Past tense of face; encountered, confronted, or dealt with something challenging. Also means to be positioned toward or opposite something.
From Old French face, from Latin facies meaning 'form, appearance, face.' The verb sense of 'confronting' developed in Middle English, extending from the physical meaning of turning one's face toward something.
The metaphor of 'facing' problems connects to our most basic social interaction—eye contact and direct confrontation. We use the same word whether we're facing north, facing facts, or facing our fears, showing how spatial orientation shapes abstract thinking.
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