COMMON If you put a brave face on a difficult situation or put a brave front on it, you try not to let anyone see how upset or disappointed you are. Dwight was upset by the news, but he put a brave face on it and wrote a note of congratulations. Note: You can also say that someone puts on a brave face or puts on a brave front. They don't like to see how awful we're feeling. They'd much rather we put on a brave front and pretend nothing has happened. Note: This expression is extremely variable. For example, you can use verbs such as keep, present or maintain instead of put on. You can use good instead of brave, or just talk about a brave face. I suspect he was just trying to put on a good face. There are very few shoppers in Sloane Street, although shopkeepers are keeping up a brave face. Colleagues said that despite his brave face, Mr Hutchinson was deeply hurt at his treatment.