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turn definition

turn (tʉrn)

transitive verb

Etymology: ME turnen < OE turnian & OFr turner, tourner, both < L tornare, to turn in a lathe, turn < tornus, lathe < Gr tornos, lathe, carpenter's compasses, akin to terein, to bore through: for IE base see throw

intransitive verb

noun

turn Idioms

at every turn

in every instance; constantly

by turns

one after another; alternately; in succession

call the turn

☆

Etymology: term in faro, for guessing which card will be turned up

to predict successfully

in turn

in proper sequence or succession

out of turn

  1. not in proper sequence or order
  2. at the wrong time; esp., unwisely or imprudently to talk out of turn

take turns

to speak, do, etc. one after another in regular order

to a turn

to just the right degree; perfectly

turn and turn about

one after another in regular order; by turns
also turn about

turn around

Slang
  1. to change or alter the attitude, behavior, condition, etc. of, as to improve or impress
  2. to complete (a project, process, etc.)

turn down

  1. ☆
    1. to reject (a request, advice, etc.)
    2. to reject the request, advice, etc. of (someone)
  2. to lessen the intensity or volume of (light or sound) by manipulating controls

turn in

  1. to make a turn into; enter
  2. to point (the toes) inward
  3. ☆ to deliver; hand in
  4. ☆ to inform on or hand over, as to the police
  5. to give back; return
  6. to fold over; double
  7. Informal to go to bed

turn off

  1. to leave (a road, path, etc.) and enter another branching off
  2. to branch off: said of a road, path, etc.
    1. to stop a flow of (water, gas, electricity, etc.)
    2. to close (a faucet, valve, etc.) so as to stop a flow
    3. to make (an electrical device) stop functioning by operating the controls
  4. to stop displaying or showing, suddenly or automatically to turn off a smile
  5. to deflect; divert
  6. ☆ Slang to cause (someone) to become bored, depressed, uninterested, etc.
  7. Brit. to discharge (an employee)

turn on

    1. to start a flow of (water, gas, electricity, etc.)
    2. to open (a faucet, valve, etc.) so as to start a flow
    3. to make (an electrical device) start functioning by operating the controls
  2. to show or display suddenly or automatically to turn on the charm
  3. ☆ Slang
    1. to initiate in the use of a psychedelic drug
    2. to stimulate or be stimulated with or as with a psychedelic drug; make or become elated, euphoric, etc.
    3. to stimulate sexually
    4. to make interested, enthusiastic, etc.

turn out

  1. to put out (a light)
  2. to put outside
  3. to drive out; dismiss or discharge
  4. to turn inside out
  5. to come or go out, as to assemble somewhere
  6. to produce as the result of work
  7. to result; eventuate
  8. to prove to be; be discovered to be
  9. to come to be; become
  10. to equip, dress, etc.
  11. Informal to get out of bed

turn over

  1. to change the position of, as by rolling
  2. to reverse the position of; turn upside down; invert
  3. to shift one's position, as from one side to the other; roll over
  4. to begin, or make begin, to operate, as an engine or motor
  5. to think about carefully; ponder
  6. to hand over; transfer
  7. to relinquish; delegate
  8. to put to a different use; convert
  9. to sell and replenish (a stock of goods)
  10. to buy and sell, or do business, to the amount of
  11. Basketball, Football to lose possession of (the ball) due to a mistake or error

turn the scales

to determine or decide something uncertain the arrival of fresh troops turned the scales

turn to

to get to work; get busy

turn up

  1. to fold or bend back or over upon itself
  2. to shorten (a dress, a sleeve, etc.) by folding back the bottom edge and making a new hem
  3. to lift up or turn face upward, as to see the other side
  4. to bring to light, as by digging
  5. to increase the flow, speed, intensity, loudness, etc. of, as by turning a control
    1. to make a turn onto and ascend (a street on a hill, etc.)
    2. to make a turn into any street or road
  7. to have an upward direction
  8. to come about; happen
  9. to make an appearance; arrive
  10. to be found

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

idioms turn idiom

turn Synonyms

turn

n.

