“See a Long Face”
What Does It Mean?
“See a long face” is an idiom that describes someone who looks sad or disappointed. Imagine someone’s face growing longer as the corners of their mouth droop downwards—just like the elongated face of a horse.
Related and Similar Terms
- Down in the dumps - Feeling sad or depressed.
- Feeling blue - Experiencing feelings of sadness or melancholy.
- Downhearted - Low in spirit or feeling depressed.
- In the doldrums - A state of low spirits or unproductiveness.
- Downcast - Looking down or feeling disheartened.
Fun with Proverbs
“Oh, buck up! If you keep on crying, your face might just stretch like an old taffy pull!”
Humor-Filled Quotes:
- “Why the long face? Did your horse lose a race?”
- “If your face gets any longer, we’ll need to measure it in feet instead of inches!”
- “Looks like you could use a face-lift—a mood lift, that is!”
Literature, Books, Songs, Poetry, and Movies
- Literature: Charles Dickens’ Bleak House depicts characters often described with morose expressions matching ’long faces'.
- Books: In Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne, Eeyore is the quintessential long-faced, gloomy donkey.
- Songs: Billie Holiday’s “Good Morning Heartache” evokes the sentiment of wearing a long face due to heartache.
- Poetry: Emily Dickinson’s “I measure every Grief I meet” explores themes of sadness akin to wearing a long face.
- Movies: Inside Out by Pixar features the character Sadness, who perfectly embodies a blue mood and a universally recognized long face.
Quizzes
### Which of these expressions means "to look sad"?
- [x] Long face
- [ ] Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed
- [ ] On cloud nine
- [ ] Walking on air
> **Explanation:** "Long face" is an idiom used to describe someone who looks sad or disappointed.
### True or False: The phrase "see a long face" refers to someone who is very happy.
- [ ] True
- [x] False
> **Explanation:** False. "See a long face" is a way to describe someone who is sad or disappointed, not happy.
### Which proverb could be a humorous advice for someone with a long face?
- [ ] "Hold your horses and grab a tune recorder."
- [ ] "The early bird catches the worm."
- [x] "If you keep on crying, your face might stretch like old taffy."
- [ ] "When pigs fly, laugh more."
> **Explanation:** The humorous advice of "If you keep on crying, your face might stretch like old taffy" plays on the concept of a long face extending further.
Farewell Thought:
As we wander through the lexicon of clichés, remember that those long faces we sometimes wear can always turn back into smiles. After all, every emotion we wear tells a part of our unique story.
Happy reading, Fanny Facetious
