po-faced

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English

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Etymology

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Uncertain, probably from po, abbreviated slang based on French pot de chambre (chamber pot), after the distasteful expression anyone would adopt upon being presented with a full one. Perhaps similarly from pooh; perhaps influenced by poker-faced. Also possibly “poor-faced”.[1]

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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po-faced (comparative more po-faced, superlative most po-faced)

  1. (British) Wearing a particularly stern and disapproving expression; humourless; priggish. [from 1930s]
  2. (British) Poker-faced.

Derived terms

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Translations

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References

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  1. ^ Michael Quinion (1996–2024) “Po-faced”, in World Wide Words.