phiz
/fiz/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- The human face: An informal, chiefly British term for a person's face or facial expression. It is a shortened form of "physiognomy."
- A person: Hablot Knight Browne (1815-1882), an English illustrator known for his work under the pseudonym "Phiz," particularly for illustrating several novels by Charles Dickens.
Usage Examples
Noun (referring to the face): He had a cheerful phiz that made everyone feel welcome.What a sour phiz he's wearing today!
Noun (referring to the illustrator): The edition of "David Copperfield" features the original engravings by Phiz.Phiz's illustrations perfectly captured the spirit of Dickens's characters.
Advanced Usage
- "Phiz" is an archaic and informal term. Its use today is primarily humorous, literary, or historical. It is rarely used in modern, everyday conversation.
- When capitalized (Phiz), it refers specifically to the illustrator Hablot Knight Browne.
Variants and Related Words
- Physiognomy (n): The original, more formal word meaning the art of judging character from facial features, or simply the face or facial expression.
- Countenance (n): A more formal synonym for face or facial expression.
- Visage (n): A literary term for the face.
Synonyms
- Face
- Mug (informal)
- Kisser (informal)
- Smiler (informal)
- Countenance (formal/literary)
Related Idioms
- To pull a long phiz: To have a sad, disappointed, or gloomy facial expression.
- A merry phiz: A happy or cheerful face.
Noun
- the human face (`kisser' and `smiler' and `mug' are informal terms for `face' and `phiz' is British)
- English illustrator of several of Dickens' novels (1815-1882)