come face to face with someone
come face to face with (someone or something)
To confront or encounter someone or something directly. I had been trying to avoid my math teacher, but then I came face to face with her in the cafeteria. Training for a marathon has forced me to come face to face with my physical limitations.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
come face to face with someone
If you come face to face with someone, you suddenly meet them. I walked into the room and came face to face with Hilde Tomlinson. Compare with face to face.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012