tə:n v. & n. --v. 1 tr. & intr.
move around a
point or axis so
that the point or axis
remains in a
central position;
give a
rotary motion to or
receive a rotary motion (turned the
wheel; the wheel turns; the key turns in the lock). 2 tr. & intr.
change in position so that a
different side,
end, or
part becomes
outermost or
uppermost etc.;
invert or
reverse or
cause to be inverted or reversed (turned
inside out; turned it upside down). 3 a tr. give a
new direction to (turn
your face this way). b intr.
take a new direction (turn left
here; my thoughts
have often turned to you). 4 tr.
aim in a
certain way (turned the
hose on them). 5 intr. & tr. (foll. by into) change in
nature,
form, or
condition to (turned
into a
dragon;
then turned
him into a frog; turned the
book into a play). 6 intr. (foll. by to) a
apply oneself to; set
about (turned to
doing the ironing). b have
recourse to;
begin to
indulge in habitually (turned to
drink; turned to me
for help). c go on to
consider next (let us
now turn to your report). 7 intr. & tr.
become or cause to become (turned
hostile;
has turned
informer; your
comment turned
them angry). 8 a tr. & intr. (foll. by against)
make or become hostile to (has turned them
against us). b intr. (foll. by
on, upon) become hostile to;
attack (suddenly turned on them). 9 intr. (of
hair or leaves) change
colour. 10 intr. (of milk) become
sour. 11 intr. (of the stomach) be nauseated. 12 intr. (of the head) become
giddy. 13 tr. cause (milk) to become sour, (the stomach) to be nauseated, or (the head) to become giddy. 14 tr.
translate (turn it into French). 15 tr. move to the
other side
of; go
round (turned the corner). 16 tr. pass the
age or
time of (he has turned 40; it has now turned 4 o'clock). 17 intr. (foll. by on)
depend on; be
determined by (it
all turns on the
weather tomorrow). 18 tr.
send or put into a specified
place or condition; cause to go (was turned
loose; turned the
water out into a basin). 19 tr.
perform (a
somersault etc.)
with rotary motion. 20 tr.
remake (a
garment or, esp., a sheet) putting the
worn outer side on the inside. 21 tr. make (a profit). 22 tr.
divert (a bullet). 23 tr.
blunt (the
edge of a
knife, slot of a screw-head, etc.). 24 tr.
shape (an object) on a
lathe. 25 tr. give an (esp. elegant) form to (turn a compliment). 26 intr.
Golf begin the second
half of a round. 27 tr. (esp. as turned adj.)
Printing invert (type) to make it
appear upside down (a turned comma). 28 tr. pass round (the
flank etc. of an army) so as to attack it
from the side or rear. 29 intr. (of the tide) change from
flood to
ebb or vice versa. --n. 1 the
act or process or an
instance of
turning; rotary motion (a
single turn of the handle). 2 a a changed or a change of direction or
tendency (took a
sudden turn to the left). b a
deflection or deflected part (full of twists
and turns). 3 a point at
which a turning or change occurs. 4 a turning of a road. 5 a change of the
tide from ebb to
flow or from flow to ebb. 6 a change in the
course of events. 7 a tendency or
disposition (is of a
mechanical turn of mind). 8 an
opportunity or
obligation etc. that comes successively to
each of
several persons etc. (your turn will
come; my turn to read). 9 a
short walk or
ride (shall take a turn in the garden). 10 a short
performance on
stage or in a
circus etc. 11 service of a specified kind (did me a
good turn). 12
purpose (served my turn). 13 colloq. a
momentary nervous shock or
ill feeling (gave me
quite a turn). 14 Mus. an
ornament consisting of the
principal note with
those above and
below it. 15
one round in a coil of
rope etc. 16 Printing a inverted
type as a
temporary substitute for a
missing letter. b a letter turned
wrong side
up. 17 a
Brit. the
difference between the buying and selling
price of stocks etc. b a
profit made from this. øat
every turn continually; at each new stage etc. by turns in
rotation of individuals or groups; alternately. in turn in
succession; one by one. in one's turn
when one's turn or opportunity comes.
