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turn
[ turn ]
verb (used with object)
- to cause to move around on an axis or about a center; rotate:
to turn a wheel.
- to cause to move around or partly around, as for the purpose of opening, closing, or tightening:
to turn a key;
to turn the cap of a bottle.
- to reverse the position or placement of:
to turn a page;
to turn an egg;
to turn a person around.
- to bring the lower layers of (sod, soil, etc.) to the surface, as in plowing.
- to change the position of, by or as if by rotating; move into a different position:
to turn the handle one notch.
He turned the blow with his arm.
- to change the focus or tendency of:
She skillfully turned the conversation away from so unpleasant a subject.
- to reverse the progress of; cause to retreat:
The police turned the advancing rioters by firing over their heads.
- to change or alter the nature, character, or appearance of:
Worry turned his hair gray.
Synonyms: transform, transmute, metamorphose
- to change or convert (usually followed by into or to ):
to turn water into ice;
to turn tears into laughter.
- to render or make by some change:
Fear turned him cowardly and craven.
- to change the color of (leaves).
- to cause to become sour, to ferment, or the like:
Warm weather turns milk.
- to cause (the stomach) to reject food, liquid, etc.; affect with nausea.
- to change from one language or form of expression to another; translate.
- to put or apply to some use or purpose:
He turned his mind to practical matters.
- to go or pass around or to the other side of:
to turn a street corner.
- to get beyond or pass (a certain age, time, amount, etc.):
His son just turned four.
- to direct, aim, or set toward, away from, or in a specified direction:
to turn the car toward the center of town;
to turn one's back to the audience.
- to direct (the eyes, face, etc.) another way; avert.
- to shape (a piece of metal, wood, etc.) into rounded form with a cutting tool while rotating the piece on a lathe.
- to bring into a rounded or curved form in any way.
- to shape artistically or gracefully, especially in rounded form.
- to form or express gracefully:
to turn a phrase well.
- to direct (thought, attention, desire, etc.) toward or away from something.
to turn a person from one's door.
- to revolve in the mind; ponder (often followed by over ):
He turned the idea over a couple of times before acting on it.
- to persuade (a person) to change or reorder the course of their life.
- to cause to be prejudiced against:
to turn a son against his father.
- to maintain a steady flow or circulation of (money or articles of commerce).
- to earn or gain:
He turned a huge profit on the sale.
- to reverse or remake (a garment, shirt collar, etc.) so that the inner side becomes the outer.
- to pour from one container into another by inverting.
- to curve, bend, or twist.
- to twist out of position or sprain; wrench:
He turned his ankle.
- to bend back or blunt (the edge of a blade).
- to perform (a gymnastic feat) by rotating or revolving:
to turn a somersault.
- to disorder or upset the placement or condition of:
He turned the room upside down.
- to disturb the balance of (the mind); drive to distraction; make crazy or insane:
In the same year his three sons and his mother died, and grief turned his mind.
- Obsolete.
- to convert.
- to pervert.
verb (used without object)
- to move around on an axis or about a center; rotate.
- to move partly around through the arc of a circle, as a door on a hinge.
- to hinge or depend (usually followed by on or upon ):
The question turns on this point.
- to direct or set one's course toward, away from, or in a particular direction.
- to direct the face or gaze toward or away from someone or something.
- to direct one's thought, attention, desire, etc., toward or away from someone or something.
- to give or apply one's interest, attention, effort, etc., to something; devote oneself:
He turned to the study and practice of medicine.
- to change or reverse a course so as to go in a different or the opposite direction:
to turn to the right.
- to change position so as to face in a different or the opposite direction.
- to change or reverse position or posture as by a rotary motion.
- to shift the body about as if on an axis:
to turn on one's side while sleeping.
- to assume a curved form; bend.
- to become blunted or dulled by bending, as the cutting edge of a knife or saw.
- to be affected with nausea, as the stomach.
- to be affected with giddiness or dizziness; have a sensation of whirling or reeling.
- to adopt religion, a manner of life, etc., especially as differing from a previous position or attitude:
He turned to Christianity in his old age.
- to change or transfer one's loyalties; defect:
He turned from the Democrats and joined the Republicans.
- to change an attitude or policy: to turn against a person.
to turn in favor of someone;
to turn against a person.
