Etymology

give face

Today it means: To honor; to pay respect. Full definition →

Cantonese 畀面
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give face · verb1

  1. Cantonese · calque of畀面
  2. English todaygive face

First used in the late 19th century (most likely in the colonial Hong Kong), a calque of dialectal Cantonese 畀面 (bei2 min2).

give face · verb2

Compare give head.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.