Etymology: (bef. 1000; ME, partly continuing OE turnian, tyrnan < L tornāre to turn on a lathe, round off (der. of tornus lathe < Gk tórnos tool for making circles), partly < OF torner, t(o)urner < L)
Definition of 'TURN'
Princeton's WordNet
1. (noun)bend, crook, twist, turn a circularsegment of a curve "a bend in the road"; "a crook in the path"
2. (noun)turn, turning the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course "he took a turn to the right"
3. (noun)turn, play (game) the activity of doing something in an agreed succession "it is my turn"; "it is still my play"
4. (noun)turn, turn of events, twist an unforeseen development "events suddenly took an awkward turn"
5. (noun)turning, turn a movement in a new direction "the turning of the wind"
6. (noun)turn the act of turning away or in the oppositedirection "he made an abrupt turn away from her"
7. (noun)twist, turn turning or twisting around (in place) "with a quick twist of his head he surveyed the room"
8. (noun)go, spell, tour, turn a time for working (after which you will be relieved by someone else) "it's my go"; "a spell of work"
9. (noun)turn, bout, round (sports) a division during which one team is on the offensive
10. (noun)act, routine, number, turn, bit a shorttheatricalperformance that is part of a longerprogram "he did his act three times every evening"; "she had a catchy little routine"; "it was one of the best numbers he ever did"
11. (noun)turn, good turn a favor for someone "he did me a good turn"
13. (verb)turn changeorientation or direction, also in the abstractsense "Turn towards me"; "The mugger turned and fled before I could see his face"; "She turned from herself and learned to listen to others' needs"
14. (verb)change state, turn undergo a transformation or a change of position or action "We turned from Socialism to Capitalism"; "The people turned against the President when he stole the election"
15. (verb)become, turn undergo a change or development "The water turned into ice"; "Her former friend became her worst enemy"; "He turned traitor"
16. (verb)turn cause to move around or rotate "turn a key"; "turn your palm this way"
17. (verb)change by reversal, turn, reverse change to the contrary "The trend was reversed"; "the tides turned against him"; "public opinion turned when it was revealed that the president had an affair with a White House intern"
18. (verb)turn, move around pass to the other side of "turn the corner"; "move around the obstacle"
19. (verb)turn, grow pass into a condition gradually, take on a specificproperty or attribute; become "The weather turned nasty"; "She grew angry"
20. (verb)turn, release let (something) fall or spill from a container "turn the flour onto a plate"
21. (verb)turn move around an axis or a center "The wheels are turning"
22. (verb)turn, turn over cause to move around a center so as to show another side of "turn a page of a book"
23. (verb)turn to send or let go "They turned away the crowd at the gate of the governor's mansion"
24. (verb)plow, plough, turn to break and turnoverearth especially with a plow "Farmer Jones plowed his east field last week"; "turn the earth in the Spring"
25. (verb)turn shape by rotating on a lathe or cuttingdevice or a wheel "turn the legs of the table"; "turn the clay on the wheel"
26. (verb)turn changecolor "In Vermont, the leaves turn early"
27. (verb)twist, sprain, wrench, turn, wrick, rick twist suddenly so as to sprain "wrench one's ankle"; "The wrestler twisted his shoulder"; "the hikers sprained their ankles when they fell"; "I turned my ankle and couldn't walk for several days"
28. (verb)turn cause to change or turn into something different;assume new characteristics "The princess turned the frog into a prince by kissing him"; "The alchemists tried to turn lead into gold"
29. (verb)turn accomplish by rotating "turn a somersault"; "turn cartwheels"
30. (verb)turn get by buying and selling "the company turned a good profit after a year"
31. (verb)turn cause to move along an axis or into a new direction "turn your face to the wall"; "turn the car around"; "turn your dance partner around"
32. (verb)turn channel one's attention, interest, thought, or attention toward or away from something "The pedophile turned to boys for satisfaction"; "people turn to mysticism at the turn of a millennium"
33. (verb)flex, bend, deform, twist, turn cause (a plastic object) to assume a crooked or angular form "bend the rod"; "twist the dough into a braid"; "the strong man could turn an iron bar"
34. (verb)turn alter the functioning or setting of "turn the dial to 10"; "turn the heat down"
35. (verb)turn direct at someone "She turned a smile on me"; "They turned their flashlights on the car"
36. (verb)call on, turn haverecourse to or make an appeal or request for help or information to "She called on her Representative to help her"; "She turned to her relatives for help"
37. (verb)sour, turn, ferment, work go sour or spoil "The milk has soured"; "The wine worked"; "The cream has turned--we have to throw it out"
38. (verb)turn become officially one year older "She is turning 50 this year"
1. (verb)turn to move your body or part of it, so that it faces a different way She turned her head to look.; Turn this way, so I can see you.; As I turned around, I tripped.
