turn

present singular third person turns · participle present turning · participle past turned · past turned · obsolete participle past turnt · obsolete past turnt · first person past singular turned · archaic present second person singular turnest · past second person singular turned · archaic past second person singular turnedst · present singular third person turns · archaic present singular third person turneth · past singular third person turned · past plural turned · past subjunctive turned · participle present turning

1. To make a non-linear physical movement.
   1. intransitivepersonetcTo move about an axis through itself.

      the Earth turns

      3 more examples

      turn on the spot

      "A fine man, that Dunwody, yonder," commented the young captain, as they parted, and as he turned to his prisoner. "We'll see him on in Washington some day. He is strengthening his forces now against Mr. Benton out there.[…]."

      1910, Emerson Hough, chapter I, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC

      We didn't start the fire / It was always burning / Since the world's been turning

      1989 September 18, Billy Joel, “We Didn't Start the Fire”, in Storm Front

      Synonyms: rotate, spin, twirl

   2. transitiveTo change the direction or orientation of, especially by rotation.

      Turn the knob clockwise.

      2 more examples

      It was not far from the house; but the ground sank into a depression there, and the ridge of it behind shut out everything except just the roof of the tallest hayrick. As one sat on the sward behind the elm, with the back turned on the rick and nothing in front but the tall elms and the oaks in the other hedge, it was quite easy to fancy it the verge of the prairie with the backwoods close by.

      1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], “The First Gun”, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC, pages 9–10

      Turbines have been around for a long time—windmills and water wheels are early examples. The name comes from the Latin turbo, meaning vortex, and thus the defining property of a turbine is that a fluid or gas turns the blades of a rotor, which is attached to a shaft that can perform useful work.

      2013 July-August, Lee S. Langston, “The Adaptable Gas Turbine”, in American Scientist

      Synonyms: rotate

   3. intransitiveTo change one's direction of travel.

      She turned right at the corner.

      2 more examples

      I had occasion […] to make a somewhat long business trip to Chicago, and on my return […] I found Farrar awaiting me in the railroad station. He smiled his wonted fraction by way of greeting, […], and finally leading me to his buggy, turned and drove out of town.

      1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter II, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC, page 12

      I stumbled along through the young pines and huckleberry bushes. Pretty soon I struck into a sort of path that, I cal'lated, might lead to the road I was hunting for. It twisted and turned, and, the first thing I knew, made a sudden bend around a bunch of bayberry scrub and opened out into a big clear space like a lawn.

      1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter I, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC

      Synonyms: steer, swerve, tack

   4. transitiveTo shape (something) symmetrically by rotating it against a stationary cutting tool, as on a lathe.

      She turned the table legs with care and precision.

   5. broadlyTo give form to; to shape or mould; to adapt.

      […]the Poets pen turnes them to ſhapes,[…]

      c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “A Midsommer Nights Dreame”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i], page 159, column 1

      2 more examples

      […]he was perfectly well turned for the occupations of trade and commerce.

      1711 July 14 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison], “TUESDAY, July 4, 1711”, in The Spectator, number 108; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume II, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC, page 85

      His limbs how turn’d! how broad his ſhoulders ſpread!

      1725, Homer, “Book VIII”, in [William Broome], transl., The Odyssey of Homer. […], volume II, London: […] Bernard Lintot, →OCLC, page 145, line 148

   6. transitiveTo direct or impel (something) into or out of a place.

      The farmer turned the cows into a field.

      2 more examples

      Add sugar and butter, then turn the mixture into a dish.

      You were not wont to turn young and beautiful suppliants from your office door. What is the real reason of this professional reluctance on your part?

      1927, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], Max Carrados Mysteries

   7. transitiveTo position (something) by folding it, or using its folds.

      turn the bed covers;  turn the pages

   8. figurativelytransitiveTo navigate through a book or other printed material.

      turn to page twenty;  turn through the book

   9. transitiveTo twist or sprain.

      I fell off my bike and turned my ankle severely.

