| an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle. |
| a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison. |
turn (tɜːn) ![]() | |
| —vb (when intr, | |
| 1. | to move or cause to move around an axis: a wheel turning; to turn a knob |
| 2. | ( |
| 3. | to change or cause to change in course, direction, etc: he turned left at the main road |
| 4. | (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 |
| 5. | to go or pass to the other side of (a corner, etc) |
| 6. | to assume or cause to assume a rounded, curved, or folded form: the road turns here |
| 7. | to reverse or cause to reverse position |
| 8. | (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 |
| 9. | (tr) to perform or do by a rotating movement: to turn a somersault |
| 10. | (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 |
| 11. | to change or convert or be changed or converted: the alchemists tried to turn base metals into gold |
| 12. | ( |
| 13. | (copula) to change so as to become: he turned nasty when he heard the price |
| 14. | to cause (foliage, etc) to change colour or (of foliage, etc) to change colour: frost turned the trees a vivid orange |
| 15. | to cause (milk, etc) to become rancid or sour or (of milk, etc) to become rancid or sour |
| 16. | to change or cause to change in subject, trend, etc: the conversation turned to fishing |
| 17. | to direct or apply or be directed or applied: he turned his attention to the problem |
| 18. | to appeal or apply (to) for help, advice, etc: she was very frightened and didn't know where to turn |
| 19. | to reach, pass, or progress beyond in age, time, etc: she has just turned twenty |
| 20. | (tr) to cause or allow to go: to turn an animal loose |
| 21. | to affect or be affected with nausea: the sight of the dead body turned his stomach |
| 22. | to affect or be affected with giddiness: my head is turning |
| 23. | (tr) to affect the mental or emotional stability of (esp in the phrase turn (someone's) head) |
| 24. | (tr) to release from a container: she turned the fruit into a basin |
| 25. | (tr) to render into another language |
| 26. | to transfer or reverse or cause to transfer or reverse (one's loyalties, affections, etc) |
| 27. | (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 |
| 28. | (tr) to bring (soil) from lower layers to the surface |
| 29. | to blunt (an edge) or (of an edge) to become blunted |
| 30. | (tr) to give a graceful form to: to turn a compliment |
| 31. | (tr) to reverse (a cuff, collar, etc) in order to hide the outer worn side |
| 32. | (US) (intr) to be merchandised as specified: shirts are turning well this week |
| 33. | cricket to spin (the ball) or (of the ball) to spin |
| 34. | turn one's hand to to undertake (something, esp something practical) |
| 35. | turn tail to run away; flee |
| 36. | turn the tables on someone See table |
| 37. | turn the tide to reverse the general course of events |
| —n | |
| 38. | an act or instance of turning or the state of being turned or the material turned: a turn of a rope around a bollard |
| 39. | a movement of complete or partial rotation |
| 40. | a change or reversal of direction or position |
| 41. | direction or drift: his thoughts took a new turn |
| 42. | a deviation or departure from a course or tendency |
| 43. | the place, point, or time at which a deviation or change occurs |
| 44. | another word for turning |
| 45. | the right or opportunity to do something in an agreed order or succession: we'll take turns to play; now it's George's turn; you must not play out of turn |
| 46. | a change in nature, condition, etc: his illness took a turn for the worse |
| 47. | a period of action, work, etc |
| 48. | a short walk, ride, or excursion: to take a turn in the park |
| 49. | natural inclination: he is of a speculative turn of mind; she has a turn for needlework |
| 50. | distinctive form or style: a neat turn of phrase |
| 51. | requirement, need, or advantage: to serve someone's turn |
| 52. | a deed performed that helps or hinders someone: to do an old lady a good turn |
| 53. | a twist, bend, or distortion in shape |
| 54. | music a melodic ornament that makes a turn around a note, beginning with the note above, in a variety of sequences |
| 55. | chiefly (Brit) theatre a short theatrical act, esp in music hall, cabaret, etc |
| 56. | stock exchange |
| a. (Brit) the difference between a market maker's bid and offer prices, representing the market maker's profit | |
| b. a transaction including both a purchase and a sale | |
| 57. | a military manoeuvre in which men or ships alter their direction of advance together |
| 58. | slang (Austral) a party |
| 59. | informal a shock or surprise: the bad news gave her quite a turn |
| 60. | at every turn on all sides or occasions |
| 61. | by turns one after another; alternately |
| 62. | informal on the turn |
| a. at the point of change | |
| b. about to go rancid | |
| 63. | out of turn |
| a. not in the correct or agreed order of succession | |
| b. improperly, inappropriately, or inopportunely | |
| 64. | slang poker the turn the fourth community card to be dealt face-up in a round of Texas hold ’em |
| 65. | turn and turn about one after another; alternately |
| 66. | to a turn to the proper amount; perfectly: cooked to a turn |
| [Old English tyrnian, from Old French torner, from Latin tornāre to turn in a lathe, from tornus lathe, from Greek tornos dividers] | |
| 'turnable | |
| —adj | |
| turn up | |
| —vb | |
| 1. | (intr) to arrive or appear: he turned up late at the party |
| 2. | to find or be found, esp by accident: his book turned up in the cupboard |
| 3. | (tr) to increase the flow, volume, etc, of: to turn up the radio |
| 4. | informal (tr) to cause to vomit |
| —n | |
| 5. | (Brit) (often plural) US and Canadian name: cuff the turned-up fold at the bottom of some trouser legs |
| 6. | informal an unexpected or chance occurrence |
turn definition
|
turn up
Increase the volume, speed, intensity, or flow of, as in Turn up the air conditioning; it's too hot in here. [Late 1800s]
Find or be found, as in She turned up the missing papers, or Your coat turned up in the closet.
Appear, arrive, as in His name turns up in the newspaper now and then, or Some old friends turned up unexpectedly. [c. 1700] This usage gave rise to turn up like a bad penny, meaning that something unwanted constantly reappears, as in Ken turns up like a bad penny whenever there's free liquor. Bad here alludes to a counterfeit coin.
Fold or be capable of being folded, as in I'll just turn up the hem, or He preferred cuffs that turn up. [c. 1600]
Happen unexpectedly, as in Something turned up so I couldn't go to the play. Also see the following idioms beginning with turn up.