- to change or alter, as in nature, character, or appearance.
- to become sour, rancid, fermented, or the like, as milk or butter.
- to change color:
The leaves began to turn in October.
- to change so as to be; become:
a lawyer turned poet;
to turn pale.
- to become mentally unbalanced or distracted.
- to put about or tack, as a ship.
- Journalism. (of copy) to run either from the bottom of the last column on one page to the top of the first column on the following page or from one column on a page to the expected place in the next column on the page ( jump def 20 ).
noun
- a movement of partial or total rotation:
a slight turn of the handle.
Synonyms: gyration, spin, revolution
- an act of changing or reversing position or posture, as by a rotary movement:
a turn of the head.
- a time or opportunity for action which comes in due rotation or order to each of a number of persons, animals, etc.:
It's my turn to pay the bill.
- an act of changing or reversing the course or direction:
to make a turn to the left.
- a place or point at which such a change occurs.
- a place where a road, river, or the like turns; bend:
About a mile ahead, you'll come to a turn in the road.
- a single revolution, as of a wheel.
- an act of turning so as to face or go in a different direction.
- direction, drift, or trend:
The conversation took an interesting turn.
- any change, as in nature, character, condition, affairs, circumstances, etc.; alteration; modification:
a turn for the better.
Synonyms: variation, vicissitude, deviation, twist
- the point or time of change.
- the time during which a worker or a set of workers is at work in alternation with others.
- that which is done by each of a number of persons acting in rotation or succession.
- rounded or curved form.
- the shape or mold in which something is formed or cast.
- a passing or twisting of one thing around another, as of a rope around a mast.
- the state of or a manner of being twisted.
- a single circular or convoluted shape, as of a coiled or wound rope.
- a small latch operated by a turning knob or lever.
- style, as of expression or language.
- a distinctive form or style imparted:
a happy turn of expression.
- a short walk, ride, or the like out and back, especially by different routes:
Let's go for a turn in the park.
- a natural inclination, bent, tendency, or aptitude:
one's turn of mind.
Synonyms: proclivity, talent
- a spell or period of work; shift.
- a spell or bout of action or activity, especially in wrestling.
- an attack of illness or the like.
- an act of service or disservice: She repaid it with a bad turn.
He once did her a good turn.
She repaid it with a bad turn.
- requirement, exigency, or need:
This will serve your turn.
- treatment or rendering, especially with reference to the form or content of a work of literature, art, etc.; twist:
He gave the story a new turn.
- Informal. a nervous shock, as from fright or astonishment:
It certainly gave me quite a turn to see him.
- Stock Exchange. a complete securities transaction that includes both a purchase and sale.
- Music. a melodic embellishment or grace, commonly consisting of a principal tone with two auxiliary tones, one above and the other below it.
- Chiefly British. an individual stage performance, especially in a vaudeville theater or music hall.
- Military. a drill movement by which a formation changes fronts.
- a contest or round; a bout, as in wrestling.
verb phrase
- to drive a vehicle or to walk into (a street, store, etc.): He turned into the saloon at the corner.
We turned into the dead-end street.
He turned into the saloon at the corner.
- to be changed, transformed, or converted into: The caterpillar turned into a butterfly.
He has turned into a very pleasant fellow.
The caterpillar turned into a butterfly.
- to retrace one's footsteps; turn around to return.
- to cause to go no further or to return, as by not welcoming; send away.
- to fold (a blanket, sheet of paper, etc.) on itself:
Turn back the page to keep the place.
- to fold (material, a hem, cuffs, etc.) up or over in order to alter a garment.
- to bring to the surface by digging:
to turn up a shovelful of earth.
- to uncover; find.
- to intensify or increase.
- to happen; occur:
Let's wait and see what turns up.
- to appear; arrive:
She turned up at the last moment.
- to be recovered:
I'm sure your watch will turn up eventually.
- to come to notice; be seen.
- to extinguish (a light).
- to produce as the result of labor:
She turned out four tapestries a year.
- to drive out; dismiss; discharge:
a premier turned out of office.
- to fit out; dress; equip.
- to unfold or develop toward a conclusion.
- to come to be; become ultimately.
- to be found or known; prove.
- to be present at; appear.
- Informal. to get out of bed.
- Nautical. to order (a seaman or seamen) from quarters for duty.