   10. transitiveball gamesOf a bowler, to make (the ball) move sideways off the pitch when it bounces.
   11. intransitiveball gamesOf a ball, to move sideways off the pitch when it bounces.
2. To change condition or attitude.
   1. copulativeintransitivetransitiveTo become (often used with colors, clear sudden changes, weather and ages).

      The leaves turn brown in autumn.

      5 more examples

      Near-synonyms: become, get, go, come, fall, grow, wax

      When I asked him for the money, he turned nasty.

      Charlie turns six on September 29.

      Heav'n has no Rage, like Love to Hatred turn'd, / Nor Hell a Fury, like a Woman ſcorn'd.

      1697, [William] Congreve, The Mourning Bride, a Tragedy. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, Act III, page 39

      The former-slaves-turned-abolitionists Quobna Ottobah Cugoano and Olaudah Equiano were the chief organizers of the Sons of Africa.

      2007, Junius P. Rodriguez, Encyclopedia of Emancipation and Abolition in the Transatlantic World

      Synonyms: become, get, go, come, fall, grow, wax, become

   2. intransitivetransitiveTo change the color of the leaves in the autumn.

      The hillside behind our house isn't generally much to look at, but once all the trees turn it's gorgeous.

   3. intransitivetransitiveTo change fundamentally; to metamorphose.

      Midas made everything turn to gold.  He turned into a monster every full moon.

      2 more examples

      At her invitation he outlined for her the succeeding chapters with terse military accuracy; and what she liked best and best understood was avoidance of that false modesty which condescends, turning technicality into pabulum.

      1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, “Silverside”, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC, page 300

      Ancient nomads, wishing to ward off the evening chill and enjoy a meal around a campfire, had to collect wood and then spend time and effort coaxing the heat of friction out from between sticks to kindle a flame. With more settled people, animals were harnessed to capstans or caged in treadmills to turn grist into meal.

      2013 July-August, Henry Petroski, “Geothermal Energy”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 4

   4. intransitivetransitiveTo sour or spoil; to go bad.

      This milk has turned; it smells awful.

      Synonyms: go bad, go off, sour, spoil

   5. intransitivetransitiveTo make acid or sour; to ferment; to curdle.

      to turn cider or wine

   6. intransitivetransitivefantasyTo change (a person) into a vampire, werewolf, zombie, etc.

      How long ago was he turned?

      1 more example

      His companions had turned him on purpose. Annie, bless her heart, was immune.

      2017, Michael J. Totten, Into the Wasteland: A Zombie Novel

   7. intransitivetransitivefantasyTo transform into a vampire, werewolf, zombie, etc.

      Bruce Banner turns when he is angry: he becomes the Hulk, an incredibly powerful green monster.

   8. intransitiveoffensiveslangsometimestransitiveTo change the sexual orientation or gender of another person, or otherwise awaken a sexual preference.

      An old homophobic fantasy has it that a gay man or lesbian can be “turned” by a fulfilling sexual encounter with someone of the opposite sex

      2023 May 15, Eliot Borenstein, Marvel Comics in the 1970s: The World Inside Your Head, Cornell University Press, →ISBN, page 244

      1 more example

      We may not be made gay or lesbian in the sense of being “turned” by some error in parenting or child rearing, but we are certainly biologically made and raised (most of us) by straights.

      2009 September 10, W. C. Harris, Queer Externalities: Hazardous Encounters in American Culture, State University of New York Press, →ISBN, page 154

   9. intransitivetransitiveTo hinge; to depend.

      The decision turns on a single fact.

      1 more example

      […] Conditions of Peace certainly do turn upon Events of War.

      1711 December 8 (Gregorian calendar), [Jonathan Swift], “The Eighth Article of the Grand Alliance”, in The Conduct of the Allies, and of the Late Ministry, in Beginning and Carrying on the Present War, 4th edition, London: […] John Morphew […], published 1711, →OCLC, page 72

   10. intransitivetransitiveTo rebel; to go against something formerly tolerated.

       The prisoners turned on the warden.

       1 more example

       ‘You little Fool!’ returned her sister, shaking her with the sharp pull she gave her arm. ‘Have you no spirit at all? But that’s just the way! You have no self-respect, you have no becoming pride, just as you allow yourself to be followed about by a contemptible little Chivery of a thing,’ with the scornfullest emphasis, ‘you would let your family be trodden on, and never turn.’

