Front sb.

(and a.) Forms; 3–7 frount(e, frunt(e, 4 Sc. froynt(t, 4–6 fronte, 4, 6 frownt, (4 frond), 3– front. [a. OF. and Fr. front, ad. L. front-em, frōns the forehead.]

  I.  Forehead, face.

  1.  = FOREHEAD 1. Now only poet. or in highly rhetorical language.

c. 1290.  S. Eng. Leg., I. 169/2176. Bote fram þe riȝt half of is frount.

c. 1375.  Sc. Leg. Saints, Machor, 1547. Þe takine of þe cors to mak, one þar froynttis.

1393.  Gower, Conf., I. 47. A sterre whit Amiddes in her front she [the hors] hadde.

c. 1450.  Life of St. Cuthbert (Surtees), 405. Þe calf is rede I undertake, With a white sterne in þe fronte.

1481.  Caxton, Mirrour of the World, II. v. 71. Another maner peple ther is whiche haue only but one eye, and that standeth right in the myddys of the fronte or forhede, which is so reed and clere that it semeth properly fyre brennyng.

1585.  T. Washington, trans. Nicholay’s Voy. Turkie, I. vi. 4 b. The kings slaues bearyng on theyr heads a Saracoll of Crymson veluet, and before the front the bande, a siluer socket set with long feathers, and certaine stones of small value.

1602.  Shaks., Ham., III. iv. 56. See what a grace was seated on his Brow, Hyperions curles, the front of Ioue himselfe.

1671.  Milton, Samson, 496. The mark of fool set on his front!

1735.  Somerville, The Chace, III. 513.

1777.  Sheridan, Sch. Scand., A Portrait, 11.

1814.  Scott, Ld. of Isles, VI. xxxvii. And bore he … Such noble front, such waving hair?

1847.  Lytton, Lucretia (1853), 227. Her nostrils dilated, and her front rose erect.

1884.  W. Allingham, Blackberries (1890), 88. Blear eyes, huge ears, and front of ape.

  b.  in fig. phrases, after Shakespeare.

1604.  Shaks., Oth., I. iii. 80.

1816.  Keatinge, Trav. (1817), I. 15. All he saw in the consequences of the action was a few loiterers to extort upon; this was the whole front of his offending, so far as the malus animus extended, but far different were the results.

1878.  Morley, Condorcet, Crit. Misc., 37. It is thus assured that from the beginning Condorcet was unable to satisfy himself with the mere knowledge of the specialist, but felt the necessity of placing social aims at the head and front of his life, and of subordinating to them all other pursuits.

  c.  rarely used techn., e.g., in Entomology.

1826.  Kirby & Sp., Entomol. (1828), III. xxxiv. 483. The front of insects may be denominated the middle part of the face between the eyes.

  2.  By extension: The whole face. Cf. Fr. front. Front to front (arch.) = face to face: see FACE 2 d.

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., IX. ix. (1495), 354. Januarius is paynted wyth two frontes to shewe and to teche the begynnynge and ende of the yere.

c. 1450.  Mirour Saluacioun, 791. Nor hire nekke nor hire front vsed sho to bere vppright.

1508.  Dunbar, Flyting w. Kennedie, 84. Fy! feyndly front, far fowlar than ane fen.

a. 1605.  Polwart, Flyting w. Montgomerie, 784. Jock Blunt, thrawin frunt!

1605.  Shaks., Macb., IV. iii. 232.

1654.  R. Whitlock, Ζωοτομια, 82. Brazen Impudence … hath two fronts, its boasting one, and bold one: with the one they look back … the other looketh forward.

1697.  Creech, Manilius, I. ix.

1698.  J. Fryer, A New Account of East-India and Persia, 292. Antelopes … guarding their Fronts, scampering with their Heads to the Earth, to avoid the tow’ring Enemy aloft.

1767.  Sir W. Jones, 7 Fountains, Poems (1777), 50.

1802.  T. Beddoes, Hygëia, II. 39. Those … have the courage to treat it, front to front, in a manner corresponding to the enormity of the consequences [etc.].

