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turn
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- pronunciation:
- tuhrn
- parts of speech:
- transitive verb, intransitive verb, noun
- phrases:
- at every turn, out of turn, take turns, turn a blind eye, turn around, turn back, turn down, turn into, turn off, turn on, turn out, turn up
- features:
- Word Combinations (verb, noun), Word History, Word Explorer
| part of speech: |
transitive verb |
| inflections: |
turns, turning, turned |
| definition 1: |
to cause to move around a center point.
Turn the dial.- synonyms:
- pivot, revolve, rotate, wheel
- similar words:
- crank, move, roll, round, spin, swing, swirl, swivel, twirl, twist, whirl, wind
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| definition 2: |
to cause to shift from one side to the other by rotating.
She turned the plant toward the sun.- similar words:
- deviate, divert, roll, rotate, shift, swivel
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| definition 3: |
to alter the course or direction of.
Turn the car left.- synonyms:
- deflect, swing, veer
- similar words:
- angle, avert, bend, diverge, divert, sheer, shunt, swerve, tack
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| definition 4: |
to change the position of by rotating or reversing.
He turned his desk toward the window.Please turn the page.- synonyms:
- reverse, shift
- similar words:
- avert, flip, invert, move, overturn, pivot, roll, rotate, swivel, tip, upturn
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| definition 5: |
to alter the nature, character, or color of.
Embarrassment turned his cheeks red.- synonyms:
- change, convert, transform, transmute
- similar words:
- alter, metamorphose, modify, mutate, transfigure, transmogrify, transubstantiate
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| definition 6: |
to damage by twisting.
She turned her ankle.- synonyms:
- sprain, twist, wrench
- similar words:
- disjoint, dislocate, strain
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| definition 7: |
to make queasy or nauseated.
That gory movie turned my stomach.- synonyms:
- nauseate
- similar words:
- sicken, sour, unsettle, upset
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| definition 8: |
to direct towards.
She was now making enough money to turn her full attention to art.- synonyms:
- address, employ
- similar words:
- apply, avert, dedicate, devote, direct, incline, put
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| definition 9: |
to send out, let go, or drive away.
They turned the beggar out on the street.You can turn your dog loose at the dog park.- similar words:
- boot, bounce, discharge, dismiss, drive, eject, expel, free, kick out, loose, oust, send
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| definition 10: |
to cause to antagonize.
He turned the dog against me.- similar words:
- bias, influence, persuade, prejudice, set
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| definition 11: |
to convert into a greater amount.
He turned a penny into a dollar. |
| definition 12: |
to fold, bend, or crease.
She turned the metal bar with her bare hands.The hotel maid turned down the bed covers.- synonyms:
- bend, crease, twist
- similar words:
- coil, contort, curl, curve, double, flex, fold, warp
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| definition 13: |
to ferment or make sour.
Warm weather turned the milk.- synonyms:
- ferment, sour
- similar words:
- acidify, clabber, curdle, putrefy, spoil
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| related words: |
alternate, cock, convert, decompose, grind, head, reverse, rot, stem, switch, translate, wrench |
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| part of speech: |
intransitive verb |
| definition 1: |
to rotate or revolve on a point or axis.
We heard a key turn in the lock.- synonyms:
- pivot, revolve, rotate, swivel, wheel
- similar words:
- crank, flip, gyrate, reel, roll, spin, swirl, twirl, whirl
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| definition 2: |
to move or shift back and forth.
He couldn't sleep and was turning all night.- synonyms:
- rock, roll, swing
- similar words:
- move, rotate, shift, sway
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| definition 3: |
to change one's direction.
She suddenly turned and ran in the opposite direction.At the next corner, you turn left.- synonyms:
- reverse, veer, wheel
- similar words:
- about-face, back, bear, bend, jog, roll, sheer, swerve, twirl, twist, whirl
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| definition 4: |
to change one's loyalty or allegiance.
He turned away from all his old friends.- synonyms:
- defect, withdraw
- similar words:
- apostatize, desert, diverge, flip-flop, remove, tergiversate
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| definition 5: |
to direct one's interest toward something.
