keep one’s face—(also: keep a straight face) refrain from showing one’s feelings by one’s facial expression:
- The performance was so absurd that I could hardly keep my face.
Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase save one’s face—(also: save face) avoid being disgraced or humiliated:
- If he represented a first-class paper and wished to “save his face” he had better travel in state.
lose one’s face—(also: lose face) damage one’s reputation; lose people’s respect:
- He is such a powerful and important man he can not afford to lose his face.