turn
pronunciation
How to pronounce turn in British English:
UK [tɜːn]
How to pronounce turn in American English:
US [tɜːrn]
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- Noun:
- a circular segment of a curve
- the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course
- the activity of doing something in an agreed succession
- an unforeseen development
- a movement in a new direction
- turning away or in the opposite direction
- turning or twisting around (in place)
- a time for working (after which you will be relieved by someone else)
- (sports) a period of play during which one team is on the offensive
- a short theatrical performance that is part of a longer program
- a favor for someone
- taking a short walk out and back
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- Verb:
- change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense
- undergo a change or development
- undergo a transformation or a change of position or action
- cause to move around or rotate
- pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
- to send or let go
- pass to the other side of
- move around an axis or a center
- cause to move around a center so as to show another side of
- change to the contrary
- to break and turn over earth especially with a plow
- change color
- cause to change or turn into something different;assume new characteristics
- let (something) fall or spill a container
- twist suddenly so as to sprain
- shape by rotating on a lathe or cutting device or a wheel
- go sour or spoil
- accomplish by rotating
- get by buying and selling
- cause to move along an axis or into a new direction
- channel one's attention, interest, thought, or attention toward or away from something
- cause (a plastic object) to assume a crooked or angular form
- alter the functioning or setting of
- direct at someone
- have recourse to or make an appeal or request for help or information to
- become officially one year older
Word Origin
- turn
- turn: [OE] The ultimate source of turn is Greek tórnos ‘lathe’, which was probably related to Latin terere ‘rub’ (source of English attrition, detritus, trite, etc). Latin took this over as tornus and formed a verb from it, tornāre ‘turn on a lathe’, hence ‘round off, make smooth’. Old English borrowed tornāre as turnian, which was later reinforced by Old French turner. To the same word family belong tour and tournament.=> attrition, detriment, detritus, tour, tournament, trite
- turn (v.)
- late Old English turnian "to rotate, revolve," in part also from Old French torner "to turn away or around; draw aside, cause to turn; change, transform; turn on a lathe" (Modern French tourner), both from Latin tornare "to polish, round off, fashion, turn on a lathe," from tornus "lathe," from Greek tornos "lathe, tool for drawing circles," from PIE root *tere- (1) "to rub, rub by turning, turn, twist" (see throw (v.)). Transitive sense in English is from c. 1300. Related: Turned; turning. Use in expression to turn (something) into (something else) probably retains the classical sense of "to shape on a lathe." To turn up "arrive, make an appearance" is recorded from 1755. Turn about "by turns, alternately" is recorded from 1640s. To turn (something) loose "set free" is recorded from 1590s. Turn down (v.) "reject" first recorded 1891, American English. Turn in "go to bed" is attested from 1690s, originally nautical. To turn the stomach "nauseate" is recorded from 1620s. To turn up one's nose as an expression of contempt is attested from 1779. Turning point is attested by 1640s in a figurative sense "point at which a decisive change takes place;" literal sense "point on which a thing turns; point at which motion in one direction ceases and that in another or contrary direction begins" is from 1660s.
- turn (n.)
- c. 1200, "action of rotating," from Anglo-French tourn (Old French torn, tour), from Latin tornus "turning lathe;" also partly from turn (v.). Meaning "an act of turning, a single revolution or part of a revolution" is attested from late 15c. Sense of "place of bending" (in a road, river, etc.) is recorded from early 15c. Meaning "beginning of a period of time" is attested from 1853 (as in turn-of-the-century, from 1921 as an adjectival phrase). Sense of "act of good will" is recorded from c. 1300. Meaning "spell of work" is from late 14c.; that of "an individual's time for action, when these go around in succession" is recorded from late 14c. The automatic automobile turn-signal is from 1915. Turn-sick "dizzy," is attested from early 15c. Phrase done to a turn (1780) suggests meat roasted on a spit. The turn of the screw (1796) is the additional twist to tighten its hold, sometimes with reference to torture by thumbscrews.
Antonym
vt.
Example
- 1. It seems likely that washington 's turn is next .
- 2. Solvency worries drove the turn from stimulus to austerity .
- 3. Many of those loans could turn sour .
- 4. The arab spring may yet turn to summer .
- 5. To get the water we turn a handle .