not know which way (or where) to turn be completely at a
loss,
unsure how to act, etc. not turn a hair see HAIR. on the turn 1 changing. 2 (of milk) becoming sour. 3 at the turning-point. out of turn 1 at a time when it is not one's turn. 2 inappropriately; inadvisedly or tactlessly (did I
speak out of turn?). take turns (or take it in turns) act or
work alternately or in succession. to a turn (esp. cooked) to
exactly the
right degree etc. turn about move so as to face in a new direction. turn-about n. 1 an act of turning about. 2 an
abrupt change of policy etc. turn and turn about alternately. turn around
esp. US = turn round. turn
away 1 turn to face in
another direction. 2 refuse to
accept;
reject. 3 send away. turn
back 1 begin or cause to
retrace one's steps. 2 fold back. turn one's back on see BACK. turn-bench a watchmaker's
portable lathe. turn-buckle a
device for tightly connecting parts of a
metal rod or
wire. turn-cap a revolving chimney-top. turn the
corner 1 pass round it into another
street. 2 pass the
critical point in an
illness,
difficulty, etc. turn a
deaf ear see DEAF. turn down 1 reject (a
proposal,
application, etc.). 2
reduce the
volume or
strength of (sound,
heat, etc.) by turning a
knob etc. 3 fold down. 4 place downwards. turn-down (of a collar) turned down. turn one's
hand to see HAND. turn a person's
head see HEAD. turn an
honest penny see HONEST. turn in 1 hand in or
return. 2
achieve or
register (a performance,
score, etc.). 3 colloq. go to
bed in the
evening. 4 fold
inwards. 5
incline inwards (his toes turn in). 6 colloq.
abandon (a
plan etc.). turn in one's grave see
GRAVE(1). turn
off 1 a
stop the flow or
operation of (water,
electricity, etc.) by
means of a tap,
switch, etc. b
operate (a tap, switch, etc.) to achieve this. 2 a
enter a side-road. b (of a side-road) lead off from another road. 3 colloq.
repel; cause to
lose interest (turned me right off with
their complaining). 4
dismiss from
employment. turn-off n. 1 a turning off a main road. 2 colloq.
something that repels or causes a loss of interest. turn of
speed the
ability to go fast when
necessary. turn on 1 a
start the flow or operation of (water, electricity, etc.) by means of a tap, switch, etc. b operate (a tap, switch, etc.) to achieve this. 2 colloq.
excite;
stimulate the interest of, esp. sexually. 3 tr. & intr. colloq.
intoxicate or become intoxicated with drugs. turn-on n. colloq. a
person or
thing that causes (esp. sexual) arousal. turn on one's heel see
HEEL(1). turn out 1
expel. 2
extinguish (an
electric light etc.). 3
dress or
equip (well turned out). 4
produce (manufactured goods etc.). 5
empty or
clean out (a
room etc.). 6 empty (a pocket) to see the contents. 7 colloq. a
get out of bed. b go out of doors. 8 colloq.
assemble;
attend a
meeting etc. 9 (often foll. by to + infin. or that + clause)
prove to be the case;
result (turned out to be
true; we
shall see how things turn out). 10
Mil.
call (a guard) from the
guardroom. turn
over 1 reverse or cause to reverse
vertical position;
bring the
under or reverse side into
view (turn over the page). 2
upset;
fall or cause to fall over. 3 a cause (an engine) to
run. b (of an engine) start
running. 4 consider thoroughly. 5 (foll. by to)
transfer the
care or
conduct of (a person or thing) to (a person) (shall turn it all over to my
deputy; turned him over to the authorities). 6 do
business to the
amount of (turns over ø5000 a week). turn over a new
leaf improve one's conduct or performance. turn round 1 turn so as to face in a new direction. 2 a
Commerce unload and
reload (a
ship,
vehicle, etc.). b receive, process, and send out
again; cause to
progress through a
system. 3
adopt new opinions or policy. turn-round n. 1 a the process of
loading and unloading. b the process of receiving, processing, and sending out again; progress through a system. 2 the reversal of an
opinion or tendency. turn the scales see
SCALE(2). turn the tables see
TABLE. turn tail turn one's back; run away. turn the tide reverse the
trend of events. turn to set about one's work (came
home and
immediately turned to). turn to
account see ACCOUNT. turn
turtle see TURTLE. turn up 1
increase the volume or strength of (sound, heat, etc.) by turning a knob etc. 2 place upwards. 3
discover or reveal. 4 be found, esp. by
chance (it turned up on a
rubbish dump). 5
happen or present
itself; (of a person) put in an
appearance (a
few people turned up late). 6 colloq. cause to
vomit (the
sight turned me up). 7
shorten (a garment) by increasing the size of the hem. turn-up n. 1 Brit. the lower turned up end of a trouser
leg. 2 colloq. an
unexpected (esp. welcome)
happening; a
surprise. [OE tyrnan, turnian f. L tornare f. tornus lathe f. Gk tornos lathe,
circular movement: prob. reinforced in ME f. OF
turner, torner]