IDIOMS

World of sports

IN ENGLISH, THE BUSINESS WORLD DRAWS SIGNIFICANT INSPIRATION FROM THE WORLD OF SPORTS, WHICH IS REFLECTED IN MANY COMMONLY USED EXPRESSIONS. WE HAVE COMPILED A LIST OF OVER 130 SUCH EXPRESSIONS, COMPLETE WITH EXPLANATIONS AND EXAMPLES.

FACE-OFF/FACE OFF.
Hockey players at a face-off — metaphor for the idiom 'face off,' meaning direct competition between people, teams, or companies

The term face-off (noun, face off is the verb) is used when two or more individuals, teams, or organizations engage in direct competition to achieve a specific goal. This could involve a legal battle, the acquisition of an asset, a fight for market leadership, or the recruitment of a top candidate.

The expression originates from the world of sports-specifically hockey-where two opposing players face off to gain control of the puck at the start or restart of play. This notion of a head-to-head confrontation has since been adopted in the business world to describe competitive or high-stakes situations.

Examples of how the term is used in a professional context include:

  • Intel and AMD are facing off for the title of fastest computer chip.

  • The union and management are facing off over a new labor agreement.

  • After several rounds of preselection, we will face off against our main competitor for the contract.

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