front*/*/*/

[frʌnt] noun I

1) the front

[singular] the surface of something that faces forwards

Ant:

back

Go round to the front (= of the building) and I'll let you in.[/ex]

Attach a recent photograph to the front of your application.[/ex]

a book with a picture of a tiger on the front[/ex]

2) the front

[singular] the part of something that is nearest the direction it faces

Ant:

back

If you can't see the blackboard, come and sit at the front.[/ex]

Tom was sitting at the front of the bus.[/ex]

He had signed his name in the front of the book.[/ex]

3) [C] a particular aspect of a situation

There's bad news on the job front – two factories are going to close.[/ex]

His main problems were in maths and science, but he has made progress on both fronts.[/ex]

4) [C] an organization or activity that exists in order to hide something that is secret or illegal

They kept a shop as a front for dealing in stolen goods.[/ex]

5) [singular] behaviour that is not sincere because you want to hide your real feelings

He always pretended he didn't care but we knew it was just a front.[/ex]

She's putting on a brave front, but she's really very worried.[/ex]

6) [C] a front line in a war

7) [C] technical

a line where a large area of cold air meets a large area of warm air

•

front of house — 1) the parts of a theatre, cinema, or concert hall that the audience uses; 2) the activities in a theatre, cinema, or concert hall that involve dealing with members of the public[/ex]

in front — 1) a little further forwards than someone or something else[/ex]

I overtook the car in front.[/ex]

— 2) winning a competition, game, or election that is not yet finished

Owen scored to put his team in front.[/ex]

in front of sb — 1) if something is in front of you, it is in a position where you can see it if you look forwards[/ex]

In front of her, the motorway stretched for miles.[/ex]

— 2) in a situation where someone is there with you

I would never say this in front of my mother.[/ex]

— 3) in a situation where someone is watching you do something

The match took place in front of a crowd of 60,000 people.[/ex]

in front of sth — 1) into a place where a moving vehicle might hit you[/ex]

He stepped into the road in front of a bus.[/ex]

— 2) in a position where you can see a particular thing when you look forwards

She just sits in front of the television all day long.[/ex]

up front — if you pay money up front, you pay it before you have received the goods that you are buying, or before someone starts to do work for you[/ex]

I'll need £500 up front for the cost of materials.[/ex]

See:

back III

II

adj

front */*/*/[frʌnt]

at, in, or on the front of something

You can go and play in the front garden.[/ex]

the front seat of the car[/ex]

front legs/paws[/ex]