Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a blow in the face; thus as v., to hit in the face.

1808		Mthly Mirror Feb. 92: In return I tipped him a facer— set to — five famous rounds — egad he found me an ugly customer — served it out to him thus — fifth round, fibbed him in grand style, and he cried peccavi.
1818		N.-Y. Eve. Post 17 Aug. 2/1: We do not understand the technical phrases he makes use of, such as nobbing each other in fine style — a good set-to — a clean hit — a facer — a floorer and unable to come-to in time, &c, &c. He had better make his complaint to the police office, whose business it is to attend to such affairs.
1820		Jack Randall’s Diary 54: Just like a vice, You held the old boy while you facer’d and fibb’d him.
1826		Portfolio (London) 5 Nov. 24/2: He levelled the parson by a facer from the poker.
1827		Egan Anecdotes of the Turf, the Chase etc. 199: Pat planted a ‘facer,’ which t’other return’d.
1837		R. Barham ‘The Bagman’s Dog’ in Ingoldsby Legends (1840) 334: Blogg, starting upright, ‘tipped’ the fellow a ‘facer’.
1842		Flash (N.Y.) 10 July 2/3: Lilly got a pretty hard one on the pimple, dodged another and [...] planted a severe facer.
1843		Satirist & Sporting Chron. (Sydney) 4 Feb. 2/2: The facers were terrific, both of the combatants frequently going back a yard from the severity.
1853		G.J. Whyte-Melville Digby Grand (1890) 86: I dealt him [...] such a ‘facer’ between the eyes, as sent him down upon the pavement prostrate.
1857		Bell’s Life in Victoria (Melbourne) 28 Nov. 4/2: Bob let fly with his right on Joe’s left cheek — a heavy facer.
1868		Reade & Boucicault Foul Play I 24: This was followed by a quick succession of staggering facers, administered right and left, on the eyes and noses of the subordinates.
1873		Sl. Dict.
1882		Sydney Sl. Dict. (2 edn) 4: Facer - A blow on the face.
1906		S. Ford Shorty McCabe 154: I remembers stoppin’ a facer that showed me pin-wheels.

2. (US Und.) a criminal who stalls those in pursuit of their accomplices [SE face off].

1859		Matsell Vocabulum 30: facer, a staller, or one who places himself in the way of persons who are in hot pursuit of his accomplices.
1889–90		Barrère & Leland Dict. of Sl., Jargon and Cant.
1890–1904		Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.

3. in fig. use of sense 1, an unexpected problem or obstacle, anything to which one must face up.

1827		Egan Anecdotes of the Turf, the Chase etc. 70: Yet it is a tiny facer.
1832		Egan Bk of Sports 170: Two or three of the London journalists, imitated by a few country flats, occasionally give us a facer.
1853		G.J. Whyte-Melville Digby Grand (1890) 94: What a facer! £2900, — and where to get the money?
1862		Thackeray Adventures of Philip (1899) 608: In the battle of life, every man must meet with a blow or two; and every brave one would take his facer with good-humour.
1877		Illus. Sydney News 26 May 3/2: McElhone won’t be ignored [...] but will continue to give ‘facers’ to squatters in particular.
1882		‘Thormanby’ Famous Racing Men 115: His first ‘facer’ was received before he was of age. [...] he had lost £33,000 – not a bad beginning for a lad of twenty. He was already popular, and the expressions of condolence were many.
1883		Nat. Police Gaz. (NY) 3 Nov. 6/2: I determined, in my simple way, to give him what prize fighters, I am told, call a ‘facer’.
1898		Western Times 8 Mar. 1/6: This strikes me as a clever bit of bluff [...] I think the Tory Schnadherst has had a nasty facer this time.
1899–1900		H. Lawson ‘The Babies in the Bush’ in Roderick (1972) 408: ‘Did Walter ever tell you about the fairies taking the children away?’ This was a facer.
1905		Sporting Times 11 Feb. 4/1: Your bill for boots was a bit of a facer.
1913		A. Lunn Harrovians 192: That was a facer. Apparently pork-pie was beginning to pall.
1916		‘Anzac’ On the Anzac Trail 36: So it came rather as a bit of a facer, when we were paraded, told that a Field Company of Engineers [...] was required.
1934		D.L. Sayers Nine Tailors (1984) 135: But – it’s a bit of a facer, isn’t it? Puts rather a different complexion on the crime, eh?
1945		‘Henry Green’ Loving (1978) 36: It is a bit of a facer isn’t it?
1958		M. Allingham Hide My Eyes (1960) 84: ‘A bit of a facer at any time,’ murmured her visitor.
1970		P. Laurie Scotland Yard (1972) 12: Quite frankly, you’re a bit of a facer.
1975		D. Davin Breathing Spaces 10: This was a facer. They were afraid he’d get wild.

4. (US) a face-card.

1888

A. Trumble Mott Street Poker Club 30: ‘I thought you had no facers [...] I’ll have to see that raise, and rise it fifty’.