turn : Idioms & Phrases

Index

about turn

  • noun act of pivoting 180 degrees, especially in a military formation
    about-face.
WordNet

ampere-turn

  • noun a unit of magnetomotive force equal to the magnetomotive force produced by the passage of 1 ampere through 1 complete turn of a coil; equal to 1.257 gilberts
WordNet

By turns

  • . (a) One after another; alternately; in succession. (b) At intervals. "[They] feel by turns the bitter change." Milton.
Webster 1913

by-turning

By"-turn`ing noun
Definitions
  1. An obscure road; a way turning from the main road. Sir P. Sidney.
Webster 1913

Engine turning

  • (Fine Arts), a method of ornamentation by means of a rose engine.
Webster 1913

Flange turning

  • the process of forming a flange on a wrought iron plate by bending and hammering it whn hot.
Webster 1913

Good turn

  • noun a favor for someone
    turn.
    • he did me a good turn
WordNet
  • an act of kidness; a favor.
Webster 1913

Ill turn

  • noun an act intended to help that turns out badly
    ill service; disservice.
    • he did them a disservice
WordNet
  • . (a) An unkind act. (b) A slight attack of illness . Colloq. U.S.
Webster 1913

In turn

  • adverb in proper order or sequence
    successively.
    • talked to each child in turn
    • the stable became in turn a chapel and then a movie theater
WordNet
  • in due order of succession.
Webster 1913

kick turn

  • noun a standing turn made in skiing; one ski is raised to the vertical and pivoted backward to become parallel with the other ski but headed in the opposite direction and then the other ski is aligned with the first
WordNet

Quarter turn, Quarter turn belt

  • (Mach.), an arrangement in which a belt transmits motion between two shafts which are at right angles with each other.
Webster 1913

re-turn

Re-turn" transitive verb & intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To turn again.
Webster 1913

Round turn

  • (Naut.), one turn of a rope round a timber, a belaying pin, etc.
Webster 1913

sea turn

Sea" turn`
Definitions
  1. A breeze, gale, or mist from the sea. Ham. Nav. Encyc.
Webster 1913

stem turn

  • noun a turn made in skiing; the back of one ski is forced outward and the other ski is brought parallel to it
    stem.
WordNet

table turning

  • noun manipulation of a table during a seance; attributed to spirits
    table tilting; table lifting; table tipping.
WordNet

take turns

  • verb do something in turns
    alternate.
    • We take turns on the night shift
WordNet

three-point turn

  • noun the act of turning a vehicle around in a limited space by moving in a series of back and forward arcs
WordNet

To a turn

  • exactly; perfectly; as, done to a turn; a phrase alluding to the practice of cooking on a revolving spit.
Webster 1913

To be turned of

  • be advanced beyond; as, to be turned of sixty-six.
Webster 1913

To bring up (any one) with a round turn

  • to cause (any one) to stop abruptly. Colloq.
Webster 1913

To bring up with a round turn

  • to stop abruptly. Colloq.
Webster 1913

To put to flight, To turn to flight

  • to compel to run away; to force to flee; to rout.
Webster 1913

To take turns

  • to alternate; to succeed one another in due order.
Webster 1913

To turn

Webster 1913

To turn a cold shoulder to

  • to treat with neglect or indifference.
Webster 1913

To turn a corner

  • to go round a corner. (b) (Fig._ To advance beyond a difficult stage in a project, or in life.
Webster 1913

To turn a flange

  • (Mech.), to form a flange on, as around a metal sheet or boiler plate, by stretching, bending, and hammering, or rolling the metal.
Webster 1913

To turn a hostile army, To turn the enemy's flank, or the like

  • (Mil.), to pass round it, and take a position behind it or upon its side.
Webster 1913

To turn a penny, ∨ To turn an honest penny

  • to make a small profit by trade, or the like.
Webster 1913

To turn about

  • to face to another quarter; to turn around.
Webster 1913

To turn adrift

  • to cast off, to cease to care for.
Webster 1913

To turn again

  • to come back after going; to return. Shak.
Webster 1913

To turn against

  • . (a) To direct against; as, to turn one's arguments against himself. (b) To make unfavorable or hostile to; as, to turn one's friends against him.
  • to become unfriendly or hostile to.
Webster 1913

