Janus-faced

Janus-faced
/jay"neuhs fayst'/, adj.
1. having two faces, one looking forward, one looking backward, as the Roman deity Janus.
2. having two contrasting aspects, as the alternation of mood in a capricious person.
3. two-faced; deceitful.
4. aware of or concerned with polarities; seeing different and contrasting aspects: a Janus-faced view of history.
5. having or containing contrasting characteristics: a Janus-faced policy.
[1675-85]

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Janus-faced — Ja nus faced , a. Double faced; deceitful. [1913 Webster] {Janus faced lock}, one having duplicate faces so as to go upon a right or a left hand door, the key entering on either side indifferently. Knight. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Janus-faced — [jā′nəsfāst΄] adj. two faced; deceiving …   English World dictionary

  • Janus-faced — adjective 1. having or concerned with polarities or contrasts (Freq. 1) a Janus faced view of history a Janus faced policy • Similar to: ↑bipolar 2. marked by deliberate deceptiveness especially by pretending one set of feelings and acting under… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Janus-faced lock — Janus faced Ja nus faced , a. Double faced; deceitful. [1913 Webster] {Janus faced lock}, one having duplicate faces so as to go upon a right or a left hand door, the key entering on either side indifferently. Knight. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Janus-faced molecule — A Janus molecule (or Janus faced molecule) is a molecule which can represent both beneficial and toxic effects. An example of this is nitrous oxide [Vittorio Calabrese, Cesare Mancuso, Menotti Calvani, Enrico Rizzarelli, D. Allan Butterfield Anna …   Wikipedia

  • Janus-faced — (Roman Mythology) having two faces as does Janus (ancient god with two faces who was the guardian of doorways and beginnings); deceitful, two faced …   English contemporary dictionary

  • Janus-faced — /ˈdʒeɪnəs feɪst/ (say jaynuhs fayst) adjective two faced; deceitful. {referring to Janus} …  

  • Janus-faced — Ja′nus faced adj. two faced; deceitful • Etymology: 1675–85 …   From formal English to slang

  • Janus-faced — adjective Date: 1682 having two contrasting aspects; especially duplicitous, two faced …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • janus-faced — An argument looking in both directions at the same time, e.g., urging jurors not to be swayed by sympathy, but adding that any sympathy should be in favor of the arguing counsel s client. Davis v. Franson, 141 Cal.App.2d 263, 296 P.2d 600, 606 …   Black's law dictionary

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