about-face

See also: about face

English

Alternative forms

• about face

Etymology

• First attested in 1861.
• First used in the imperative in the military.
• about +‎ face

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /əˈbaʊtˌfeɪs/

Noun

about-face (plural about-faces)

1. (military) An abrupt turn to face the opposite direction.

   The soldier did an about-face and marched off.

2. A reversal in direction; reversal of attitude or opinion.

   When Luke heard the news, he did an abrupt about-face on the policy.

   • 2021 March 23, David Von Drehle, “Sidney Powell does an about-face on her Stop the Steal claims”, in Washington Post‎^[1], ISSN 0190-8286:

     Sidney Powell does an about-face on her Stop the Steal claims [title]

   • 2021 July 8, Sheera Frenkel; Cecilia Kang, quoting Mark Zuckerberg, “Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg’s Partnership Did Not Survive Trump”, in The New York Times‎^[2], ISSN 0362-4331:

     In yet another about-face decision on speech, Mr. Zuckerberg announced that Facebook was planning to de-emphasize political content in the News Feed because, he said, “people don’t want politics and fighting to take over their experience on our service.”

Translations

military: abrupt turn to face the opposite direction

• Dutch: rechtsomkeert (nl)
• Finnish: täyskäännös (fi)
• French: (literal) demi-tour (fr) m; (figurative) volte-face (fr) f, revirement (fr) m
• Hungarian: hátra arc
• Italian: dietro front m, dietrofront m

• Polish: o 180 stopni, w tył zwrot
• Portuguese: meia-volta f
• Russian: круго́м (ru) (krugóm)
• Spanish: media vuelta f, cambio de rumbo m
• Thai: กลับหลังหัน (th) (glàp-lǎng-hǎn)

reversal of direction or attitude

• Dutch: koerswijziging m, ommezwaai (nl) m
• Finnish: täyskäännös (fi)
• German: Kehrtwende (de) f

• Hungarian: hátraarc (hu), pálfordulás (hu), pálfordulat, száznyolcvan fokos fordulat
• Italian: voltafaccia (it) m, voltagabbana (it) m, banderuola (it) f
• Spanish: media vuelta f, virazón, cambio de rumbo m

Verb

about-face (third-person singular simple present about-faces, present participle about-facing, simple past and past participle about-faced)

1. (intransitive) To turn 180 degrees to face the opposite direction

   The soldiers would about-face immediately after the order was given.

2. To change opinion or attitude drastically.

   A politician will about-face at the drop of a hat if he thinks there are votes in it.

Translations

to turn 180 degrees

• Dutch: rechtsomkeert maken
• Finnish: tehdä täyskäännös
• French: faire demi-tour (fr),
• German: Kehrtwende machen

• Italian: fare dietrofront
• Spanish: dar la media vuelta, darse media vuelta
• Thai: กลับหลังหัน (th) (glàp-lǎng-hǎn)

to change opinion or attitude

• Dutch: een totale ommekeer uitvoeren, het roer omgooien, zijn standpunt totaal wijzigen
• Finnish: tehdä täyskäännös

• French: faire volte-face
• Italian: fare il voltafaccia, fare il voltagabbana, cambiare casacca
• Spanish: cambiar de rumbo

See also

• about turn (UK)
• arse about face
• backpedal
• heel/face turn
• turnabout
• turn around
• volte-face
• 180