To turn around one's finger

  • to have complete control of the will and actions of; to be able to influence at pleasure.
Webster 1913

To turn aside

  • to avert.
Webster 1913

To turn aside ∨ away

  • . (a) To turn from the direct course; to withdraw from a company; to deviate. (b) To depart; to remove. (c) To avert one's face.
Webster 1913

To turn away

  • . (a) To dismiss from service; to discard; as, to turn away a servant. (b) To avert; as, to turn away wrath or evil.
Webster 1913

To turn back

  • . (a) To give back; to return.
    We turn not back the silks upon the merchants, When we have soiled them. Shak.
    (b) To cause to return or retrace one's steps; hence, to drive away; to repel. Shak.
  • to turn so as to go in an opposite direction; to retrace one's steps.
Webster 1913

To turn down

  • . (a) To fold or double down. (b) To turn over so as to conceal the face of; as, to turn down cards. (c) To lower, or reduce in size, by turning a valve, stopcock, or the like; as, turn down the lights.
Webster 1913

To turn head

  • to turn the face or front. "The ravishers turn head, the fight renews." Dryden.
Webster 1913

To turn in

  • . (a) To fold or double under; as, to turn in the edge of cloth. (b) To direct inwards; as, to turn the toes in when walking. (c) To contribute; to deliver up; as, he turned in a large amount. Colloq.
  • . (a) To bend inward. (b) To enter for lodgings or entertainment. (c) To go to bed. Colloq.
Webster 1913

To turn in the mind

  • to revolve, ponder, or meditate upon; with about, over, etc. " Turn these ideas about in your mind." I. Watts.
Webster 1913

To turn into

  • to enter by making a turn; as, to turn into a side street.
Webster 1913

To turn off

  • . (a) To dismiss contemptuously; as, to turn off a sycophant or a parasite. (b) To give over; to reduce. (c) To divert; to deflect; as, to turn off the thoughts from serious subjects; to turn off a joke. (d) To accomplish; to perform, as work. (e) (Mech.) To remove, as a surface, by the process of turning; to reduce in size by turning. (f) To shut off, as a fluid, by means of a valve, stopcock, or other device; to stop the passage of; as, to turn off the water or the gas. (g) (colloq.) To dampen the enthusiasm of.
  • to be diverted; to deviate from a course; as, the road turns off to the left.
Webster 1913

To turn on

  • to cause to flow by turning a valve, stopcock, or the like; to give passage to; as, to turn on steam. (b) (Colloq.) To make enthusiastic; to arouse sexually.
Webster 1913

To turn on ∨ upon

  • . (a) To turn against; to confront in hostility or anger. (b) To reply to or retort. (c) To depend on; as, the result turns on one condition.
Webster 1913

To turn one's coat

  • to change one's uniform or colors; to go over to the opposite party.
Webster 1913

To turn one's goods ∨ money, and the like

  • to exchange in the course of trade; to keep in lively exchange or circulation; to gain or increase in trade.
Webster 1913

To turn one's hand to

  • to adapt or apply one's self to; to engage in.
Webster 1913

To turn out

  • . (a) To drive out; to expel; as, to turn a family out of doors; to turn a man out of office.
    I'll turn you out of my kingdom. Shak.
    (b) to put to pasture, as cattle or horses. (c) To produce, as the result of labor, or any process of manufacture; to furnish in a completed state. (d) To reverse, as a pocket, bag, etc., so as to bring the inside to the outside; hence, to produce. (e) To cause to cease, or to put out, by turning a stopcock, valve, or the like; as, to turn out the lights.
  • . (a) To move from its place, as a bone. (b) To bend or point outward; as, his toes turn out. (c) To rise from bed. Colloq. (d) To come abroad; to appear; as, not many turned out to the fire. (e) To prove in the result; to issue; to result; as, the cropsturned out poorly.
Webster 1913

