in your face

[in yoor feys]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

idiom

Informal.

Also in-your-face
1. seeming to express or invite confrontation; defiant, militant, or provocative.
  His political commentary is always in your face.
  Something drives him to break every rule, and to do it with a deep-down, in-your-face belligerence.
2. displayed or advertised flagrantly, obtrusively, or forcefully.
  Everywhere you go, alcohol is in your face.
3. (of a color, flavor, or the like) strong or vivid; bold rather than subtle.
  The brew has a huge, in-your-face hop flavor, but very little bitterness.
in a provocative, flagrant, or bold way.
They’re so brazen—they do their cheating in your face, daring you to do something about it.
(used as an exclamation to tease someone or flaunt something in a confrontational way).
In your face, Cougars—we won!

in-your-face

adjective

slang��aggressive and confrontational
provocative in-your-face activism

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Word History and Origins

Origin of in your face¹

First recorded in 1985–90

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Idioms and Phrases

Defiantly confrontational; also, an exclamation of contempt. For example, This show is not suitable for youngsters; its attitude about sex is in your face, or In your face, mister! This slangy expression originated in the 1970s in basketball as a phrase of contempt used against the opposing team and was extended to other areas by the mid-1980s.

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

This kid gets in your face, and I was like, “Punch the kid!”

From

“It’s in your face, how she looks, and I think the confrontation of it is probably what I’m drawn to.”

From

You can be convicted for shoving someone you think is just someone yelling in your face, even just placing them in “reasonable fear of harm” without physical contact—if they turn out to be a plainclothes agent.

From

“I learned that folding the weeds was really helpful before you put them in, because otherwise you get a mouthful of weeds in your face,” she said.

From

Dr Kirtley said the sound had prevented her from sleeping properly for several weeks, adding: "It's impossible to ignore - it is like somebody shouting in your face constantly for attention."

From

inwrought Io

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