about-face
an opinion change
TRANSLATION
about-face = (fig.) eine Kehrtwende about-face = (mil.) Abteilung kehrt! --- GOOGLE INDEX about-face: approximately 350,000,000 Google hits
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
The apparent ABOUT-FACE has thrown Israeli politics into turmoil and excluded Palestinians from a process that may set new borders for their future state.
(BBC News)
(BBC News)
Did you
know?
Did you know?
about-face (British English = about-turn)
noun
- total change of attitude or viewpoint
- the act of pivoting to face in the opposite direction from the original, especially in a military formation
- a military command to turn clockwise 180°
(American Heritage Dictionary)
---
The English language is rich with military words and expressions. Some, like about-face, stem from so-called drill commands, which are used to instruct troops when they are in formation. Others in this category are:
- fall in = instructs troops to "fall" into formation at the "at-ease" position (see next entry). If you are a manager or supervisor and you need to gather your team members together for a quick meeting, just yell "fall in!"
- at ease = instructs troops to assume the "at ease" (relaxed) position. If the team appears to be nervous after falling in, now is the time to say "at-ease!" This should offer re-assurance that you are not about to deliver bad news.
- attention! = instructs troops to stand straight and cease talking. This is useful if the team members are just milling about chatting.
- forward march! = instructs troops to begin marching in a forward direction. Once you have their attention, this might be helpful to get the team members back to their offices and start being productive again.
If the members of the team have had enough military drill for the day, then just yell "fall out!" (break up the formation) and send them home.
---
SYNONYMS
change of heart, 180-degree turn, flip-flop, retraction, reversal, switch, u-turn
---
SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"These days, it's not unusual for politicians to do an about-face in order to get votes."
about-face (British English = about-turn)
noun
- total change of attitude or viewpoint
- the act of pivoting to face in the opposite direction from the original, especially in a military formation
- a military command to turn clockwise 180°
(American Heritage Dictionary)
---
The English language is rich with military words and expressions. Some, like about-face, stem from so-called drill commands, which are used to instruct troops when they are in formation. Others in this category are:
- fall in = instructs troops to "fall" into formation at the "at-ease" position (see next entry). If you are a manager or supervisor and you need to gather your team members together for a quick meeting, just yell "fall in!"
- at ease = instructs troops to assume the "at ease" (relaxed) position. If the team appears to be nervous after falling in, now is the time to say "at-ease!" This should offer re-assurance that you are not about to deliver bad news.
- attention! = instructs troops to stand straight and cease talking. This is useful if the team members are just milling about chatting.
- forward march! = instructs troops to begin marching in a forward direction. Once you have their attention, this might be helpful to get the team members back to their offices and start being productive again.
If the members of the team have had enough military drill for the day, then just yell "fall out!" (break up the formation) and send them home.
---
SYNONYMS
change of heart, 180-degree turn, flip-flop, retraction, reversal, switch, u-turn
---
SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"These days, it's not unusual for politicians to do an about-face in order to get votes."
