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\ ˈtərn 
\
\turned; turning; turns
Definition of turn
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a : to cause to move around an axis or a center : make rotate or revolve
turn a wheel turn a crank
b(1) : to cause to move around so as to effect a desired end (as of locking, opening, or shutting)
turned the knob till the door opened
(2) : to affect or alter the functioning of (something, such as a mechanical device) or the level of (something, such as sound) by such movement
turn the oven to 400° turn the music to full volume
c : to execute or perform by rotating or revolving
turn handsprings
d : to twist out of line or shape : wrench had turned his ankle
2a(1) : to cause to change position by moving through an arc of a circle
turned her chair to the fire
(2) : to cause to move around a center so as to show another side of
turn the page
(3) : to cause (a scale) to move so as to register weight
b : to revolve mentally : think over : ponder
3a : to reverse the sides or surfaces of : invert turn pancakes turn the shirt inside out : such as
(1) : to dig or plow so as to bring the lower soil to the surface
turn the compost weekly
(2) : to make (a garment) over by reversing the material and resewing
turn a collar
(3) : to invert (something, such as a character, rule, or slug) feet up and face down in setting type
b : to reverse or upset the order or disposition of
everything was turned topsy-turvy
d : to set in another especially contrary direction
4a : to bend or change the course of : divert a battle that turned the tide of history
b : to bend a course around or about : round turned the corner at full speed
c : to cause to retreat
used fire hoses to turn the mob
d : to alter the drift, tendency, or expected result of
5a(1) : to direct or point (something, such as the face) in a specified way or direction
(2) : to present by a change in direction or position
turning his back to his guests
b : to direct (something, such as the attention or mind) toward or away from something
d(1) : to cause to rebound or recoil
turns their argument against them
(2) : to make antagonistic : prejudice turn a child against its mother
f : to bring to bear (as by aiming, pointing, or focusing) : train turned the light into the dark doorway turned a questioning eye toward her
6a(1) : to make acid or sour
(2) : to change the color of (foliage)
(2) : translate, paraphrase
c : to cause to become of a specified nature or appearance
turned him into a frog embarrassment turned her face red
d : to exchange for something else
turn coins into paper money
e : to cause to defect to another side
7a : to shape especially in a rounded form by applying a cutting tool while revolving in a lathe
b : to give a rounded form to by any means
turn the heel of a sock
c : to shape or mold artistically, gracefully, or neatly
a well turned phrase
8 : to make a fold, bend, or curve in:
a : to form by bending
turn a lead pipe
9a : to gain in the course of business
turning a quick profit
b : to keep (money, goods, etc.) moving specifically : to dispose of (a stock) to make room for another
c : to make use of
turned her education to advantage
d : to carry to completion : pull off turned a double play turn a deal
10 : to engage in (an act of prostitution)
turn tricks
1a : to move around on an axis or through an arc of a circle : rotate
b(1) : to become focused on something specified
the conversation turned to baseball
(2) : to have as a decisive factor : hinge the argument turns on a point of logic the outcome of the game turned on an interception
(3) : to have a center (as of interest) in something specified
the discussion turned on the overall worth of the project
c : to become giddy or dizzy : spin heights always made his head turn
2a : to direct one's course
b(1) : to reverse a course or direction
the tide has turned
(2) : to have a reactive usually adverse effect
c : to take a different course or direction
turned toward home the main road turns sharply to the right
3a : to change position (as of one's head) so as to face another way
everyone turned to stare
b : to face toward or away from someone or something
flowers turn toward the light
c : to change one's attitude or reverse one's course of action to one of opposition or hostility
felt the world had turned against him
d : to make a sudden violent assault especially without evident cause
dogs turning on their owners
4a : to direct one's attention to or away from someone or something
c : to direct one's efforts or activity : devote or apply oneself
turned to the study of the law turned to a life of crime
d(1) : to change one's religion
(2) : to go over to another side or party : defect
5a : to become changed, altered, or transformed
the weather turned : such as
(1) : to change color
the leaves have turned
(2) : to become sour, rancid, or tainted
the milk had turned
(3) : to be variable or inconstant
(4) : to become mentally unbalanced : become deranged
(5) archaic : to become different
b(1) : to pass from one state to another : change water had turned to ice
(3) : to become someone or something specified by change from another state : change into
turn pro doctors turned authors
