The front of something is the part that faces forward or comes first. The front of your house is the side with the main door where visitors arrive. The front of a line is where the first person stands. In a classroom, students sit facing the front, where the teacher stands and the board hangs on the wall.

In weather, a front means the boundary where two different air masses meet. When meteorologists talk about a cold front moving in, they mean colder air is pushing into an area and will likely bring rain or storms. A warm front means warmer air is arriving. These fronts create the changing weather patterns we experience.

The word also describes how people present themselves to others. Someone might put on a brave front when they're actually nervous inside, acting confident even though they feel scared. If someone accuses you of putting on a front, they think you're pretending to be something you're not.

As a verb, to front something means to face it or stand before it. A house that fronts the ocean has its main side facing the water. The phrase up front means being honest and direct: “I'll be up front with you about the challenges ahead.”