- to cause to turn outward, as the toes.
- to apply to for aid; appeal to:
When he was starting out as an artist he turned to his friends for loans.
- to begin to attend to or work at something:
After the storm we turned to and cleaned up the debris.
- to change to:
The ice turned to water.
- to cause (water, gas, etc.) to flow, as by opening a valve.
- to switch on (a light).
- to put (a machine, device, etc.) into operation; activate:
Roll down the windows and turn on the radio.
- to start suddenly to affect or show:
She turned on the charm and won him over.
- Slang. to induce (a person) to start taking a narcotic drug.
- Slang. to take a narcotic drug.
- Slang. to arouse or excite the interest of; engage:
the first lecture that really turned me on.
- Slang. to arouse sexually.
- Also turn upon. to become suddenly hostile to:
The dog turned on its owner.
- to move or be moved from one side to another.
- to put in reverse position; invert.
- to consider; meditate; ponder.
- to transfer; give.
- to start (an engine):
He turned over the car motor.
- (of an engine) to start:
The motor turned over without any trouble.
- Commerce. to purchase and then sell (goods or commodities).
- Commerce. to do business or sell goods to the amount of (a specified sum).
- Commerce. to invest or recover (capital) in some transaction or in the course of business.
- to hand in; submit:
to turn in a resignation.
- to inform on or deliver up:
She promptly turned him in to the police.
- to turn from one path or course into another; veer.
- Informal. to go to bed; retire:
I never turn in before eleven o'clock.
- to reverse position in order to flee or retreat:
Those cowards turned heel and ran away!
- Professional Wrestling. to adopt a villainous heel role:
It’s not unusual for a wrestler’s popularity to soar when he turns heel.
- to stop the flow of (water, gas, etc.), as by closing a faucet or valve.
- to switch off (a light).
- to stop the operation of (a machine, device, etc.):
Don’t forget to turn off the oven.
Turn off your phones during the exam.
- to divert; deflect.
- to diverge or branch off, as a side road from a main road.
- to drive a vehicle or walk onto (a side road) from a main road:
You turn off at 96th Street.
Turn off the highway on the dirt road.
- Slang. to stop listening:
You could see him turn off as the speaker droned on.
- Slang. to disaffect, alienate, or disgust.
- Chiefly British. to discharge an employee.
- to turn over; fold down.
- to lower in intensity; lessen.
- to refuse or reject (a person, request, etc.):
The Marine Corps turned him down.
turn
/ tɜːn /
verb
- to move or cause to move around an axis
to turn a knob
a wheel turning
- sometimes foll by round to change or cause to change positions by moving through an arc of a circle
he turned the chair to face the light
- to change or cause to change in course, direction, etc
he turned left at the main road
- (of soldiers, ships, etc) to alter the direction of advance by changing direction simultaneously or (of a commander) to cause the direction of advance to be altered simultaneously
- to go or pass to the other side of (a corner, etc)
- to assume or cause to assume a rounded, curved, or folded form
the road turns here
- to reverse or cause to reverse position
- tr to pass round (an enemy or enemy position) so as to attack it from the flank or rear
the Germans turned the Maginot line
- tr to perform or do by a rotating movement
to turn a somersault
- tr to shape or cut a thread in (a workpiece, esp one of metal, wood, or plastic) by rotating it on a lathe against a fixed cutting tool
- whenintr, foll by into or to to change or convert or be changed or converted
the alchemists tried to turn base metals into gold
- foll by into to change or cause to change in nature, character, etc
the frog turned into a prince
- copula to change so as to become
he turned nasty when he heard the price
- to cause (foliage, etc) to change colour or (of foliage, etc) to change colour
frost turned the trees a vivid orange
- to cause (milk, etc) to become rancid or sour or (of milk, etc) to become rancid or sour
- to change or cause to change in subject, trend, etc
the conversation turned to fishing
- to direct or apply or be directed or applied
he turned his attention to the problem
- intrusually foll byto to appeal or apply (to) for help, advice, etc
she was very frightened and didn't know where to turn
- to reach, pass, or progress beyond in age, time, etc
she has just turned twenty
- tr to cause or allow to go
to turn an animal loose
- to affect or be affected with nausea
the sight of the dead body turned his stomach
- to affect or be affected with giddiness
my head is turning
- tr to affect the mental or emotional stability of (esp in the phrase turn ( someone's ) head )
- tr to release from a container
she turned the fruit into a basin
- tr to render into another language
- usually foll byagainst or from to transfer or reverse or cause to transfer or reverse (one's loyalties, affections, etc)
