Give Face Meaning

(idiomatic) To honor; to pay respect.

Example: 2000, Ko-lin Chin, Chinatown Gangs: Extortion, Enterprise, and Ethnicity, page 200:
  We gave face to one another.
2001, Wenshan Jia, The remaking of the Chinese character and identity in the 21st Century, page 135:
  While she gave face to the director, his subordinates, and her colleagues, she had no face left to herself.
2003, Martin Krott, Kent Williamsson, China business ABC: the China market survival kit, page 51:
  As one example among many of good intent gone wrong, we can mention the western top manager who felt that he gave face to the Chinese side by suddenly showing up himself to negotiate instead of sending a lower ranked employee.