(4) : to change by the passage of time
days turned into weeks and months
6 : to become curved or bent (as from pressure) especially : to become blunted by bending the edge of the knife had turned
7 : to operate a lathe
8 of merchandise : to be stocked and disposed of : change hands
turn a blind eye turn a deaf ear turn a hair turn color turn heads turn loose turn one's back on turn one's hand or turn a hand turn one's head turn one's stomach turn tail turn the other cheek turn the tables turn the trick turn turtle
: to refuse to see : be oblivious
might turn a blind eye to the use of violence— Arthur Krock
: to refuse to listen
: to give a sign of distress or disturbance
did not turn a hair when told of the savage murder — The Times Literary Supplement (London)
: to attract favorable attention
the car's sleek design is bound to turn heads
1a : to set free
turned loose the captured animal
b : to free from all restraints
turned them loose with a pile of theme paper to write whatever they liked— Elizabeth P. Schafer
2 : to fire off : discharge
3 : to open fire
2 : forsake turned his back on his obligations
: to set to work : apply oneself
: to cause to become infatuated or conceited
success had not turned his head
: to disgust completely : nauseate the foul smell turned his stomach
: to turn away so as to flee
: to respond to injury or unkindness with patience : forgo retaliation
: to bring about a reversal of the relative conditions or fortunes of two contending parties
: to bring about the desired result or effect
turn
nounDefinition of turn (Entry 2 of 2)
1a : the action or an act of turning about a center or axis : revolution, rotation
b : any of various rotating or pivoting movements in dancing or gymnastics
2a : the action or an act of giving or taking a different direction : change of course or posture
an illegal left turn : such as
(1) : a drill maneuver in which troops in mass formation change direction without preserving alignment
(2) : any of various shifts of direction in skiing
(3) : an interruption of a curve in figure skating
c : deflection, deviation
d : the action or an act of turning so as to face in the opposite direction : reversal of posture or course
an about turn the turn of the tide
e : a change effected by turning over to another side
a turn of the cards
3 : an act or deed affecting another especially when incidental or unexpected
one good turn deserves another
4a : a place, time, or opportunity accorded an individual or unit of a series in simple succession or in a scheduled order
waiting her turn in line
c : a period or tour of duty : shift
d : a short act or piece (as for a variety show) also : public appearance : performance makes frequent guest star turns
e(1) : an event in any gambling game after which bets are settled
(2) : the order of the last three cards in faro
—used in the phrase call the turn
5a : an act of changing : alteration, modification a nasty turn in the weather
b : a change in tendency, trend, or drift
hoped for a turn in his luck a turn for the better an unexpected turn of events
c : the beginning of a new period of time : the time when one period changes to the next
the turn of the century
6a : a fashioning of language or arrangement of words : manner of expression
skillful turns of phrase
b : distinctive quality or character
c : the shape or mold in which something is fashioned : cast
7 : a short trip out and back or round about
took a turn through the park
8 : something that revolves around a center: such as
a(1) : lathe
(2) : a catch or latch for a cupboard or cabinet door operated by turning a handle
b : a musical ornament consisting of a group of four or more notes that wind about the principal note by including the notes next above and next below
9 : a special purpose or requirement
—used chiefly in the phrase serve one's turn
10a : the state or manner of being coiled or twisted
b : a single round (as of rope passed about an object or of wire wound on a core)
11 : natural or special ability or aptitude : bent, inclination a turn for logic an optimistic turn of mind
12 : a special twist, construction, or interpretation
gave the old yarn a new turn
13a : a disordering spell or attack (as of illness, faintness, or dizziness)
b : a nervous start or shock
snuck up on her and gave her quite a turn
14a : a complete transaction involving a purchase and sale of securities also : a profit from such a transaction
15 : something turned or to be turned: such as
a : a character or slug inverted in setting type
b : a piece of type placed bottom up
at every turn by turns in turn on the turn out of turn to a turn
: on every occasion : continually they opposed her at every turn
1 : one after another in regular succession
2 : variously, alternately a book that is by turns pedantic, delightful, and infuriating
: in due order of succession
: at the point of turning
tide is on the turn
1 : not in due order of succession
play out of turn
2 : at a wrong time or place and usually imprudently
talking out of turn
: to perfection
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Other Words from turn
Verb
turnable \ ˈtər-nə-bəl \ adjective
\ adjective
Examples of turn in a Sentence
Verb
He turned the key and opened the door.