To turn over

  • . (a) To change or reverse the position of; to overset; to overturn; to cause to roll over. (b) To transfer; as, to turn over business to another hand. (c) To read or examine, as a book, while, turning the leaves. "We turned o'er many books together." Shak. (d) To handle in business; to do business to the amount of; as, he turns over millions a year. Colloq.
  • to turn from side to side; to roll; to tumble.
Webster 1913

To turn over a new leaf

  • to make a radical change for the better in one's way of living or doing. Colloq.
Webster 1913

To turn round

  • . (a) To change position so as to face in another direction. (b) To change one's opinion; to change from one view or party to another.
Webster 1913

To turn tail

  • to run away; to flee.
  • to run away; to retreat ignominiously.
Webster 1913

To turn the back

  • to go away; to flee .
  • to flee; to retreat.
Webster 1913

To turn the back on

  • ∨
Webster 1913

To turn the back on one

  • to forsake or neglect him.
Webster 1913

To turn the corner

  • to pass the critical stage; to get by the worst point; hence, to begin to improve, or to succeed.
Webster 1913

To turn the die ∨ dice

  • to change fortune.
Webster 1913

To turn the edge ∨ point of

  • to bend over the edge or point of so as to make dull; to blunt.
Webster 1913

To turn the head ∨ brain of

  • to make giddy, wild, insane, or the like; to infatuate; to overthrow the reason or judgment of; as, a little success turned his head.
Webster 1913

To turn the scale ∨ balance

  • to change the preponderance; to decide or determine something doubtful.
Webster 1913

To turn the stomach of

  • to nauseate; to sicken.
Webster 1913

To turn the tables

  • to reverse the chances or conditions of success or superiority; to give the advantage to the person or side previously at a disadvantage.
Webster 1913

To turn tippet

  • to make a change. Obs. B. Jonson.
  • to change. Obs.
Webster 1913

To turn to

  • to apply one's self to; have recourse to; to refer to. "Helvicus's tables may be turned to on all occasions." Locke.
Webster 1913

To turn to account, profit, advantage, or the like

  • to be made profitable or advantageous; to become worth the while.
Webster 1913

To turn to profit, advantage, etc.

  • to make profitable or advantageous.
Webster 1913

To turn under

  • to bend, or be folded, downward or under.
Webster 1913

To turn up

  • . (a) To turn so as to bring the bottom side on top; as, to turn up the trump. (b) To bring from beneath to the surface, as in plowing, digging, etc. (c) To give an upward curve to; to tilt; as, to turn up the nose.
  • . (a) To bend, or be doubled, upward. (b) To appear; to come to light; to transpire; to occur; to happen.
Webster 1913

To turn upon

  • to retort; to throw back; as, to turn the arguments of an opponent upon himself.
Webster 1913

To turn upside down

  • to confuse by putting things awry; to throw into disorder.
    This house is turned upside down since Robin Ostler died. Shak.
Webster 1913

Toll turn

  • (Eng. Law), a toll paid at the return of beasts from market, though they were not sold. Burrill.
Webster 1913

turn a blind eye

  • verb refuse to acknowledge
    • He turns a blind eye to the injustices in his office
WordNet

turn a loss

  • verb fail to make money in a business; make a loss or fail to profit
    lose.
    • I lost thousands of dollars on that bad investment!
    • The company turned a loss after the first year
WordNet

turn a nice dime

  • verb make a satisfactory profit
    turn a nice dime; turn a nice dollar.
    • The company turned a nice dime after a short time
WordNet

turn a nice dollar

  • verb make a satisfactory profit
    turn a nice dime; turn a nice dollar.
    • The company turned a nice dime after a short time
WordNet

turn a nice penny

  • verb make a satisfactory profit
    turn a nice dime; turn a nice dollar.
    • The company turned a nice dime after a short time
WordNet

turn a profit

  • verb make a profit; gain money or materially
    profit.
    • The company has not profited from the merger
WordNet