1855.  Tennyson, Maud, II. i. 28.

  3.  † a. The face as expressive of emotion or character; expression of countenance (obs.). b. Bearing or demeanor in confronting anything; degree of composure or confidence in the presence of danger, etc.

c. 1374.  Chaucer, Boeth., II. pr. viii. 47 (Camb. MS.). Whan she [fortune] descouereth hir frownt and sheweth hir maneres.

c. 1477.  Caxton, Jason, 104 b. [Medea] commanded that her ladies & Damoiselles shold put on the fayr fronte in entencion to make feste solempne for the honour of this right excellent victorie.

1637.  Heywood, King & Loyal Subject, I. Wks. 1874, VI. 17.

1711.  Steele, Spect., No. 20, 23 March, ¶ 3. A Starer is not usually a person to be convinced by the reason of the thing, and a Fellow that is capable of shewing an impudent Front before a whole Congregation.

1762.  Falconer, Shipwr., II. 347.

1800–24.  Campbell, Poems, Visiting Scene in Ayrshire, iv. Through the perils of chance … May thy front be unalter’d.

1821.  Scott, Kenilw., vi. The … unclouded front of an accomplished courtier.

1873–4.  Dixon, Two Queens, IV. XXII. ix. 221. Kildare … resolved to … meet his accusers with a brazen front.

  transf.  1855.  Prescott, Philip II., I. II. xiv. 309. The league, which had raised so bold a front against the government, had crumbled away.

1860.  Tyndall, Glac., I. xi. 76. The limestone bastions of the Fys, however, stil presented a front of gloom and grandeur.

  4.  Effrontery, impudence. Cf. FACE 7, FOREHEAD 2. Now rare. So, † man of front. To have the front: to be sufficiently impudent.

1653.  H. More, Antid. Ath., III. ix. (1712), 170. I cannot truly but wonder how any man, except one of the most hardened front, can refute the Testimony of two such learned and experienced men, as unfit Authors in this Case.

1709.  Steele, Tatler, No. 168, 6 May, ¶ 3. Men of Front carry Things before ’em with little Opposition.

1717.  De Foe, Mem. Ch. Scot. (1844), 5. Nothing can be more wonderful in humane Affairs, than to see how Mankind has been imposed upon about her, and with what Front the Absurdities charg’d on her could be broach’d in the World.

1849.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., II. 293. None of the commissioners had the front to pronounce that [etc.].

  II.  Foremost part.

  5.  Mil. a. The foremost line or part of an army or battalion. Also, † a rank (obs.), and in words of command; e.g. files to the front, right in front.

c. 1350.  Will. Palerne, 3584. In sexe semli batailes … al be fore in þe frond he ferde þan him-selue.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 1278. Þan … ffrochit into þe frount & a fray made.

1470–85.  Malory, Arthur, II. x. 87. But alweyes kyng Lot helde hym in the formest frunte.

1598.  Barret, Theor. Warres, Gloss., 250. Fronte, a French word, is the face or forepart of a squadron or battell.

1607.  Shaks., Cor., I. vi. 8.

1625.  Markham, Souldiers Accid., 6. The Rankes are called Fronts, because they stand formost and doe as it were affront the Battailes, and looke vpon the Enemie, but in truth none can properly be called the Front, but the Ranke which standeth formost.

1667.  Milton, P. L., VI. 105. Front to Front Presented stood in terrible array.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., II. 378. As Legions in the Field their Front display.

1700.  S. L., trans. C. Fryke’s Voy. E. Ind., 61. Commanded Captain Jochem, who led the Blacks, to march in the Front.

1775.  R. King, in Life & Corr. (1894), I. 9. They then began their march, with a very wide Front, in the centre of which there was a field piece & one at each wing.

1838–43.  Arnold, Hist. Rome, III. xliii. 141. Then the Spanish and Gaulish horse charged the Romans front to front.

