Definition of face-off
1
:a method of beginning play (as in hockey or lacrosse) in which two opponents face each other and attempt to gain control of a puck or ball dropped or placed between them
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First Known Use of face-off
1889
face-off Synonyms
Synonyms
ball game, battle, combat, competition, conflict, confrontation, contention, dogfight, duel, face-off, grapple, match, rivalry, strife, struggle, sweepstakes (also sweep-stake), tug-of-war, war, warfareRelated Words
horse race, nail-biter; showdown; clash, collision, discord, friction; argument, controversy, debate, disagreement, disputation, dispute, dissension (also dissention), quarrel, row, wrangleNear Antonyms
concord, harmony, peaceface off
verb
Definition of face off
intransitive verb
:to be in or come into opposition or competition
- politicians facing off against each other in a televised debate
Examples of face off in a Sentence
eager to face off with her longtime tennis rival
First Known Use of face off
1948
FACE-OFF Defined for English Language Learners
face-off
play
noun
Definition of face-off for English Language Learners
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ice hockey : a method of beginning play by dropping the puck between two players
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: a meeting of opponents : a conflict or fight
FACE-OFF Defined for Kids
face-off
noun
\
ˈfās-ˌȯf
\
Definition of face-off for Students
1
:a method of beginning play (as in hockey or lacrosse) in which the puck or ball is dropped between two opposing players
2
:a clashing of forces or ideas
- a face-off between enemies
Learn More about face-off
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See words that rhyme with face-off Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for face-off Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about face-off
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