turn
verb (used with object)
- to convert.
- to pervert.
verb (used without object)
noun
Verb Phrases
- 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 turn over; fold down.
- to lower in intensity; lessen.
- to refuse or reject (a person, request, etc.): The Marine Corps turned him down.
- 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 drive a vehicle or to walk into (a street, store, etc.): We turned into the dead-end street. He turned into the saloon at the corner.
- to be changed, transformed, or converted into: He has turned into a very pleasant fellow. The caterpillar turned into a butterfly.
- to stop the flow of (water, gas, etc.), as by closing a faucet or valve.
- to extinguish (a light).
- 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 cause (water, gas, etc.) to flow, as by opening a valve.
- to switch on (a light).
- to put into operation; activate.
- 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 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 result; issue.
- 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 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 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 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.
Idioms for 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.
Origin of turn
SYNONYMS FOR turn
OTHER WORDS FROM turn
turn·a·ble, adjective half-turned, adjective un·turn·a·ble, adjective un·turned, adjectiveWords nearby turn
Example sentences from the Web for turn
So far, all the players seemed to be willing to wait their turn.
The Golden State Preps for the ‘Red Wedding’ of Senate Races |David Freedlander |January 9, 2015 |DAILY BEASTThird parties in turn quibbled with his accounts, and he was irritated, but not overly so.
I Tried to Warn You About Sleazy Billionaire Jeffrey Epstein in 2003 |Vicky Ward |January 7, 2015 |DAILY BEASTWho do you turn to now when you have a decision to make, when you have one less person to provide validation or advice?
And that would have been the moment for Lynch to turn his back.
I will turn my nose up when you offer me the rest of some delicious pastry that you nibbled on.
If I hadn't kept going when you all wanted to turn back, you mean.
The Lost Valley |J. M. WalshLittle David Copperfield is a jewel of a boy with a turn for books.
Essays in Little |Andrew LangAs Everett made the turn at the head of the course, he looked around for Mr. Gilfeather, and presently he found him.
Concerning Sally |William John HopkinsIf Martine was annoyed by Priscilla's refusal, poor Priscilla was deeply disturbed by the turn of affairs.
Brenda's Ward |Helen Leah ReedHere, if Man is to maintain himself at all, he must be master of tame animals which can eat the grass, and in turn sustain him.
The Unity of Civilization |Various
British Dictionary definitions for turn
verb
noun
- British 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
- at the point of change
- about to go rancid
- not in the correct or agreed order of succession
- improperly, inappropriately, or inopportunely
Derived forms of turn
turnable, adjectiveWord Origin for turn
Idioms and Phrases with turn
In addition to the idioms beginning with turn
- turn a blind eye to
- turn a deaf ear
- turn against
- turn a hair, not
- turn around
- turn around one's finger
- turn a trick
- turn away
- turn back
- turn down
- turn for the better
- turn in
- turn in one's grave
- turn off
- turn of phrase
- turn of the century
- turn of the tide
- turn on
- turn one's back on
- turn one's hand to
- turn one's head
- turn one's stomach
- turn on one's heel
- turn on the waterworks
- turn out
- turn out all right
- turn over
- turn over a new leaf
- turn over in one's grave
- turn tail
- turn the clock back
- turn the corner
- turn the other cheek
- turn the scale
- turn the tables
- turn the tide
- turn the trick
- turn thumbs down
- turn to
- turn to good account
- turn turtle
- turn up
- turn up like a bad penny
- turn up one's nose
- turn up one's toes
- turn upside down
- turn up the heat on
- turn up trumps
also see:
- 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
Also see underunturned.