1859.  F. A. Griffiths, The Artillerist’s Manual (1862), 7. All the Files may be brought to the front at once by the Words— † Files to the front. Ibid., 18. A column Left in front will bring its rear companies to the front by fours from the Right in a similar manner. Ibid., 19. Open column of sub-divisions (or sections) right (or left) in front, right about—face, &c., &c.

  b.  Line of battle.

1375.  Barbour, Bruce, XVII. 569. The Ingliss men com on sadly … Richt in a frount vith a baner.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 10869. And all fore to þe fight in a frunt hole.

1607.  Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1658), 249. They used to terrifie the Barbarians, setting their Horses in a double front, so as they appeared headed both wayes.

1623.  Bingham, Xenophon, 78. If we aduance in a large Front, the enemie, that exceedeth vs in number, will ouer-front vs, and vse his multitude to most aduantage; if in a narrow Front, it will be no maruell to see our Phalange cut in peeces with the number of missiue weapons and with multitude of men, that will fall vpon it.

1667.  Milton, P. L., I. 563. Advanc’t in view they stand, a horrid Front Of dreadful length.

1710.  Lond. Gaz., No. 4744/2. Our … Army … marched … to Attack the Enemy in full Front.

1838.  Thirlwall, Greece, III. 349. The Spartans … preserving an even and unbroken front.

1886.  Daily News, 13 Sept., 5/7. The troops marched past, the infantry in company fronts and the cavalry by half squadrons.

  c.  The foremost part of the ground occupied, or in wider sense, of the field of operations; the part next the enemy. Also, the foremost part of a position, as opposed to the rear.

1665.  Manley, Grotius’ Low C. Warres, 440. Ambuses should be laid to break into the City from the Trenches, whereby not onely the Front as heretofore, but the backside also should be rendred unsafe.

1781.  Gibbon, Decl. & F., II. xli. 504. Belisarius protected his front with a deep trench.

1810.  Wellington, in Gurw., Desp., VI. 367. I propose to move up the infantry of the army to the front again.

1844.  H. H. Wilson, Brit. India, III. 320. One division … was sent to take the stockades in rear, while another … threatened them from the front.

1879.  Fife-Cookson, Armies of Balkans, i. 6. To see him before his departure for the front next day.

1889.  R. Kipling, Willie Winkie, 72. British Regiments were wanted—badly wanted—at the Front.

  fig.  1846.  Greener, Sc. Gunnery, 54. The present state of our artillery requires an advance to the front, to be in a line with the march of science, as regards the knowledge of gunpowder and projectiles.

  d.  The direction towards which the line faces when formed. Change of front: see CHANGE v. 9 b; in quot. fig. To make front to: to face in the direction of; in quot. fig.

1832.  in Prop. Regul. Instr. Cavalry, III. 46.

1833.  Regul. Instr. Cavalry, I. 14. The whole will face, as accurately as possible, to their former front.

1837.  Carlyle, Fr. Rev., III. I. i. (1872), 9. The improvised Municipals make front to this also.

1879.  Lubbock, Addr. Pol. & Educ., iv. 92. This change of front seems to be founded on the report of the Board of Education for Scotland.

1891.  Daily News, 28 Nov., 5/6. The eventuality of a war with two fronts—that is to say, with France and Russia—was foreseen.

  e.  Front of fortification: see quot. 1859.

1851.  J. S. Macaulay, Field Fortif., 23. The outline above traced is called a Front of Fortification.

1859.  F. A. Griffiths, The Artillerist’s Manual (1862), 261. A Front of fortification consists of two half bastions, and a curtain.

  6.  Arch. ‘Any side or face of a building, but more commonly used to denote the entrance side’ (Gwilt); occas. collect. in sing., and pl. = ‘the four sides’ (of a mansion). Also back-, rear-front.

1365.  Durham Halm. Rolls (Surtees), 41. Non fecit clausuram tenementi sui de le front.

1382.  Wyclif, Ezek. xl. 9. He metide … the frount therof in two cubitis.

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 181/1. Frownt, or frunt of a churche, or oþer howsys.

