face-off
/ˈfeɪsˌɑf/ noun
Forms face-offs faceoff face off
- noun A confrontation or argument between two people or groups. “It's unclear which side will win the latest face-off between the President and Congress.”
- noun (ice hockey) The start of play, when two players try to get control of the puck dropped by the referee.
- noun (field lacrosse) The start of play, when two players attempt to get possession of a ball placed on the ground between them by the referee.
Synonyms
Etymology
From face + off, or a deverbal from face off, c. 1889.
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 — from the Wiktionary entry “face-off”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details