at face value

1. Based on the way someone or something appears or seems, without being verified or investigated first. It's important that the current period of economic growth is not taken at face value by the government, as there is still a tremendous amount of work that needs to be done. You can't judge someone like Nicole at face value—she's actually much friendlier than she seems at first.

2. In exchange for the official price printed on a ticket (as opposed to a resale price determined by the seller). I'll even sell you the tickets at face value. Come on, that's a good deal! If we want to see The Rolling Stones, we need to get tickets at face value before they sell out—they'll be way too expensive once people start reselling them.

COMMON

1. If you take what someone says at face value, you accept it and believe it without thinking about it very much. Clients should know better than to take the advice of a salesman at face value. He can be a little too trusting at times and has a tendency to accept things at face value.

2. If you take someone at face value, you accept the impression that they give of themselves, even though this may be false. For a time I took him at face value. At that time, I had no reason to suspect him. She tends to accept people at face value. Note: The face value of a coin or banknote is the amount that is printed on it, although it may in fact be worth more or less than that amount, for example because it is very old.