front

1 /frVnt/ noun

1 GROUP/LINE the front the front of a group or line of people or things is the position that is furthest forward in the direction that they are facing or moving

(+ of): She always sits at the front of the class. | in/at the front: I think I can see them, they're right at the front. | the front of the line/queue/crowd: TV reporters shoved their way to the front of the crowd.

2 FORWARD SIDE/SURFACE the front the side or surface of something that is in the direction that it faces or moves

(+ of): Where did that scratch on the front of my car come from? —compare rear 1 (1)

3 the front the most important side or surface of something, that you look at first : on the front: Get a postcard with a picture of our hotel on the front of it.

(+ of): She's on the front of the Radio Times. —opposite back 1 (2), —compare rear 1 (1)

4 BUILDINGS the front the most important side, where you go in

5 BOOK the front the first pages

6 in front of sth

a) near the side of something that is in the direction that it faces or moves: right in front of the car

—opposite behind 1 (1)

b) near the side of a building where you go in: She parked in front of the office.

7 in front of sb

a) ahead of someone, in the direction that they are facing or moving: Come out here in front of the class.

b) if you say or do something in front of someone you do it where they can see or hear you: Don't swear in front of the children!

c) if you have problems or difficulties in front of you, you will soon need to deal with them

8 in front

a) in the most forward or leading position; ahead: Mrs Ramsay's horse was well in front. | He drove straight into the car in front.

—compare behind 1 (1)

b) in the area nearest the most forward part of something, or the entrance to a building

9 out front also out the front/out in front BrE the area near the entrance to a building: Hurry up! The taxi is out front.

10 in/up front also in the front especially BrE in the part of a car where the driver sits: “Get in the car, kids.” “Can I sit in front, Mom?”

11 be brought/called/hauled in front of sb to have to see someone in authority about something you have done wrong: My whole section was called in front of the manager.

12 sit in front of to spend time using or watching something such as a computer or television: You've spent all day just sitting in front of the television.

13 WEATHER (C) technical the place where two areas of air of different temperatures meet, often shown as a line on weather maps : warm/cold front (=an area of warm or cold air)

14 on the publicity/money/health front etc in a particular area: Constant effort is needed on the publicity front.

15 up front informal

a) money that is paid up front is paid before work is done, or goods are supplied: We need two hundred pounds up front.

b) directly and clearly from the start: Jorge wanted to help her, but she'd told him up front she did not need it.

—see also: upfront

16 SEA the front especially BrE the part of a town next to the sea, between the beach and the shops, hotels etc; seafront

17 BODY your chest, or the part of your body that faces forward: I've spilled some soup down my front.

18 on all fronts in every area of the activity that you are involved in: We're making rapid progress on all fronts.

19 be a front for informal to be used for hiding a secret or illegal activity: Could his business be a front for drug smuggling?

20 put on/show a front to behave in a way that is braver or happier than you feel: I know you're scared, but you've got to put on a brave front.

21 ORGANIZATION (singular) used in the name of a political party or unofficial military organization: the People's Liberation Front

22 WAR (C) a line along which fighting takes place during a war; front line: trucks heading towards the Western Front

—see also: home front

23 CHURCH (C) a side of a large, important church building: the west front

USAGE NOTE : FRONT WORD CHOICE: in front of, behind, at/in the front of, at/in the back of, face, opposite, before In front of (opposite behind) is used when one thing is separate from the other: A child ran out in front of the bus (=in the road outside the bus). At/in the front of (opposite at/in the back of) is used when one thing is inside or part of the other: The child took a seat at/in the front of the bus (=in the front part of the bus). If a building is in front of something, it faces it: The hotel faced the Mediterranean. A person or place that faces another one exactly, with a space between, is opposite it. If the bus stop is opposite the station it is not in front of the station but on the other side of the road. I live opposite Greg. One event may happen before another: Let's have a drink before dinner (NOT in front of dinner). 2 adjective (only before noun)

1 at, on, or in the front of something: Your front teeth are going to have to be straightened. | front door/room/garden (=at the front of a house) | front seat/row: Good news! I got us front row seats!

—opposite back 4 (1)

2 informal a front man or organization acts lawfully in business as a way of hiding a secret or illegal activity: a front organization for importing heroin

3 technical a front vowel sound is made by raising your tongue at the front of your mouth

—opposite back 4 (7) 3 verb

1 (I, T) if a building fronts onto the sea, a road etc, the front of the building faces it

(+ onto): Our hotel fronts onto a main road. | front sth: houses fronting the lake

2 be fronted by/with to be covered or decorated at the front with something: Victor led us into a large building fronted with marble.

3 (T) to lead something such as a group or television programme by being the person that the public see most: She's fronting a weekly current affairs program.

front for sb/sth phrasal verb (T) informal to act as the person or organization used for hiding the real nature of a secret or illegal activity: Police suspected her of fronting for a gang of forgers.