† 1. One who puts on a bold face; one who boasts or swaggers; a braggart, bully. Obs.
c. 1515. Cocke Lorelles B. (Percy Society), 11. Crakers, facers, and chylderne quellers.
1550. Latimer, Last Serm. bef. Edw. VI., Wks., I. 252. Nay: there be no greater tattlers, nor boasters nor facers than they be.
1611. Beaum. & Fl., Maid’s Trag., IV. ii.
| A race of idle people here about you, | |
| Facers and talkers. |
2. Post-office. One who ‘faces’ letters (see FACE v. 11 b).
1850. Quarterly Review, LXXXVII. June, 75. Little letters, like little-minded men, sometimes improperly intrude themselves into the domiciles of bigger ones. The act is by ‘facers’ called ‘pigging.’
3. A blow in the face. lit. and fig.
1810. Sporting Mag., XXXVI. Aug., 243/2. Each of the pugilists exchanged at least half a dozen facers, until the blood flew in torrents, and they fell from the loss of wind.
1819. T. Moore, Tom Crib’s Mem., 24.
| In short, not to dwell on each facer and fall, | |
| Poor GEORGY was done up in no time at all. |
1859. J. Brown, Rab and His Friends, 2. The … shepherd, who, with a gleam of joy over his broad visage, delivered a terrific facer upon our large, vague, benevolent, middle-aged friend.
fig. 1828. Blackw. Mag., XXIII. 109/2. With the right lending the Catholics such a facer, that they are unable to come to time.
1872. Besant & Rice, Ready Money M., xviii. ‘I’ve had a good many facers in my life.’
† 4. a. A large cup or tankard. b. Such a cup filled to the brim; a bumper. Obs.
a. 1527. Will T. Sparke (Chetham Society), 17. Item, to my cosyn yong Thomas Smith my bowndon facer and my gilde spone.
b. 1688. Shadwell, Sqr. Alsatia, II. Sham. There’s a Facer for you.
a. 1700. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, Facer, a Bumper without Lip-room.
1785. in Grose, Dict. Vulg. Tongue.
