confront

views updated May 21 2018

con·front / kənˈfrənt/ • v. [tr.] meet (someone) face to face with hostile or argumentative intent. ∎  face up to and deal with (a problem or difficult situation). ∎  compel (someone) to face or consider something, esp. by way of accusation: Tricia confronted him with her suspicions. ∎  (often be confronted) (of a problem, difficulty, etc.) present itself to (someone) so that dealing with it cannot be avoided: post-czarist Russia was confronted with a Ukrainian national movement. ∎  (usu. be confronted) appear or be placed in front of (someone) so as to unsettle or threaten: we were confronted with pictures of moving skeletons.

confront

views updated Jun 11 2018

confront stand in front of, face with hostility XVI; bring face to face XVII. — F. confronter — medL. confrontāre, f. L. CON- + frōns, front-, forehead, face, FRONT.