australian breeder- judge Anne Sorraghan) in the breed is a tremendous threat to correct Airedale type.2003, AKC Gazette - Volume 120, page 78
The face that is oriented downward.
- Windows in the downface of the hexagon provide light and a view along with privacy and shade in the east-facing building.2003, Catherine W. Bishir, Michael T. Southern, A Guide to the Historic Architecture of Piedmont, North Carolina

downface (comparative more downface, superlative most downface)

Having or on a downward oriented face.
- The salient advantages of the downface method show that the pioneer features in block machines have been cleared away and that the device is able to mold cement into natural aspects and on structural and durable lines1904, Cement and Engineering News - Volumes 16-19, page 171
- The only downface double pressure block ma- chine made, is the DeArmon-McKinney Double Pressure Machine1909, The Cement Era - Volume 7, page 334

downface (comparative more downface, superlative most downface)

Further down the face.
- Also Mr. Warren was working downface. After making his last bar secure he shifted the overhanging coal, keeping himself and others safe.1952, Coal; the NCB Magazine - Volume 6, page 30
- Sampling stations have been designated intake, maingate, 100 feet downface, and tailgate (fig. 4).1974, Bureau of Mines Report of Investigations
Facing downwards.
- ABRAHAM (turning ISAAC over facedown): Therefore downface thou shall be laid, Then when I strike thou shall not see.1988, Robert Cohen, Eight Plays For Theatre, page 67

Mr Kenmis, this lady at a very great risk to herself has had the courage to downface me in my office and show me that an injustice has been done.1960, Denis Johnston, The moon in the yellow river. The dreaming dust., page 87:
The fact is that Gladstone exaggerated or minimised the role of fenianism depending on what line of opposing argument he was endeavouring to downface at any particular time.1998, R. V. Comerford, The Fenians in Context: Irish Politics and Society, 1848-82, page 152:
My feelings had taken over, elation at having been able to downface the silly woman, but anger at her naked, arrogant anti-Semitism.2001, David Marcus, Oughtobiography: leaves from the diary of a hyphenated Jew, page 77:
The stripper mold box may be removed from the base and the downface block attachment can be added in a short time, it is stated.1931, Harvey Whipple, Concrete - Volumes 38-39, page 49:

Verb
third-person singular present	downfaces
present participle	downfacing
past participle	downfaced
past	downfaced
Noun
plural	downfaces
Adjective
comparative	more downface
superlative	most downface
Adverb
comparative	more downface
superlative	most downface

From down + face.

What does downface mean?: Downface means to persist in an assertion in the face of opposition.
How do you use downface in a sentence?: Mr Kenmis, this lady at a very great risk to herself has had the courage to downface me in my office and show me that an injustice has been done.
What part of speech is downface?: Downface can be a verb, a noun, an adjective or an adverb.
What is the past tense of downface?: The past tense of downface is downfaced.

Adapted from Wiktionary: downface (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated: 2026-09-02

Cite this entry: “downface.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/downface. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.