       1855 December – 1857 June, Charles Dickens, Little Dorrit, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1857, →OCLC

       Synonyms: rebel, revolt

   11. intransitivetransitivegovernmentTo change personalities, such as from being a face (good guy) to heel (bad guy) or vice versa.
   12. ambitransitiveintransitivetransitiveTo make or become giddy; said of the head or brain.

       Ile looke no more, / Leaſt my braine turne,[…]

       c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene vii], page 302, column 2

   13. intransitivetransitiveTo sicken; to nauseate.

       The sight turned my stomach.

   14. intransitivetransitiveTo be nauseated; said of the stomach.
3. reflexiveTo change one's course of action; to take a new approach.

   Turne from thy fierce wrath,[…]

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Exodus 32:12, columns 1–2

   3 more examples

   And they made a calfe in thoſe dayes / and offered ſacrifice vnto the ymage / and reioyſed in the workes of theyr awne hondes. / Then God turned hym ſilfe / and gave them vp /[…]

   1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Acts vij:[41–42], folio clxiij, verso

   The Mind receiving the Ideas, mentioned in the foregoing Chapter, from without, when it turns its view inward upon its ſelf,[…]

   1689 (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], “Of Simple Ideas of Reflection”, in An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […] Eliz[abeth] Holt, for Thomas Basset, […], →OCLC, book II, § 1, page 51

   Little disappointed, then, she turned attention to "Chat of the Social World," gossip which exercised potent fascination upon the girl's intelligence.

   1914 November, Louis Joseph Vance, “An Outsider […]”, in Munsey’s Magazine, volume LIII, number II, New York, N.Y.: The Frank A[ndrew] Munsey Company, […], published 1915, →OCLC, chapter I (Anarchy), page 373, column 2

4. transitiveusuallyTo complete.

   They say they can turn the parts in two days.

5. transitiveTo make (money); turn a profit.

   We turned a pretty penny with that little scheme.

6. transitiveball gamesOf a player, to go past an opposition player with the ball in one's control.

   Liverpool introduced Carroll for Spearing and were rewarded after 64 minutes when he put them back in contention. Stewart Downing blocked Jose Bosingwa's attempted clearance, which fell into the path of Carroll. He turned John Terry superbly before firing high past Cech.

   2012 May 5, Phil McNulty, “Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool”, in BBC Sport

7. To undergo the process of turning on a lathe.

   Ivory turns well.

8. medicineTo bring down the feet of a child in the womb, in order to facilitate delivery.
9. datedmediaTo invert a type of the same thickness, as a temporary substitute for any sort which is exhausted.
10. archaicTo translate.

    to turn the Iliad

    1 more example

    who turns a Persian tale for half a crown

    1735, Alexander Pope, The Prologue to the Satires

11. transitiveroleplaying gamesTo magically or divinely repel undead.
12. cookingTo carve vegetables into uniform barrel-like or American football-like shapes.

    The hardest part of culinary school was learning to turn vegetables perfectly.

plural turns

1. A change of direction or orientation.

   Give the handle a turn, then pull it.

   1 more example

   With just the turn of a shoulder she indicated the water front, where[…]lay the good ship, Mount Vernon, river packet, the black smoke already pouring from her stacks. In turn he smiled and also shrugged a shoulder.

   1910, Emerson Hough, “A Lady in Company”, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC

2. A movement of an object about its own axis in one direction that continues until the object returns to its initial orientation.
   1. geometryA unit of plane angle measurement based on this movement.
3. A walk to and fro.

   Let's take a turn in the garden.

   1 more example

   "I've made a turn round the place, sir, and the light was on," was the reply.

   1923, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], “(please specify the page)”, in The Eyes of Max Carrados, London: Grant Richards, →OCLC

   Synonyms: promenade

4. A chance to use something shared in sequence with others.

   They took turns playing with the new toy.

   1 more example

   With just the turn of a shoulder she indicated the water front, where[…]lay the good ship, Mount Vernon, river packet, the black smoke already pouring from her stacks. In turn he smiled and also shrugged a shoulder.

