Eyeteeth. To have cut one’s eyeteeth, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To have
learned wisdom.
1748. T. Dyche, Dictionary (5th ed). Eye-teeth (s.), those
immediately under the eye; also quickness or sharpness of
understanding and parts, are sometimes so called.
1835. Haliburton, Clockmaker 1 S., ch. xvi. Them ’ere fellers cut
their eye-teeth afore they ever sot foot in this country, I expect.
Eye-water, subs. (common).—Gin. For synonyms, see Drinks.
1869. Whyte Melville, M. or N., p. 66. On this minnit, off at six,
Buster; two bob an’ a bender, and a three of eye-water, in?
1886. Judy, 4 August, p. 58. He imbibed stupendous quantities of
jiggered gin, dog’s nose, and Paddy’s eye-water.
F
Face, subs. (colloquial).—1. Confidence; boldness; also (more
frequently) impudence: e.g., ‘I like your face’ = I like your cheek.
Once literary; Cf., Cheek, Jaw, Gab, Brow, Mouth, Lip, etc.
1610. Ben Jonson, The Alchemist. ‘Dramatis Personæ.’—face.
1617. Middleton, A Faire Quarrell, II., ii. I that had face enough
to do the deed, Cannot want tongue to speak it.
1668. Etherege, She Would if She Could, I., i. (1704), p. 95. I
admire thy impudence, I could never have had the face to have
wheadled the poor knight so.
1676. Etherege, Man of Mode, V., i., in wks. (1704), 265. I am
amazed to find him here! How has he the face to come near you?
1702. Defoe, Shortest Way, in Arber’s Garner, vol. VII., p. 590.
You have butchered one king! deposed another king! and made a mock
king of a third! and yet, you could have the face to expect to be
employed and trusted by the fourth.
1714. Spectator, No. 566. A man has scarce the face to make his
court to a lady, without some credentials from the service to
recommend him.
1854. F. E. Smedley, Harry Coverdale, ch. liii. I can hardly
suppose even Phil Tirrett would have the face to throw me over and
ride for O’Brien.
1870. London Figaro, 3 June. ‘Look at that girl in pink, Sancho,’
he said; ‘that’s Lord Rubric’s daughter. Ran away with the family
organist—that’s he with her. I like their face, though, to come
here; it’s awfully good.’
2. (common).—Credit. To push one’s face = to get credit by
bluster.—[See sense 1 and cf., Face-Entry.]
1765. Goldsmith, Essays, VIII. There are three ways of getting into
debt: first, by pushing a face; as thus: ‘You, Mr. Lutestring, send
me home six yards of that paduasoy, damme; but, harkee, don’t think
I ever intend to pay you for it, damme.’ At this the mercer laughs
heartily; cuts off the paduasoy, and sends it home; nor is he, till
too late, surprised to find the gentleman had said nothing but the
truth, and kept his word.
1865. Bacon, Handbook of America, p. 365. To run one’s face, to
make use of one’s credit, to run one’s face for a thing is to get
it ‘on tick.’
1875. American English in Chamb. Journal, 25 Sept., p. 610. To run
your face, which means, to go upon credit.
3. (common).—A qualification of contempt: e.g., ‘Now face! where are
you a-shoving of?’
Verb (old).—To bully.—See all senses, especially To Face with a card of
ten.
1593. Shakspeare, Taming of the Shrew, iv., 3. Face not me; thou
hast brav’d many men; brave not me; I will neither be fac’d nor
brav’d.
To face or out-face with a card of ten, verb. phr. (old).—To browbeat;
to ‘bluff.’ [Nares: derived from some game (possibly primero) wherein
the standing boldly upon a ten was often successful. The phrase
originally expressed the confidence of one player who with a ten, as at
brag, faced or outfaced one who had really a faced card against him.]
1460–1529. Skelton [quoted by Nares.] First pycke a quarrel and
fall out with him then, And so out face him with a card of ten.
1593. Shakspeare, Taming of the Shrew, ii. A vengeance on your
crafty wither’d hide, Yet I have fac’d it with a card of ten.
1630. B. Jonson, New Inn, i., 3. Some may be coats, as in the
cards; but then Some must be knaves, some varlets, bawds, and
ostlers, As aces, duces, cards o’ ten to face it Out, i’ the game
which all the world is.
To face the knocker, verb. phr. (tailors’).—To go begging. For
synonyms, see Cadge.
To have no face but one’s own, verb. phr. (old).—To be penniless; or
(gamesters’) to hold no court cards. Fr., n’avoir pas une face = ‘not
to have a sou.’
1785. Grose, Dict. Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
To make faces, verb. phr. (prison).—1. To go back, or ‘round’ upon a
friend. [In allusion to the convicts’ habit of distorting their
features under the lens.]