volte-face
/vɒltˈfas
/ /vɒltˈfɑːs/noun
1An act of turning round so as to face in the opposite direction.Then, off to my right around 10 metres, the shark bent, twisted and went volte-face on a sixpence, gathering speed as it cruised back toward me.
2An abrupt and complete reversal of attitude, opinion, or position: a remarkable volte-face on taxes...
- This position is a volte-face for Great Britain.
- And this is one of the most striking aspects of this case: how it has forced the government into a volte-face over its public attitudes to doctors.
- They must rank as two of the most remarkable volte-face of all time, two sides desperate to confound stereotypes which have been self-fulfilling and self-perpetuating for as long as any of us can remember.
Origin
Early 19th century: from French, from Italian voltafaccia, based on Latin volvere 'to roll' + facies 'appearance, face'.
Rhymes
- fairy rade
- fairy ring
- fairy ring agaric
- fairy ring champignon
- fairy ring mushroom
- fairy rose
- fairy's cap
- fairy's fingers
- fairy's glove
- fairy's grotto
- fairyship
- fairy shrimp
- fairy sparks
- fairy's thimble
- fairy stone
- fairy story
- fairy's treasure
- fairy table
- fairy tale
- fairy-tale ending
- fairy-tale-ish
- fairy-tale prince
- fairy-tale princess
- fairy tern
- fairy thimble