- tr to cause (an enemy agent) to become a double agent working for one's own side
the bureau turned some of the spies it had caught
- tr to bring (soil) from lower layers to the surface
- to blunt (an edge) or (of an edge) to become blunted
- tr to give a graceful form to
to turn a compliment
- tr to reverse (a cuff, collar, etc) in order to hide the outer worn side
- intr to be merchandised as specified
shirts are turning well this week
- cricket to spin (the ball) or (of the ball) to spin
- turn one's hand toto undertake (something, esp something practical)
- turn tailto run away; flee
- turn the tables on someoneSee table
- turn the tideto reverse the general course of events
noun
- an act or instance of turning or the state of being turned or the material turned
a turn of a rope around a bollard
- a movement of complete or partial rotation
- a change or reversal of direction or position
- direction or drift
his thoughts took a new turn
- a deviation or departure from a course or tendency
- the place, point, or time at which a deviation or change occurs
- another word for turning
- the right or opportunity to do something in an agreed order or succession
now it's George's turn
you must not play out of turn
we'll take turns to play
- a change in nature, condition, etc
his illness took a turn for the worse
- a period of action, work, etc
- a short walk, ride, or excursion
to take a turn in the park
- natural inclination
he is of a speculative turn of mind
she has a turn for needlework
- distinctive form or style
a neat turn of phrase
- requirement, need, or advantage
to serve someone's turn
- a deed performed that helps or hinders someone
to do an old lady a good turn
- a twist, bend, or distortion in shape
- music a melodic ornament that makes a turn around a note, beginning with the note above, in a variety of sequences
- theatre a short theatrical act, esp in music hall, cabaret, etc
- stock exchange
- the difference between a market maker's bid and offer prices, representing the market maker's profit
- a transaction including both a purchase and a sale
- a military manoeuvre in which men or ships alter their direction of advance together
- slang.a party
- informal.a shock or surprise
the bad news gave her quite a turn
- at every turnon all sides or occasions
- by turnsone after another; alternately
- on the turn informal.
- at the point of change
- about to go rancid
- out of turn
- not in the correct or agreed order of succession
- improperly, inappropriately, or inopportunely
- the turn slang.poker the fourth community card to be dealt face-up in a round of Texas hold ’em
- turn and turn aboutone after another; alternately
- to a turnto the proper amount; perfectly
cooked to a turn
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Derived Forms
- ˈturnable, adjective
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Other Words From
- turn·a·ble adjective
- half-turned adjective
- un·turn·a·ble adjective
- un·turned adjective
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Word History and Origins
Origin of turn1
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Word History and Origins
Origin of turn1
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Idioms and Phrases
- at every turn, in every case or instance; constantly:
We met with kindness at every turn.
- by turns, one after another; in rotation or succession; alternately:
They did their shopping and cleaning by turns.
- hand's turn, a period or piece of work:
It won't be necessary for you to do a hand's turn yourself, but rather to supervise.
- in turn, in due order of succession:
Each generation in turn must grapple with the same basic problems.
- on the turn, on the verge or in the process of turning; changing:
She said she hoped to be alive to see the century on the turn.
- out of turn,
- not in the correct succession; out of proper order.
- at an unsuitable time; imprudently; indiscreetly:
He spoke out of turn and destroyed the cordial atmosphere of the meeting.
- take turns, to succeed one another in order; rotate; alternate:
They took turns walking the dog.
- to a turn, to just the proper degree; to perfection:
The steak was done to a turn.
- turn and turn about, by turns:
They fought the fire, turn and turn about, until daybreak.
- turn one's hand to. hand ( def ).
- turn the tables. table ( def 24 ).
- turn the tide. tide 1( def 16 ).
More idioms and phrases containing turn
- at every turn
- by turns
- every time one turns around
- good turn
- in turn
- not know where to turn
- one good turn deserves another
- out of turn
- take a turn for the better
- take turns
- to a T (turn)
- twist (turn) around one's finger
- when someone's back is turned
- unturned
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Synonym Study
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Related Words
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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