1624.  Wotton, Archit. (1672), 16. And the contrary fault of low-distended Fronts, is as vnseemely.

1703.  Moxon, Mech. Exerc., 265. A Building, which is 25 Feet, both in the Front and Reer Front.

1760–72.  trans. Juan & Ulloa’s Voy. (ed. 3), II. 32. The fronts being of stone.

1806.  Gazetteer Scotl. (ed. 2), 144. The Town-house, an elegant structure, with a handsome front.

1841.  W. Spalding, Italy & It. Isl., III. 150. Monastic cloisters with their dark length of front. Ibid., 166. The handsomest of the streets, commencing from one of the back-fronts of the old palace, is a hundred feet in width, and runs to the edge of the Po.

1888.  Burgon, Lives of Twelve Good Men, II. xii. 355. The garden front was most inconveniently embowered,—hurled rather,—in forest trees.

1893.  W. P. Courtney, in Academy, 13 May, 413/1. The fronts of the mansion were decorated with statues by skilled sculptors.

  7.  gen. The part or side of an object which seems to look out or to be presented to the eye; the forepart of anything, the part to which one normally comes first. Opposed to back, esp. in objects that have only two sides. Cf. BACK sb. 3.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 10814. In þe frunt of þat faire yle, Was a prouynse of prise.

1555.  Eden, Decades (Arb.), 134. We founde the fyrst front of this land to bee brooder then the kynges of Vraba had persuaded owre men of theyr mountaynes.

1577.  B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., I. (1586), 41 b. A lowe kinde of Carre with a couple of wheeles, and the Frunt armed with sharpe Syckles.

1605.  Shaks., Macb., V. viii. 47.

1705.  Addison, Italy, 5. The Front to the Sea is not large, but there are a great many Houses behind it, built up the Side of the Mountain, to avoid the Winds and Vapours that come from Sea.

1788.  Gibbon, Decl. & F., l. (Milman), V. 2. The southern basis presents a front of a thousand miles to the Indian Ocean.

1823.  H. J. Brooke, Introd. Crystallogr., 287. The opposite angles, edges, and planes, which are supposed to form the back of the engraved figure, are respectively similar to those which appear on its front.

1851.  Carpenter, Man. Phys. (ed. 2), 398. The sternum itself being so largely developed, as to cover almost the entire front of the body.

1893.  F. W. Maitland, Mem. de Parl., Introd. 92. The skin being thin, the writing on the front could be seen upon the back.

  b.  transf. With reference to time: The first period; the beginning, poet.

c. 1600.  Shaks., Sonnet cii.

1842.  Tennyson, The Gardener’s Daughter, 28. More black than ashbuds in the front of March.

1883.  Stevenson, Silverado Sq., 237. But for flowers and ravishing perfume, we had none to envy: our heap of road-metal was thick with bloom, like a hawthorn in the front of June; our red, baking angle in the mountain, a laboratory of poignant scents.

  † c.  = FRONTIER sb. 4. Obs.

1589.  Greene, Sp. Masquerado, Wks. (Grosart), V. 256. When the Sarasens … had inuaded Germanie, and the frontes of France.

1593.  Hollyband, Fr. Dict., P 2 b. Les frontieres d’vn pais, the frontiers of a countrey: the front or marches.

  d.  Mining. = FACE 20 a.

1717.  trans. Frezier’s Voy. S. Sea, 183. Rich and famous for the vast Quantity of Quicksilver taken from a Mine, which is 40 Varas, or Spanish Yards in Front.

1867.  W. W. Smyth, Coal & Coal-mining, 140. Let us now turn our attention to the ‘face’ or front of the working.

  e.  Land facing a road, river, the sea, etc.; a frontage.

1766.  Laws of N. Carolina (1791), 234. The Water Fronts of the Lots herein before mentioned.

1769.  Bp. Wilton Inclos. Act, 2. Occupiers of ancient messuages, cottages, houses or fronts.

  f.  Theatrical. (See quots.)

1810.  Scott, Fam. Lett., 30 March (1894), I. vi. 174. She fairly cried herself sick at her own part, so you may believe there was fine work in the front, as they call the audience part of the house; never was there such a night for those industrious females the laundresses.

