facedown
C1Informal to neutral; more common in spoken and journalistic English.
Definition
Meaning
A position with the front or face turned toward the ground or downward.
Can refer to a state of defeat, submission, or being in a vulnerable, dominated position, both literally and metaphorically.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily functions as an adverb or adjective describing position. The one-word form is typically used adjectivally before a noun or adverbially after a verb. The verb use (to facedown) is rare and often stylized.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling or meaning difference. Both use 'facedown' as one word (adj/adv) and 'face down' as two words (verb phrase). Frequency is slightly higher in US English, particularly in law enforcement/action contexts.
Connotations
In both, the literal meaning is neutral. Metaphorically, it can connote defeat or helplessness.
Frequency
More prevalent in American media, crime reports, and action narratives.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
SUBJECT + lie/lay/be + facedown (+ on LOCATION)VERB + OBJECT + facedownVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “lay one's cards facedown (to keep hidden)”
- “go facedown (slang: to fail or be defeated)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. 'The confidential bids were placed facedown on the table.'
Academic
Rare. Used in medical/forensic contexts: 'The patient was positioned facedown for the procedure.'
Everyday
Common for describing physical position: 'He was sleeping facedown on the sofa.'
Technical
Used in law enforcement (suspect restraint), gaming (card position), and medical imaging.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The protestors vowed to face down the proposed legislation.
- He had to face down his critics in the meeting.
American English
- The sheriff faced down the outlaws in the street.
- We need to face down this challenge head-on.
adverb
British English
- The child lay facedown on the grass.
- He fell facedown into the mud.
American English
- The suspect was told to get on the ground facedown.
- She slept facedown on the pillow.
adjective
British English
- He was in a facedown position on the mat.
- Place the cards in a facedown pile.
American English
- Officers put the suspect in a facedown restraint.
- She found a facedown photo on his desk.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The book is facedown on the table.
- The boy fell facedown.
- She placed the card facedown so no one could see it.
- He was lying facedown on the beach.
- Police ordered the man to lie facedown with his hands behind his back.
- The documents were left facedown on the desk, suggesting they were confidential.
- The company's aggressive strategy left its competitors facedown in the market.
- After the scandal, the minister's political career was effectively facedown in the gutter.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a face looking DOWN at the floor. Face + Down = FACEDOWN.
Conceptual Metaphor
BEING FACEDOWN IS BEING DEFEATED/VULNERABLE (e.g., 'The company was left facedown after the scandal').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid calquing as 'лицом вниз' in every context—for cards, use 'рубашкой вверх'.
- Do not confuse with 'upside down' (вверх ногами). 'Facedown' specifies the *front* is down, not necessarily the whole object inverted.
- The adjectival one-word form is less common in Russian, which prefers a phrase.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'facedown' as a verb incorrectly (e.g., 'He facedowned the opponent' – correct: 'He faced down the opponent').
- Confusing 'facedown' (adj/adv) with the phrasal verb 'face down' (confront).
- Misspelling as two words when used pre-nominally (e.g., 'a facedown position' not 'a face down position').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'facedown' used as an adjective?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on its function. As an adverb or adjective ('lie facedown', 'a facedown card'), it is commonly written as one word, especially in American English. The verb phrase meaning 'to confront' is always two words: 'face down'.
'Prone' is a more formal, technical term (common in medical contexts) meaning lying flat, especially face downward. 'Facedown' is more descriptive and everyday, specifically indicating the face/front is directed down.
No. The verb form is the phrasal verb 'face down' (two words), meaning to confront and defeat or resist something. The one-word 'facedown' is not standard as a verb.
Yes, 'face-down' with a hyphen is an accepted variant, particularly in British English and often when used after a linking verb (predicatively). The one-word form is increasingly common, especially in American English and in attributive position (before a noun).