front up

Verb

front up (third-person singular simple present fronts up, present participle fronting up, simple past and past participle fronted up)

1. To lead or represent.
   • Likewise, Causer (2005) stated that 'we wouldn't get that support [from African governments] if we didn't have the UK government fronting it up . . . so it needs to be government led . . . we wouldn't be anywhere at all without a UK government lead.'2009, Tim Gray, Amy Stewart, The Governance of Water and Sanitation in Africa, →ISBN
   • Detective Chief Superintendent Tom Crosbie, the lead for the Major Investigation Team, was fronting it up, but she wouldn't have expected anything else. A highprofile case always suits the suits.2016, Craig Robertson, Murderabilia: Everyone has a hobby. Some people collect death., →ISBN
2. To show up; to appear or present oneself.
   • "Like this when you left for Suakin?" Patrick asked as he fronted up to the bar with the smaller man beside him.2007, Peter Watt, To Chase the Storm: The Frontier, →ISBN
   • Back in Brisbane on the Tuesday morning, I fronted up to have my knee checked out by Doctor Lars, an orthopaedic surgeon.2011, Kevin Crowe, Whistle up a Storm, →ISBN, page 81
3. To meet with one's best efforts.
   • Honestly. We'd fronted up and given it our best shot.2012, Michael Bauer, Don't Call Me Ishmael, →ISBN
   • Sven was under a lot of pressure as it was at the end of the week when England had lost to Northern Ireland and we had him and Lawrie Sanchez on set. England were in a mess but he fronted it up.2012, Martyn Smith, The Premiership in Focus, →ISBN, page 184
4. To face; to confront or challenge.
   • He might have been the business when it came to knocking the bollocks out of little babies, but fronted up by a real man that gutless coward went to pieces and buggered off without arguing.2003, Lenny McLean, The Guv'nor, →ISBN
   • We fronted up to the fact that we'd be there until we got the whole nightmare sorted out for ourselves.2012 -, James Miles, Paul Loseby, Banged Up Abroad: Hellhole, →ISBN
5. To admit or confess.
   • I also get a bit of a laugh about how forgiving the then priesthood was, when I fronted up to the Catholic priest, who was looking after a small church hall on Glynburn Road to apologise for knocking off the church association's tea and biscuits money tin.2012, DF Ryschka, Too Young to Vote But Old Enough to Kill, →ISBN
   • And they do have a case: I would feel a lot better about myself if I just fronted up to Amy and told her the truth about working here for real three days a week.2013, Emlyn Rees, Josie Lloyd, Come Together, →ISBN, page 131
6. To pay in advance or give with the expectation of being reimbursed later.
   • The second training was $800, and someone I met through the first training wanted to make sure that I continued on; so they fronted up the money, and I paid them back.1999, Michael S. Long, If Your Dreams Are Big Enough, the Facts Don't Count!, →ISBN
   • After extracting the truth, Alan's parents had fronted up the money to pay off his debt.2014, Linda Rickard, Divine Fury, →ISBN, page 82