1894.  Evening News, 18 Oct., 2/6. Generally speaking, the ‘front of the house’ means the audience; but among theatrical employés the ‘front of the house’ means everybody engaged to work before the curtain.

  † 8.  The first part or line of anything written or printed. In the front: at the head. Obs.

1576.  A. Fleming, A Panoplie of Epistles, 435. I could not but in y^e very front & beginning of my letter, vse this gratious greeting.

1594.  Blundevil, Exerc., III. I. xx. (ed. 7), 324. Consisting of 6. collums, euery front or head whereof is noted with three great letters, D. M. S. signifying degrees, minutes and seconds.

1654.  R. Whitlock, Ζωοτομια, 94. A Catalogue of above three hundred Advisers, and his name in the Front.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Pastorals, VI. 17.

  † b.  = FRONTISPIECE sb. 3 or 4. Obs.

1647.  Crashaw, Poems, 128. If with distinctive eye and mind you look Upon the front, you see more than one book.

a. 1718.  Penn, Life, Wks. 1726, I. 147. Which the Reader may find in the Front of the Books they [the Prefaces] were designed for.

  9.  A fore part or piece having some particular use or function.

1847.  A. M. Gilliam, Trav. Mexico, 152. The body of the wagon is about equally balanced over the axletree, the front resting upon the tongue, after the fashion of the ox-carts in the United States.

1851.  Offic. Catal. Gt. Exhib., I. 467. Pianoforte … in newly designed case with sliding front. Ibid., II. 526. Boots and shoes … with elastic fronts and sides.

  † b.  = FRONTAL sb. 2. Obs.

1533.  in Weaver, Wells Wills (1890), 148. To the gyltyng of the ffrownt at the hye auter.

1539.  Peterboro’ Inv., in N. & Q., 3rd Ser. IV. 459. In the Rood Loft … one front of painted cloth.

1552–3.  Inv. Ch. Goods Staffs., in Ann. Lichfield, IV. 66. One fronte for an alter of yelowe and grene satten.

  c.  A band or bands of false hair, or a set of false curls, worn by women over the forehead.

1687.  Congreve, Old Bach., IV. iv. I undertook the modelling of one of their fronts, the more modern structure.

1837.  Thackeray, Ravenswing, i. Mamma means her front!

1865.  Trollope, Belton Est., xvii. The graces of her own hair had given way to a front.

1886.  Pall Mall G., 24 Aug., 13/2. A … black velvet band … to keep her auburn front … in its place.

  d.  That part of a man’s shirt which covers the chest and is more or less displayed; a shirt-front; also, a ‘dicky’; also, a similar article of silk, etc., serving as a cravat.

1844.  Dickens, Mart. Chuz., xvii. What a very few shirts there are, and what a many fronts.

1851.  Offic. Catal. Gt. Exhib., II. 579. Gentlemen’s fronts and stocks.

  10.  A position or place situated before something or towards a spectator; forward position or situation. Only in phrases with prefixed prep.

  a.  In (the) front of (prep. phr.): at a position before, in advance of, facing, or confronting; at the head of (troops). In his, our, etc., front: in front of or facing him, us, etc.

  The article is now omitted, exc. in expressions like in the (very) front of (danger, etc.) = ‘in the position most exposed to,’ ‘bearing the brunt of.’

1698.  J. Fryer, A New Account of East-India and Persia, 144. I saw the reason of our stay this day; a Pragmatical Portugal fled to this Place, for designing the death of a Fidalgo in the front of 40 Men marching to the Governor’s.

1712.  W. Rogers, Voy., 174. We all fir’d, some at the Gunner, and others at the Men in Arms in the front of the Church, where they appear’d very numerous.

1777.  Watson, Philip II. (1839), 143 Behind him there was a little wood and the walls of a convent; and in his front, the morass above mentioned, which was almost impassable.

1816.  Keatinge, Trav. (1817), I. 225. On our cavalcade joining them, the standards were faced about, and formed in our fronts.

