To fake the fatcha is Polari slang meaning either to apply makeup or to shave your face — both acts of preparing and presenting the face for public.
To fake the fatcha is Polari slang meaning either to apply makeup or to shave your face — both acts of preparing and presenting the face for public. Polari was the secret argot used by gay men in mid-20th century Britain, and its vocabulary is full of playful theatrical language like this. 'Fatcha' comes from Italian 'faccia' meaning face, filtered through Polari's magpie multilingualism.
Give me ten minutes to fake the fatcha and I'll be ready to go out.
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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
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A Polari word meaning a face. Polari was a form of secret slang used primarily by gay men and circus and theater performers in Britain, particularly active from the 19th century through the 1960s and 70s. 'Fatcha' (sometimes spelled 'fachah') is believed to derive from Italian 'faccia' (face), reflecting Polari's heavy borrowing from Italian and Romany. Polari fell out of widespread use after homosexuality was decriminalized in Britain, though it has experienced a cultural revival of interest.
(Polari) A face.
A term from Polari, the secret argot historically used by gay men, sex workers, and circus/theater communities in Britain. 'Ogle' in Polari means eye (from Italian 'occhio'), and 'fake' refers to an artificial or theatrical prop, so 'ogle fake' literally means a false eye — i.e., a fake eyelash. Polari thrived in the mid-20th century as a way for marginalized communities to communicate privately, and many of its terms carried theatrical or performative connotations. Largely a historical curiosity today, though Polari enthusiasts still use and document it.
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(Polari) To apply makeup to one's face.
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(Polari) To shave one's face.
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