turn on its head

present singular third person turns on its head · participle present turning on its head · participle past turned on its head · past turned on its head · alternative flip on its head

1. idiomatictransitiveTo turn upside-down; to invert.

   The crisis turned the formulas that had seemed to work on their head.

2. idiomatictransitiveTo completely change.

   The global economic crisis has managed to turn stock exchanges worldwide on their head.

   2 more examples

   Germany regeared for the second half: same shape, more control. Mexico had lost some of their vim. And before long the game had turned on its head, with Germany able to keep the ball now, Kroos hitting his range, and Mexico less adept at seizing possession, unable to spring forward with such gusto.

   2018 June 17, Barney Ronay, “Mexico’s Hirving Lozano stuns world champions Germany for brilliant win”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 05 Aug 2019

   The tie turned on its head just before the hour when Gallagher picked up his second yellow card of the night following a reckless lunge on Ethan Britto and this time referee Fahndrich angered the home supporters by producing red.

   2024 August 29, Alex Mills, “Larne headed for Conference League group stages as Andy Ryan hat-trick secures historic Play-Off joy”, in Belfast Telegraph