Meaning
To show up / To show one's face
Example
Faz tempo que ele não dá as caras por aqui, será que mudou de cidade?
He hasn't shown his face around here in a while, did he move to another city?
Origin
The image is transparent: your face cannot turn up somewhere without you, so "to give your faces" (dar as caras) simply means to show up in person and let yourself be seen. The curious plural caras, where one person has only one face, echoes card-game talk like dar as cartas ("to deal the cards") and mostrar o jogo ("to show one's hand").
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More idioms
Acertar na moscaTo guess correctly / To hit the nail on the headAmigo da onçaA fake/false friendAndar na linhaTo toe the line / To behave properlyArmar um barracoTo cause a public sceneRodar a baianaTo cause a public scene / To go ballisticArrumar sarna pra se coçarTo ask for troubleArrastar as asasTo hit on someone / To flirtAbrir o jogoTo come clean / To open upArregaçar as mangasTo roll up one's sleeves / To get to workAgarrar com unhas e dentesTo hold on for dear life / To seize an opportunity