subs. (pugilistic).—1. A blow in the face.
1785. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v.
1819. T. MOORE, Tom Crib’s Memorial to Congress, p. 24.
| In short, not to dwell on each FACER and fall, | |
| Poor Georgy was done up in no time at all. |
1834. W. H. AINSWORTH, Rookwood, iii. 245. ‘The Double Cross,’ iv.
| ’T is all my eye! no claret flows, | |
| No FACERS sound—no smashing blows. |
1837. R. H. BARHAM, The Ingoldsby Legends (The Ghost).
| —And so did Nick, whom sometimes there would come on | |
| A sort of fear his Spouse might knock his head off, | |
| Demolish half his teeth, or drive a rib in, | |
| She shone so much in ‘FACERS’ and in ‘fibbing.’ |
1862. Athenæum, 1 Nov., p. 557, col. 1. Before his unknown adversary well knew what was coming, the skilled fist of the Professor had planted such a FACER as did not require repetition.
1868. C. READE and BOUCICAULT, Foul Play, ch. ii. This was followed by a quick succession of staggering FACERS, administered right and left, on the eyes and noses of the subordinates.
2. (common).—A sudden check; ‘a spoke in one’s wheel.’ [By implication from sense 1.]
1860. THACKERAY, The Adventures of Philip, ch. xl. In the battle of life every man must meet with a blow or two, and every brave one would take his FACER with good humour.
1869. WHYTE-MELVILLE, M. or N., p. 189. Dick Stanmore took his punishment with true British pluck and pertinacity. It was a FACER.
3. (Irish).—A dram.
4. (old).—A bumper. [Grose, 1785.]
5. (common).—A tumbler of whiskey punch.
1859. G. W. MATSELL, Vocabulum; or, The Rogue’s Lexicon, s.v.
1881. New York Slang Dictionary, s.v.