   1910, Emerson Hough, “A Lady in Company”, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC

   Synonyms: go

5. A spell of work, especially the time allotted to a person in a rota or schedule.

   I cooked tonight, so it's your turn to do the dishes.

6. One's chance to make a move in a game having two or more players.

   Synonyms: go, move

7. A figure in music, often denoted ~, consisting of the note above the one indicated, the note itself, the note below the one indicated, and the note itself again.
8. The time required to complete a project.

   They quote a three-day turn on parts like those.

   Synonyms: turnaround

9. The transition from one period or era, or hour on the clock, to another.

   turn of the century

   4 more examples

   […] by cajolery and innuendo she had persuaded him to go to the picture palace to be cheered up, and as it was now on the turn of eleven he might be expected back at any moment.

   1923, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], “(please specify the page)”, in The Eyes of Max Carrados, London: Grant Richards, →OCLC

   By about 1300, Hungary's population was three times what it had been at the turn of the millenium.

   1990, Ferenc Glatz, Etudes historiques hongroises 1990: Ethnicity and society in Hungary

   […]As long as ocean water's salt, And birch-trees feel the winds' assault, And crows build nests at winter's turn, Darling, I shall never return.

   1997, A People's Poetry: Hen Benillion, Seren Books

   Writers arrive, in extremely small numbers, only at the turn of the Victorian era into the Edwardian era when modern Pan-Africanism was being born.

   2020 December 17, Colin Chambers, Black and Asian Theatre In Britain: A History, Routledge, →ISBN, page 1835

10. A fit or a period of giddiness.

    I've had a funny turn.

    2 more examples

    I'm sure I never shall forget the turn young Simmons gave me when he came in with that paper as he'd been and copied out of a winder thro' being in a west-end house, […]

    1865 September 23, “Mrs. Brown and the Emperor of the French”, in Fun, London: Published (for the proprietors) by Thomas Baker, →OCLC, page 17

    'Then you must know as well as the rest of us that there was something queer about that gentleman—something that gave a man a turn—I don't know rightly how to say it, sir, beyond this: that you felt it in your marrow kind of cold and thin.'

    1886 January 5, Robert Louis Stevenson, “The Last Night”, in Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., →OCLC, pages 78–79

    Synonyms: dizziness, dizzy spell, giddiness

11. A change in temperament or circumstance.

    She took a turn for the worse.

    Synonyms: change, swing

12. ball gamesA sideways movement of the ball when it bounces (caused by rotation in flight).
13. card gamesThe fourth communal card in Texas hold 'em.
14. obsoletecard gamesThe flop (the first three community cards) in Texas hold 'em.
15. A deed done to another; an act of kindness or malice.

    One good turn deserves another.

    1 more example

    I felt that the man was of a vindictive nature, and would do me an evil turn if he found the opportunity[…].

16. A single loop of a coil.

    Synonyms: loop

17. ropeA pass behind or through an object.
18. Character; personality; nature.

    It was fortunate for his comfort, perhaps, that the man who had been chosen to accompany him was of a talkative turn, for the prisoners insisted upon hearing the story of the explosion a dozen times over, and Rufus Dawes himself had been roused to give the name of the vessel with his own lips.

    For the Term of His Natural Life

    1875, Marcus Clarke, “Typhus Fever”, in His Natural Life [For the Term of His Natural Life], volume I, London: Richard Bentley and Son, →OCLC, page 100

19. ball gamesAn instance of going past an opposition player with the ball in one's control.
20. especiallyphysicalartsA short skit, act, or routine.

    Between the pieces were individual turns, comic songs and dances.

    1960, Theatre Notebook, volumes 14-16, page 122

21. datedmediaA type turned upside down to serve for another character that is not available.
22. UKhistoricalbusinessThe profit made by a stockjobber, being the difference between the buying and selling prices.

    There are usually at least two jobbers who specialise in the leading stocks, and this acts to keep the jobber's turn to a reasonable amount […]

    1977, Michael Arthur Firth, Valuation of Shares and the Efficient-markets Theory, page 11