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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, Grammatical Patterns
| 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.[verb + smby/smth + noun/adj
]
- 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.[verb + smby/smth + noun/adj
]
- 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 |
adverb + (v.)turn
instinctively
(v.)turn
+ adverb
abruptly, around, away, clockwise, inward, left, loose, off, out, outward, over, round, sharply, sideways, slowly, upside, upside-down
(v.)turn
+ noun
attention,
burner,
clock,
conditioner,
corner,
crank,
dial,
dime,
dough,
driveway,
faucet,
flashlight,
frown,
gaze,
head,
headlight,
heater,
heel,
ignition,
knob,
lamp,
light,
notch,
page,
pro,
recorder,
screw,
spigot,
tap,
thermostat,
versatility,
wiper
[See all][See only the most frequent]
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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 |
adjective + (n.)turn
abrupt, bizarre, carved, dramatic, high-speed, left, left-hand, quick, right-hand, round, sharp, sudden, surprising, tight, tragic, unexpected, wrong
verb + (n.)turn
await, carve, initiate, round, skid, take, wait
(n.)turn
+ verb
influence, stimulate
noun + (n.)turn
arc, finesse, hairpin, shrimp, ski, speed, twist
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| phrase: |
at every turn, out of turn, take turns, turn a blind eye |
| derivation: |
turnable (adj.) |
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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