English

about-face

/əˈbaʊtˌfeɪs/
An abrupt turn to face the opposite direction.

    Etymology graph

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    Origin

    From about + face, first attested in 1861, used in the imperative in the military.

    From Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

    Lineage

    • partEnglishabout “In a circle around; all round; on every side of; on the outside of; around.”
      • inheritedMiddle Englishaboute
        • inheritedOld Englishonbūtan
    • partEnglishface “The front part of the head of a human or other animal, featuring the eyes, nose, and mouth, and the…”
      • inheritedMiddle Englishface
        • borrowedOld Frenchface

    Sources