turn a trick

  • verb have a customer, of a prostitute
WordNet

Turn and turn about

  • by equal alternating periods of service or duty; by turns.
Webster 1913

turn around

  • noun turning in an opposite direction or position
    reversal.
    • the reversal of the image in the lens
  • verb turn abruptly and face the other way, either physically or metaphorically
    swing about; swing around.
    • He turned around to face his opponent
    • My conscience told me to turn around before I made a mistake
  • verb improve dramatically
    • The new strategy turned around sales
    • The tutor turned around my son's performance in math
  • verb improve significantly; go from bad to good
    pick up.
    • Her performance in school picked up
WordNet

turn away

  • verb move so as not face somebody or something
  • verb turn from a straight course, fixed direction, or line of interest
    bend; deflect.
  • verb refuse entrance or membership
    refuse; turn away; reject.
    • They turned away hundreds of fans
    • Black people were often rejected by country clubs
  • verb turn away or aside
    avert.
    • They averted their eyes when the King entered
WordNet

turn back

  • verb retrace one's course
    double back; backtrack.
    • The hikers got into a storm and had to turn back
  • verb go back to a previous state
    retrovert; return; revert; regress.
    • We reverted to the old rules
  • verb force to go away; used both with concrete and metaphoric meanings
    drive out; dispel; drive away; chase away; drive off; run off.
    • Drive away potential burglars
    • drive away bad thoughts
    • dispel doubts
    • The supermarket had to turn back many disappointed customers
  • verb hold back, as of a danger or an enemy; check the expansion or influence of
    stop; hold back; arrest; contain; check.
    • Arrest the downward trend
    • Check the growth of communism in South East Asia
    • Contain the rebel movement
    • Turn back the tide of communism
  • verb turn inside out or upside down
    invert; reverse.
WordNet

Turn bench

  • a simple portable lathe, used on a bench by clock makers and watchmakers.
Webster 1913

Turn buckle

  • . See Turnbuckle, in Vocabulary.
Webster 1913

Turn cap

  • a sort of chimney cap which turns round with the wind so as to present its opening to the leeward. G. Francis.
Webster 1913

turn down

  • verb refuse to accept
    decline; refuse; pass up; reject.
    • He refused my offer of hospitality
  • verb refuse entrance or membership
    refuse; turn away; reject.
    • They turned away hundreds of fans
    • Black people were often rejected by country clubs
  • verb reject with contempt
    freeze off; spurn; disdain; reject; scorn; pooh-pooh.
    • She spurned his advances
  • verb take a downward direction
    • The economy finally turned down after a long boom
  • verb make lower or quieter
    lour; lower.
    • turn down the volume of a radio
WordNet

turn in

  • verb make an entrance by turning from a road
    • Turn in after you see the gate
  • verb to surrender someone or something to another
    hand over; render; deliver; fork over; fork up; fork out.
    • the guard delivered the criminal to the police
    • render up the prisoners
    • render the town to the enemy
    • fork over the money
  • verb carry out (performances)
    put on.
    • They turned in a splendid effort
    • They turned in top jobs for the second straight game
  • verb prepare for sleep
    retire; sack out; hit the sack; bed; kip down; go to bed; go to sleep; crawl in; hit the hay.
    • I usually turn in at midnight
    • He goes to bed at the crack of dawn
WordNet

turn indicator

  • noun a blinking light on a motor vehicle that indicates the direction in which the vehicle is about to turn
    trafficator; blinker; turn indicator.
WordNet

turn of events

  • noun an unforeseen development
    twist; turn.
    • events suddenly took an awkward turn
WordNet

turn of expression

  • noun a distinctive spoken or written expression
    turn of expression.
    • John's succinct turn of phrase persuaded her that it would not be a good idea
WordNet

Turn of life

  • (Med.), change of life. See under Change.
Webster 1913

turn of phrase

  • noun a distinctive spoken or written expression
    turn of expression.
    • John's succinct turn of phrase persuaded her that it would not be a good idea
WordNet

turn of the century

  • noun the period from about ten years before to ten years after a new century
WordNet

turn off

  • verb cause to stop operating by disengaging a switch
    switch off; cut; turn off.
    • Turn off the stereo, please
    • cut the engine
    • turn out the lights
  • verb make a turn
    • turn off at the parking area
  • verb cause to feel intense dislike or distaste
    put off.
WordNet

