† half facingn.
Military. Obsolete.
Chiefly in infantry drill: a turn made so as to face halfway to one's right or left, at an angle of 45 degrees from the starting position; the action of make such a turn. Cf. half face n. 2, half face v.
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society > armed hostility > military operations > evolution > [noun] > other evolutions
inversion1627
conversion1635
fronting1796
platoon1797
platoon exercise1797
half-face1833
right (or left) shoulders (in)!1833
three-quarters face1833
about-face1835
ployment1861
1650 R. Elton Compl. Body Art Mil. i. xx. 14 They must perform a half facing, which is not only handsome, but troublesome to the Souldier.
1735 J. Gittins Compl. Syst. Mil. Discipline 8 Turn your Right Toe on your Right Heel, over the Butt End of your Firelock, so that the Inside of your Foot lie even with the Butt End, making a little half facing to the Right.
1814 W. Duane Syst. Infantry Discipline iii. iv. 157 The loose order of files signifies the opening of files from their compact order, thus quarter facing or half facing is in the loose order.
1833 Regulations Instr. Cavalry i. i. 20 The men move on the oblique lines upon which they are..placed..as described in the half-facings.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2022).
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n.1650