1847.  A. M. Gilliam, Trav. Mexico, 256. I was particular to make my servants keep in front of me.

1853.  Sir H. Douglas, Milit. Bridges (ed. 3), 144. Required that Sir Arthur Wellesley should lose no time in forcing a passage across the river in his front.

1855.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., III. 1. The proclamation was repeated … in front of the Royal Exchange.

  fig.  1609.  Tourneur, Funeral Poeme on Sir F. Vere, 172. I the front Of danger where he did his deedes advance.

1817.  Chalmers, Astron. Disc., v. (1852), 124. Those holy … men … in the front of severest obloquy, are now labouring in remotest lands.

1844.  W. H. Kelly, trans. L. Blanc’s, The History of the Ten Years, 1830–40, II. 345. To produce a striking effect upon public opinions by throwing themselves fearlessly in the very front of danger.

1892.  Spectator, 12 March, 353/1. His majesty will speedily be in front of a new difficulty.

1896.  Westm. Gaz., 28 July, 9/2. The shares had nothing in front of them—no preference or debenture capital.

  b.  In († the) front (advb. phr.): in an advanced or forward position; on the side that meets the eye; in a position facing the spectator.

1613.  Purchas, Pilgrimage (1614), 380. With his whole forces, in front, [he] assailed.

1700.  T. Brown, trans. Fresny’s Amusem. Ser. & Com., 21. By comes a Christning, with the Reader and the Midwife strutting in the Front.

1748.  F. Smith, Voy. Disc. N.-W. Pass., I. 133. The upper Story had the two Captains Cabins in Front, and the Landing of the Stairs.

1822.  G. W. Manby, Journal of a Voyage to Greenland, in the Year 1821 (1823), 134. Determined to injure the skin as little as possible, and to attack him [a bear] in front, I got upon the ice, and was about to fire another ball to free him from his sufferings, when he uttered a tremendous growl, and fell down dead.

1847.  A. M. Gilliam, Trav. Mexico, 76. Having no shape of bricks in the structure of the walls, these dirt hovels presented a bold contrast with the city behind, and the wealthy church in front. Ibid., 99. This reboso not only covers the head, but is closely drawn over the face; and, by being crossed in front, obscures the bosom.

1879.  Harlan, Eyesight, ix. 129. The most injurious direction for light to come from is that directly in front.

1895.  Scot. Antiq., X. 78. Setting an old press in front so as to conceal the door.

  c.  To the front (of): to a position in front (of).

1820.  Scoresby, Acc. Arctic Reg., I. 235. Being removed to the front of a brisk fire, a strong ebullition commenced.

1887.  Bowen, Virg. Æneid, V. 150.

  d.  To come to the front: to become conspicuous, be revealed, emerge into publicity; to make oneself or itself manifest. So (To be) to the front = ‘to the fore’ (rare).

1871.  Archæol. Assoc. Jrnl., Sept., 323. Another saint came to the front.

1876.  Trevelyan, Macaulay, II. ix. 132. When subjects came to the front on which his knowledge was great, and his opinion strongly marked, he interfered with decisive and notable effect.

1878.  Scribner’s Mag., XVI. 184/2. At such a time his true boastful self would come to the front.

1885.  Mrs. E. Lynn Linton, Chr. Kirkland, III. vi. 231. Underneath in the hidden depths lurked other matters than those which came to the front.

1886.  Daily News, 6 Jan., 5/1. The year has gone, however, and the aged Emperor is still to the front.

  11.  ellipt. (quasi-adj. or adv.)

1667.  Primatt, City & C. Build., 36. Suppose that same be 25 foot Front, and forty foot deep, it may be let for to be built for forty shillings the foot Front, which amounts unto fifty pounds per annum.

c. 1680.  Hickeringill, Wks. (1716), II. 512. The Enemy … had beset them Front and Rear.

1698.  J. Fryer, A New Account of East-India and Persia, 8. The biggest of them [buildings] had not four yards Front, and half that, for the greater state, was taken up by the Door.