She lost interest in music and turned to painting instead.- similar words:
- aim, incline
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| definition 6: |
to seek help or support from someone (fol. by "to").
In times of crisis, he turns to his father for help.- synonyms:
- look
- similar words:
- appeal, gravitate, resort
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| definition 7: |
to feel as if twirling or revolving as the result of giddiness or dizziness.
His head was turning and he had to sit down.- synonyms:
- reel, spin, swirl, whirl
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| definition 8: |
to change to a new state or condition.
The green leaves turned red.The crowd turned angry.- similar words:
- alter, change, metamorphose
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| definition 9: |
to become sour, fermented, or rancid.
The milk was left out of the refrigerator last night, and I think it has turned.- synonyms:
- ferment, sour
- similar words:
- acidify, clabber, curdle, putrefy, rot, spoil
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| definition 10: |
to suddenly direct violence or anger at another.
The lion turned on its trainer.Be careful what you say to him today or he'll turn on you next.- similar words:
- about-face, assault, attack
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| related words: |
alternate, become, chop, circle, cock, curve, decompose, depend, double, face, go, hang, reverse, revolve, round, stem, taint, toss, trend, wax, wind, wrench |
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| phrase: |
turn around, turn back, turn down, turn into, turn off, turn on, turn out, turn up |
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| part of speech: |
noun |
| definition 1: |
the act or process of turning.
With a turn of this dial, you can adjust the temperature.- synonyms:
- revolution, rotation, wheel
- similar words:
- bend, circuit, eddy, gyration, pirouette, pivot, rightabout, roll, serve, sheer, spin, turnabout, twirl, twist, whirl, wind
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| definition 2: |
a change of direction, position, or condition.
The truck made the turn at a slow speed.My life has been taking a turn for the better.- synonyms:
- change, movement, shift, turning, veer
- similar words:
- about-face, alteration, caracole, deviation, flip-flop, inversion, reversal, reversion, skew, swerve, switch, turnabout, turnaround, twist, U-turn, volte-face
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| definition 3: |
a complete revolution of a wheel.
Tighten the screw by giving it a few clockwise turns.- synonyms:
- revolution, rotation
- similar words:
- cycle, roll, round
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| definition 4: |
an angle, bend, or curve.
There are several turns in the path.- synonyms:
- bend, curve, hook, winding
- similar words:
- arc, arch, corner, crook, deflection, dogleg, jog, loop, meander, oxbow, turning, twist, warp, zigzag
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| definition 5: |
a characteristic or inherent mood, style, or tendency.
She's always had an artistic turn of mind.- synonyms:
- aptitude, cast, predisposition, proclivity, propensity, tendency
- similar words:
- bent, bias, flair, inclination, learning, makeup, mode, predilection, style, warp
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| definition 6: |
a point in time that marks the beginning of a new or different period.
These styles were popular at the turn of the century.- similar words:
- crossroad, dawn, juncture, turning point, zero hour
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| definition 7: |
an action or service that is rendered.
She did him a good turn, and he wanted to repay her in some way.- synonyms:
- service
- similar words:
- act, action, benefaction, courtesy, deed, disservice, favor, harm, hurt, injury, kindness, wrong
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| definition 8: |
an opportunity for an action to be performed in a certain order.
It is your turn to take out the garbage.When it was my turn, I moved my bishop and captured his queen.- similar words:
- chance, crack, go, move, opportunity, say, shift, spell, stint, time, try, whack
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| definition 9: |
a short trip, tour, or excursion.
Let's take a turn along the waterfront.- synonyms:
- jaunt, ramble, spin, stroll, walk, whirl
- similar words:
- constitutional, drive, excursion, hike, meander, promenade, ride, tramp
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| related words: |
coordinate, current, curve, departure, propensity, wrench |
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| phrase: |
at every turn, out of turn, take turns, turn a blind eye |
Turn comes from tornare, which means "to turn on a lathe." This Latin word comes from tornos, an ancient Greek word that meant "tool for drawing circles."
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