turn on

  • verb cause to operate by flipping a switch
    switch on.
    • switch on the light
    • turn on the stereo
  • verb be contingent on
    hinge upon; depend on; devolve on; ride; hinge on; depend upon.
    • The outcomes rides on the results of the election
    • Your grade will depends on your homework
  • verb produce suddenly or automatically
    • Turn on the charm
    • turn on the waterworks
  • verb become hostile towards
    • The dog suddenly turned on the mailman
  • verb cause to be agitated, excited, or roused
    commove; excite; charge up; agitate; charge; rouse.
    • The speaker charged up the crowd with his inflammatory remarks
  • verb stimulate sexually
    arouse; excite; wind up; sex.
    • This movie usually arouses the male audience
  • verb get high, stoned, or drugged
    trip out; trip; get off.
    • He trips every weekend
WordNet

turn on a dime

  • verb have a small turning radius
    • My little subcompact car turns on a dime!
WordNet

turn one's stomach

  • verb upset and make nauseated
    nauseate; sicken.
    • The smell of the food turned the pregnant woman's stomach
    • The mold on the food sickened the diners
WordNet

turn out

  • verb be shown or be found to be
    turn out; prove.
    • She proved to be right
    • The medicine turned out to save her life
    • She turned up HIV positive
  • verb prove to be in the result or end
    • It turns out that he was right
  • verb produce quickly or regularly, usually with machinery
    • This factory turns out saws
  • verb result or end
    come out.
    • How will the game turn out?
  • verb come, usually in answer to an invitation or summons
    • How many people turned out that evening?
  • verb bring forth, "The apple tree bore delicious apples this year"
    bear.
    • The unidentified plant bore gorgeous flowers
  • verb put out or expel from a place
    eject; chuck out; turf out; boot out; exclude.
    • The unruly student was excluded from the game
  • verb come and gather for a public event
    • Hundreds of thousands turned out for the anti-war rally in New York
  • verb outfit or equip, as with accessories
    • The actors were turned out lavishly
  • verb turn outward
    splay; rotate; spread out.
    • These birds can splay out their toes
    • ballet dancers can rotate their legs out by 90 degrees
  • verb cause to stop operating by disengaging a switch
    switch off; cut; turn off.
    • Turn off the stereo, please
    • cut the engine
    • turn out the lights
  • verb get up and out of bed
    get up; rise; uprise; arise.
    • I get up at 7 A.M. every day
    • They rose early
    • He uprose at night
WordNet

turn over

  • verb place into the hands or custody of
    give; reach; hand; pass; pass on.
    • hand me the spoon, please
    • Turn the files over to me, please
    • He turned over the prisoner to his lawyers
  • verb cause to overturn from an upright or normal position
    tip over; tump over; upset; knock over; overturn; bowl over.
    • The cat knocked over the flower vase
    • the clumsy customer turned over the vase
    • he tumped over his beer
  • verb move by turning over or rotating
    roll.
    • The child rolled down the hill
    • turn over on your left side
  • verb turn up, loosen, or remove earth
    delve; dig; cut into.
    • Dig we must
    • turn over the soil for aeration
  • verb do business worth a certain amount of money
    • The company turns over ten million dollars a year
  • verb cause to move around a center so as to show another side of
    turn.
    • turn a page of a book
  • verb turn from an upright or normal position
    tump over; overturn; tip over.
    • The big vase overturned
    • The canoe tumped over
  • verb turn upside down, or throw so as to reverse
    flip over; flip.
    • flip over the pork chop
    • turn over the pancakes
  • verb think about carefully; weigh
    moot; deliberate; consider; debate.
    • They considered the possibility of a strike
    • Turn the proposal over in your mind
WordNet