1845.  Florist’s Jrnl., 25. A little shed, open back and front.

1892.  I. Zangwill, Bow Myst., 127. It’s the key of my first-floor front.

  † 12.  [from the vb.] Encounter, onset; = AFFRONT sb. 3. Obs.

1523.  Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. ccccxxxii. 760. The men of armes … at the first front ouerthrue many.

  III.  attrib. and Comb.

  13.  attrib., passing into adj. = Of or pertaining to the front, situated in front. (The comb. of adj. + sb. is itself often used attrib.)

1600.  Holland, Livy, XXXVII. 957. They had raunged their ships broad in a front-ranke.

1679.  Moxon, Mech. Exerc., I. vii. 133. If your Shop stand in an eminent Street, the Front Rooms are commonly more Airy than the Back Rooms.

1709.  Steele, Tatler, No. 145, ¶ 2. She in a Front Box, he in the Pit next the Stage.

1710.  Brit. Apollo, III. No. 106. 4/1. The Front side of a good House, is to be Lett.

1718.  Freethinker, No. 57, ¶ 3. I shall be next Saturday at the Play, in a Front Row.

1770.  G. White, Selborne, let. xxviii. 80. The horn of a male moose, which had no front-antlers.

1832.  Prop. Regul. Instr. Cavalry, II. 33. The leading front-rank man advances two horses’ lengths.

1838.  Lytton, Alice, 64. The front entrance is kept locked up.

1843.  Sir C. Scudamore, Med. Visit Gräfenberg, 2. The small-pox, and the loss of some front teeth from an accident, impair his good looks.

1851.  Offic. Catal. Gt. Exhib., I. 467. A front and side elevation of the Elizabethan pianoforte.

1860.  Tyndall, Glac., II. x. 275. A straight pinnacle of ice, the front edge of which was perfectly vertical.

1883.  Expositor, VI. 434. He [St. Peter] was naturally quick, mobile, a frontman.

1884.  Milit. Engin., I. II. 43. The front ditch party are extended at 5 feet apart.

  14.  In special comb. and phrases: front bench, the foremost bench on either side of the Houses of Lords and Commons, occupied by ministers and ex-ministers respectively; front door, the principal entrance-door of a house; front driver (see DRIVER 6 b); front-fastening a., that fastens in front; front-handed a., done with a forward movement of the hand; front name (jocular or vulgar), a Christian name; front-stall, an appendage to the bridle covering the horse’s forehead; † front-tickled a. (? nonce-wd.), ? flattered; front-ways, -wise advbs., in a position or direction facing to the front.

1891.  Daily News, 28 July, 3/4. To have seen the motion carried on the strength of the two *Front Bench speeches.

1812.  Examiner, 31 Aug., 552/1. At the *front door.

1858.  O. W. Holmes, Aut. Breakf.-t. (1883), 110. The front-door is on the street.

1871.  Figure Training, 88. A *front-fastening corset.

1843.  Peter Parley’s Annual, IV. 74. He … made a quick *front-handed plunge in the direction from which the attack came.

1895.  Pall Mall Mag., March, 511. ‘What’s your *front name?’ asked Roy boldly.

1601.  Holland, Pliny, II. 631. The KK. of the East had their horses set out therewith [cochlides] … in their *frontstals.

1653.  Urquhart, Rabelais, II. xii. 83. A barbed horse furnished with a frontstal.

1825.  Scott, Talism., i. The front-stall of the bridle was a steel plate, with apertures for the eyes and nostrils.

1649.  G. Daniel, Trinarch., Hen. V., ciii. But faire pretence leads on; and the Dull Heard *Front-tickled, yeild themselves into his hand.

1863.  R. H. Gronow, Remin., II. 46. The cocked hat he always wore, placed *frontways on his head, like that of the Emperor Napoleon.

1774.  Goldsm., Nat. Hist., V. III. ii. (Venom. Serpents). It has … a mark of dark brown on the forehead, which, when viewed *frontwise, looks like a pair of spectacles.

1885.  Middleton, in Encycl. Brit., XIX. 612/1. Though the faces are nearly always represented in profile, the eyes are shown frontwise.