front

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

• noun The forward part or surface, as of a building.
• noun The area, location, or position directly before or ahead.
• noun A position of leadership or superiority.
• noun The forehead or face, especially of a bird or other animal.
• noun Demeanor or bearing, especially in the presence of danger or difficulty.
• noun An outward, often feigned, appearance or manner.
• noun Land bordering a lake, river, or street.
• noun A promenade along the water at a resort.
• noun A detachable part of a man's dress shirt covering the chest; a dickey.
• noun The most forward line of a combat force.
• noun The area of contact between opposing combat forces; a battlefront.
• noun Meteorology The interface between air masses of different temperatures or densities.
• noun A field of activity.
• noun A group or movement uniting various individuals or organizations for the achievement of a common purpose; a coalition.
• noun A nominal leader lacking in real authority; a figurehead.
• noun An apparently respectable person, group, or business used as a cover for secret or illegal activities.
• noun The first part; the beginning.
• noun The face; the countenance.
• adjective Of, relating to, aimed at, or located in the front.
• adjective Linguistics Designating vowels produced at or toward the front of the oral cavity, such as the vowels of green and get.
• intransitive verb To look out on; face.
• intransitive verb To meet in opposition; confront.
• intransitive verb To provide a front for.
• intransitive verb To serve as a front for.
• intransitive verb Music To lead (a group of musicians).
• intransitive verb Informal To provide before payment.
• intransitive verb Linguistics To move (a word or phrase) to the beginning of a clause or sentence, typically for emphasis or contrast.
• intransitive verb Linguistics To cause (a vowel) to be pronounced farther toward the front of the oral cavity.
• intransitive verb To have a front; face onto something else.
• intransitive verb To provide an apparently respectable cover for secret or illegal activities.
• interjection Used by a desk clerk in a hotel to summon a bellhop.
• idiom (front and center) In the most prominent position.

from The Century Dictionary.

• noun In theat, language: That part of a theater which, from the actor's point of view, lies in front of the curtain; the auditorium or audience part; hence, the audience itself: as, to be in the front.
• noun Everybody engaged to work before the curtain.
• noun Milit., the entire system of defenses constructed along one side of the polygon inclosing the site to be fortified: as, a bastion or polygonal front.
• noun The forehead-piece of a bridle, generally of leather with metal trimmings.
• noun The exterior surface of a lock mortised into a door; the portion of a lock that is visible and through which the bolt, passes; in a rim-lock, the end facing the doorframe.
• noun In entomology, practically the forehead; the part of the face between the eyes and between the vertex and the clypeus.
• In phonology, modified in utterance by the configuration of the central portion of the front or upper side of the tongue.
• To meet face to face; come into the presence of; confront.
• To oppose face to face; oppose directly; encounter.
• To stand in front of, or opposed or opposite to, or over against; face.
• To supply with a front; furnish or adorn in front: as, to front a house with granite.
• To have the face or front toward some point of the compass or some object; be in a confronting or opposed position.
• To stand foremost.