# facepalm
## English
### Alternative forms

* face-palm, face palm

### Etymology

From face +‎ palm. Attested since at least 2001.

### Pronunciation

* (Received Pronunciation) IPA: /ˈfeɪsˌpɑː(l)m/
* Audio (US):(file)

### Noun

facepalm (plural facepalms)
* A gesture of bringing one or both palms to the face, with various interpretations including exasperation, chagrin, embarrassment (one's own or vicarious), etc.
** 1996 June 6, Amy Borden, “SG: Slackers Anonymous #14”, in bit.listserv.superguy‎ (Usenet), retrieved 2017-02-07, message-ID <Pine.SGI.3.91.960606231711.21356A-100000@alexia.lis.uiuc.edu>:[Cue: William Tell Overture] [sound of Frank Zappa's “San Ber'dino” being played on Japanese instruments] [Kevin (the Muse): “Wargh! It SAID _William Tell!”] [Cantata11 (walking up with a koto): “Oof. Sorry. It's just that the girls had gotten warmed up to the other thingy...”] [Kevin: “William _Tell_, 11.” (facepalm)]
** 1996 August 6, General Chaos, “SG: Slackers Anonymous #16 -- “Experienced?””, in bit.listserv.superguy‎ (Usenet), retrieved 2017-02-07, message-ID <Pine.LNX.3.95.960806201148.27196D-100000@eyrie.org>:“Do you think Carl Sagan might be available?” There was a mass-facepalm. “No.” they chorused.
** 2008, Sara Vance-Hogan, Dies Irae: Love and Friendship, page 243:A look of realization crossed her face; she looked like she may have given herself a face palm if her hands weren't full.
** 2012 July 3, Marina Hyde, “A lesson in Olymp-o-nomics”, in The Guardian:According to a study by me, this generates a multibillion facepalm for the UK economy, making everyone who considers it at least eleventy hundred pounds unhappier.

#### Coordinate terms

* headslapper

#### Derived terms

* facepalmy

#### Translations
### Verb

facepalm (third-person singular simple present facepalms, present participle facepalming, simple past and past participle facepalmed)
* To bring the palm of one’s hand to one’s face as an expression of mixed humor and disbelief, disgust or shame; for example, when one is caught off-guard with a particularly bad pun.
** 1996 May 15, Jon Robertson, “SG: Remains #2 (2/2)”, in bit.listserv.superguy‎ (Usenet), retrieved 2017-02-07, message-ID <199605160138.VAA00171@datasys.net>:Christie blinked, then *looked* at Steven. “Do you have any idea what might be different?” “Um... No? Christie facepalmed. “Well, her hair was red this morning, right? It's blonde now. You figure it out.”
** 1996 May 21, Jesse Brian Taylor, “SG: Tornado Knights #10 (2/2)”, in bit.listserv.superguy‎ (Usenet), retrieved 2017-02-07, message-ID <199605220257.VAA07240@goliath.vuse>:“Yay! I know you! You're Nicholas Lee, the detective who got fired 'cos of us!” Nina exclaimed happily. Lee facepalmed. “Arrgh...” “Nina...” Tris muttered. “Let's quit while we're ahead, okay?”
* To bring one’s face down to one’s cupped hand or hands.

#### Usage notes

* Found primarily in real-time text communication on the Internet, often involving image macros or ASCII art of someone facepalming.

#### Coordinate terms

* smack one's forehead

#### Translations
### See also

* Appendix:Gestures/facepalm
* 🤦, 🤦‍♀️, 🤦‍♂️

### References

* ↑ Paul McFedries (1996–present) “facepalm”, in Word Spy, Logophilia Limited.

### Further reading

* facepalm on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

## Italian
### Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English facepalm.

### Noun

facepalm m (invariable)
* facepalm