The phrase "make a long face" refers to someone who looks seemingly unhappy or disappointed. When pronounced using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), it is transcribed as "meɪk ə lɒŋ feɪs". The 'e' in 'make' is pronounced as /eɪ/ and the 'o' in 'long' is pronounced as /ɒ/. The 'a' in 'face' is pronounced as /eɪ/ and the 'e' at the end is silent. The word 'long' is pronounced with a slight emphasis on the 'o' sound, while 'face' is pronounced with an emphasis on the 'a' sound.
To "make a long face" is an idiomatic expression that refers to a facial expression characterized by sadness, disappointment, or discontentment. When someone "makes a long face," their facial features become visibly tense or elongated, often reflecting a gloomy or displeased mood. The phrase suggests a marked change in the person's countenance, as if they are stretching their face downward or pulling it longer, emphasizing their unhappiness or dissatisfaction.
Primarily used in informal contexts, this expression is often employed to describe someone's reaction to receiving or hearing about disappointing or unfavorable news. It indicates a person's visible display of unhappiness or their attempt to show displeasure or dissatisfaction openly. Making a long face can be seen as an emotional response, reflecting the person's disappointment, sadness, or frustration about a specific situation or outcome.
The phrase can also be used figuratively to describe someone who seems generally unhappy or discontented in their overall demeanor, even without a specific reason or incident. In this sense, it conveys a general aura of unhappiness rather than being purely reactionary.
Overall, "making a long face" illustrates the idea of visually expressing one's negative emotions and serves as a vivid portrayal of disappointment or discontent through facial expressions.