about-face
about-face (idiom / command)
/əˌbaʊt ˈfeɪs/
Meanings
- A sudden and complete change in opinion, behavior, or direction.
- A reversal of policy or attitude.
- To turn and face the opposite direction on command. (military)
Synonyms: reversal; U-turn; turnaround; shift; flip-flop.
Variant
- about-turn → Primarily British English, used in the same senses (military literal turn, and figurative reversal in policy, opinion, or behavior).
Example Sentences
- After months of defending the plan, the director made an about-face and rejected it completely.
- The party’s unexpected about-face on climate policy left supporters confused.
- The company had to make an about-face after customers boycotted their product.
- She seemed confident in her decision, but then she suddenly did an about-face and chose the opposite.
- During the drill, every cadet had to perform an about-face in perfect unison.
- The recruit snapped to attention and executed an about-face when ordered.
Origin and History
The phrase “about-face” originated in military discipline as a crisp command ordering soldiers to execute a precise 180-degree pivot to face the opposite direction. This literal maneuver, embedded in drill formations, epitomized an immediate and total reversal of orientation.
Etymology of the Phrase About-face
The compound fuses “about”—denoting circular motion—with “face,” meaning the forward direction or countenance. Together they capture the act of wheeling around to confront a new direction. The hyphenated form distinguishes the idiom from its individual parts and underscores its fixed status. Linguistic parallels include the British “about-turn,” though “about-face” crystallized in American military parlance without direct classical antecedents.
Historical Development
In the early 19th century, “about-face” appeared chiefly in tactical manuals and battlefield orders. By the American Civil War era, it began acquiring figurative weight, describing sudden reversals in politics, strategy, or personal stance. By the late 1800s, it was firmly established in journalism and literature as a critique of inconsistency or policy reversal. In the 20th century, the phrase became a staple of political rhetoric and popular speech, symbolizing everything from government U-turns to personal epiphanies.
Its durability lies in the clarity of its imagery: a sharp physical reorientation that translates seamlessly to mental or ideological pivots.
Country of Origin
Though inspired by broader European drill traditions, “about-face” crystallized as an idiom in the United States during the early 19th century. Its spread reflects both American military traditions and the cultural value placed on decisive change.
Earliest Printed Record
The earliest documented appearance of about-face occurs in James Cuninghame’s 1804 treatise The Tactic of the British Army Reduced to Detail, where it is recorded in its literal sense as a drill command.
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