  1. a revolution

    rotation, cycle, circle, round, circulation, pirouette, gyre, gyration, spin, round-about-face, roll, turning, circumrotation, spiral; see also revolution 1.

  2. A bend

    curve, winding, twist, wind, hook, shift, angle, corner, fork, branch.

  3. A turning point

    climax, crisis, juncture, emergency, critical period, crossing, change, new development, shift, twist.

  4. *A shock

    fright, jolt, blow; see surprise 2.

  5. *An action

    deed, accomplishment, service; see aid 1.

  6. A change in course

    curve, detour, deviation, corner, ground loop, stem turn, jump turn, Christiania turn, Christy*, Telemark turn, Telemark*, kick turn, inside loop, outside loop, left or right wing spin, tight spin, tight spiral, roll*, Immelmann turn*, Immelmann*.

at every turn

in every instance, constantly, consistently; see regularly 1.

by turns

taking turns, in succession, one after another, alternately, consecutively.

call the turn

anticipate, predict, expect; see foretell.

take turns

do by turns, do in succession, share; see alternate 1.

to a turn

correctly, properly, to the right degree, to a T; see perfectly 1.


turn

v.

  1. To pivot

    revolve, rotate, roll, spin, wheel, whirl, gyre, circulate, go around, swivel; round, twist, twirl, gyrate, ground, loop; see also swing 1.

  2. To reverse

    go back, tack, recoil, change, upset, retrace, face about, turn around, capsize, shift, alter, vary, convert, transform, invert, subvert, return, alternate.

  3. To divert

    deflect, veer, turn aside, turn away, sidetrack, swerve, put off, call off, turn off, deviate, dodge, twist, avoid, shift, switch, avert, zigzag, shy away, shunt, redirect, shunt aside, shunt away, draw aside.

  4. To become

    grow into, change into, pass into; see become 1.

  5. To sour

    curdle, acidify, become rancid; see ferment, sour.

  6. To change direction

    swerve, swirl, swing, bend, veer, tack, round to, incline, deviate, detour, loop, curve, ground loop*, stem turn*, ramble*, jump turn*, kick turn*, Telemark*. *

  7. To incline

    prefer, be predisposed to, favor; see lean 1, tend 2.

  8. To sprain

    strain, bruise, dislocate; see hurt 1, wrench.

  9. To nauseate

    sicken, make one sick, revolt; see disgust.

  10. To bend

    curve, twist, fold; see bend 1.

  11. To transform

    transmute, remake, transpose; see change 1.

  12. To make use of

    apply, adapt, utilize; see use 1.

  13. To point

    direct, set, train; see aim 2.

  14. To repel

    repulse, push back, throw back; see repel 1. See syn. study at bend.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

turn Usage Examples

Object

  • round: But there was another tunnel, even longer, with restricted usage times, so we decided to turn round and head south.

Preposition: on

  • sixpence: Yet fashions in dance can turn on a sixpence.

Preposition: at

  • T-junction: Turn right at a T-junction to cross the bridge and ascend to the main valley road at Mill Bridge.

Adjective modifier

  • sharp: Passage definitely seems to be taking sharp right turn.

Followed by an intransitive particle

  • out: The NEC turned out to be worse than any of us imagined.

Followed by a transitive particle

  • off: Changing play lists, turning off the player, or even changing tracks all resulted in the original material being paused ready for resuming.

Preposition: of

  • century: The system existed for 500 years until the turn of the 16th century when rent payments replaced labor.

Noun used with modifier

  • junction: Follow road to ' T ' junction turn left.
turn usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

turn quotes

Open not thine heart to every man, lest he requite thee with a shrewd turn.

-Bible (Apocrypha)

He that would be a painter must have a natural turn thereto.Love and delight are better teachers of the Art of Painting than compulsion is.

-Du« r er, Albrecht

Because I do not hope to turn again Because I do not hope Because I do not hope to turn.

-Eliot,T(homas) S(tearns)

turn quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"turn." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/turn>

APA Style

turn. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/turn

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