2. turn to move or be moved around a centralpoint The wheels began to turn.; Turn the knob to "off."
3. turn to move sth so that it is in a different position She turned the painting around to look at the back.
4. turn to move or travel in a different direction The car turned onto Maple Street.; He tried to turn the bus around in a tiny space.; Turn right at the next light.
5. turn turn right/left to change to a different state The mood turned angry after his speech.; The light turned green.
6. turn to focus sth on sth new The media turned their attention to other news.; His thoughts turned to his family.
7. turn to become a different age I'm turning 36 next week.
8. turn to move a page to look at the next one She sat turning the pages of a magazine.
9. turn turn your back on to stopbeing involved with sb or sth completely He turned his back on his family.
10. turn turn a blind eye to pretend you do not know or see sth Prison officials turned a blind eye to the violence.
11. turn turn a corner to enter a new and betterperiod in a process Better earnings may signal that the company has turned a corner.
12. (noun)turn the time when one member of a group is supposed to do sth according to an arranged order OK, it's your turn to roll the dice.
13. turn take turns to each have a turn We all took turns playing on the computer.
14. turn a movement in which sth turns a turn of his head; The car made a right turn.
15. turn make a turn a place where a road turns or bends a sharp turn in the road; Take the next turn on your right.
18. turn take a turn for the worse to become worse The economy took a turn for the worse.
19. turn a turn of events a change in a situation In a sad turn of events, the horse died.
20. turn in turn happening in order Each person in turn expressed an opinion.
21. turn as a result of one of a series of events or actions This will create more jobs, which will, in turn, be better for the economy.
22. turn the turn of the century the time around the beginning of a century an art movement that began at the turn of the century
Definition of 'TURN'
Webster Dictionary
1. (noun)TURN the act of turning; movement or motion about, or as if about, a center or axis; revolution; as, the turn of a wheel
2. (noun)TURN change of direction, course, or tendency; different order, position, or aspect of affairs; alteration; vicissitude; as, the turn of the tide
3. (noun)TURN one of the successive portions of a course, or of a series of occurrences, reckoning from change to change; hence, a winding; a bend; a meander
4. (noun)TURN a circuitous walk, or a walk to and fro, ending where it began; a short walk; a stroll
5. (noun)TURN successive course; opportunity enjoyed by alternation with another or with others, or in due order; due chance; alternate or incidental occasion; appropriate time
6. (noun)TURN incidental or opportune deed or office; occasional act of kindness or malice; as, to do one an ill turn
7. (noun)TURN convenience; occasion; purpose; exigence; as, this will not serve his turn
8. (noun)TURN form; cast; shape; manner; fashion; -- used in a literal or figurative sense; hence, form of expression; mode of signifying; as, the turn of thought; a man of a sprightly turn in conversation
9. (noun)TURN a change of condition; especially, a sudden or recurring symptom of illness, as a nervous shock, or fainting spell; as, a bad turn
10. (noun)TURN a fall off the ladder at the gallows; a hanging; -- so called from the practice of causing the criminal to stand on a ladder which was turned over, so throwing him off, when the signal was given
11. (noun)TURN a round of a rope or cord in order to secure it, as about a pin or a cleat
12. (noun)TURN a pit sunk in some part of a drift
13. (noun)TURN a court of record, held by the sheriff twice a year in every hundred within his county
18. (verb)TURN to give another direction, tendency, or inclination to; to direct otherwise; to deflect; to incline differently; -- used both literally and figuratively; as, to turn the eyes to the heavens; to turn a horse from the road, or a ship from her course; to turn the attention to or from something
19. (verb)TURN to change from a given use or office; to divert, as to another purpose or end; to transfer; to use or employ; to apply; to devote
20. (verb)TURN to change the form, quality, aspect, or effect of; to alter; to metamorphose; to convert; to transform; -- often with to or into before the word denoting the effect or product of the change; as, to turn a worm into a winged insect; to turngreen to blue; to turnprose into verse; to turn a Whig to a Tory, or a Hindu to a Christian; to turngood to evil, and the like
25. (verb)TURN to sicken; to nauseate; as, an emetic turns one's stomach
26. (verb)TURN to move round; to have a circular motion; to revolve entirely, repeatedly, or partially; to change position, so as to face differently; to whirl or wheel round; as, a wheel turns on its axis; a spindle turns on a pivot; a man turns on his heel
27. (verb)TURN hence, to revolve as if upon a point of support; to hinge; to depend; as, the decision turns on a singlefact
28. (verb)TURN to result or terminate; to come about; to eventuate; to issue
29. (verb)TURN to be deflected; to take a different direction or tendency; to be directed otherwise; to be differently applied; to be transferred; as, to turn from the road
30. (verb)TURN to be changed, altered, or transformed; to become transmuted; also, to become by a change or changes; to grow; as, wood turns to stone; water turns to ice; one color turns to another; to turnMohammedan