Adjacent Words

about-face definitions

	Tweet

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: act of pivoting 180 degrees, especially in a military formation [syn: about-face, about turn]
2: a major change in attitude or principle or point of view; "an about-face on foreign policy" [syn: about-face, volte- face, reversal, policy change] v
1: turn, usually 180 degrees
2: change one's mind and assume the opposite viewpoint

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: from the imperative phrase about face Date: 1861 1. a 180° turn to the right from the position of attention 2. a reversal of direction 3. a reversal of attitude, behavior, or point of view • about-face intransitive verb

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n., v., & int. --n. & v.intr. = ABOUT-TURN n. & v. --int. = ABOUT TURN int.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(about-faces) An about-face is a complete change of attitude or opinion. Few observers believe the president will do an about-face and start spending more. = U-turn, volte-face N-COUNT