Turn screw

  • a screw driver.
Webster 1913

turn signal

  • noun a blinking light on a motor vehicle that indicates the direction in which the vehicle is about to turn
    trafficator; blinker; turn indicator.
WordNet

turn tail

  • verb flee; take to one's heels; cut and run
    lam; run; head for the hills; hightail it; bunk; run away; take to the woods; scarper; escape; fly the coop; break away; scat.
    • If you see this man, run!
    • The burglars escaped before the police showed up
WordNet

turn the tables

  • verb cause a complete reversal of the circumstances
    turn the tables.
    • The tables are turned now that the Republicans are in power!
WordNet

turn the tide

  • verb cause a complete reversal of the circumstances
    turn the tables.
    • The tables are turned now that the Republicans are in power!
WordNet

turn thumbs down

  • verb vote against
    vote down.
    • The faculty turned thumbs down on the candidate for the Dean position
WordNet

turn to

  • verb speak to
    address.
    • He addressed the crowd outside the window
  • verb direct one's interest or attention towards; go into
    • The pedophile turned to boys for satisfaction
    • People turn to mysticism at the turn of a millennium
WordNet

turn turtle

  • verb overturn accidentally
    turtle; capsize.
    • Don't rock the boat or it will capsize!
WordNet

turn up

  • verb appear or become visible; make a showing
    show up; come out; surface; come on.
    • She turned up at the funeral
    • I hope the list key is going to surface again
  • verb bend or lay so that one part covers the other
    fold up; fold.
    • fold up the newspaper
    • turn up your collar
  • verb discover the location of; determine the place of; find by searching or examining
    locate.
    • Can you locate your cousins in the Midwest?
    • My search turned up nothing
  • verb be shown or be found to be
    turn out; prove.
    • She proved to be right
    • The medicine turned out to save her life
    • She turned up HIV positive
  • verb find by digging in the ground
    excavate; dig up.
    • I dug up an old box in the garden
WordNet

turn up the heat

  • verb apply great or increased pressure
    turn up the heat.
    • The Democrats turned up the heat on their candidate to concede the election
WordNet

turn up the pressure

  • verb apply great or increased pressure
    turn up the heat.
    • The Democrats turned up the heat on their candidate to concede the election
WordNet

turn-buckle

Turn"-buc`kle noun
Definitions
  1. (Mech.) (a) A loop or sleeve with a screw thread at one end and a swivel at the other, -- used for tightening a rod, stay, etc. (b) A gravitating catch, as for fastening a shutter, the end of a chain, or a hasp.
Webster 1913

turn-on

  • noun something causing excitement or stimulating interest
WordNet

turn-out

Turn"-out` noun
Wordforms
plural Turn-outs
Definitions
  1. The act of coming forth; a leaving of houses, shops, etc.; esp., a quitting of employment for the purpose of forcing increase of wages; a strike; -- opposed to lockout.
  2. A short side track on a railroad, which may be occupied by one train while another is passing on a main track; a shunt; a siding; a switch.
  3. That which is prominently brought forward or exhibited; hence, an equipage; as, a man with a showy carriage and horses is said to have a fine turn-out.
  4. The aggregate number of persons who have come out, as from their houses, for a special purpose.
  5. Net quantity of produce yielded. 6. A space alongside a highway where vehicles may stop, esp. for emergency purposes, or to admire the view.
Webster 1913

turn-sick

Turn"-sick` adjective
Definitions
  1. Giddy. Obs. Bacon.
Turn"-sick` noun
Definitions
  1. (For.) A disease with which sheep are sometimes affected; gid; sturdy. See Gid.
Webster 1913

turned on

  • adjective satellite feeling great sexual desire
    randy; ruttish; steamy; aroused; horny.
    • feeling horny
WordNet

turned out

  • adjective satellite dressed well or smartly
    • the girls were well turned out and smart
WordNet

turning away

  • noun deliberately avoiding; keeping away from or preventing from happening
    avoidance; shunning; dodging.
WordNet

turning point

  • noun an event marking a unique or important historical change of course or one on which important developments depend
    landmark; watershed.
    • the agreement was a watershed in the history of both nations
  • noun the intersection of two streets
    corner; street corner.
    • standing on the corner watching all the girls go by
WordNet

u-turn

  • noun complete reversal of direction of travel
WordNet

upon

  • to treat with contempt; to reject or refuse unceremoniously.
Webster 1913

well-turned

  • adjective satellite of a pleasing shape
    • a well-turned ankle
  • adjective satellite (of language) aptly and pleasingly expressed
    • a well-turned phrase
WordNet