She slowly turned the doorknob. Turn the steering wheel all the way to the left.
Someone turned the switch and the lights came on.
They turned and walked away.
She turned to leave—but stopped.
He turned aside to let me pass.
The patient turned onto his side.
The photographer asked her to turn slightly to her left.
He turned himself around to see the back of his shirt in the mirror. Noun
You have to wait your turn in line.
Is it my turn yet?
Give the wheel another turn.
He tightened the screw with one last turn.
With a turn of the switch, the lights came back on.
Take a left-hand turn at the next intersection.
a quick turn of her head
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Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Add the sauce to the pan and turn the heat to high; bring to a boil.
—
NBC News, "Healthy 30-minute meals: Moo shu chicken lettuce wraps," 5 Feb. 2020 Luckily, Julia secured the sandwich and eventually turned her attention to the group of guys—including Ojas.
—
al, "This Birmingham couple had 2 weddings in 2 countries," 5 Feb. 2020 Toronto police turned Huerta over to U.S. Marshals, who returned him to Arizona.
—
Robert Gearty, Fox News, "Arizona cops find fugitive in Canada through his relatives, friends' social media posts," 4 Feb. 2020 Companies are just now turning their attention to male partners.
—
Polina Marinova, Fortune, "What we know about WeWork’s new CEO," 3 Feb. 2020 Officers responded to the area around 8:51 a.m. and located the body, and San Francisco firefighters were able to recover it before turning the body over to the medical examiner, according to San Francisco police.
—
Josh Koehn, SFChronicle.com, "Body found floating in lake at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park," 3 Feb. 2020 While going through the intersection the suspect hit another vehicle before turning onto Warrenton.
—
Houston Chronicle, "Memorial Villages Police Department weekly report," 3 Feb. 2020 Dozens of passengers were onboard when Christian launched into a loud tirade that escalated into a shoving match before turning deadly.
—
oregonlive, "MAX stabbing trial of Jeremy Christian continues Monday with more witnesses on tap," 3 Feb. 2020 Police said his girlfriend later turned the phone over to investigators who located child pornography on the device.
—
Cameron Knight, Cincinnati.com, "Police: Cheviot man facing child porn charges," 3 Feb. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The Houthis, in turn, fired rockets at targets inside Saudi Arabia.
—
The Economist, "Mimicking the mullahs The Houthi model of government," 8 Feb. 2020 According to the committee, the public may perceive the Federalist Society as having partisan aims, so the public may in turn perceive a judicial member as partial.
—
Nathan L. Kinard, National Review, "Ethics Rules Do Not Bar Judges from Membership in the Federalist Society," 6 Feb. 2020 Scorsese, in turn, has spent the awards season blasting comic-book movies.
—
Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, "Oscars 2020 Spotlight: The Directors," 6 Feb. 2020 Trump, in turn, launched a retweet storm criticizing the House speaker.
—
Julie Hinds, Detroit Free Press, "Pelosi tearing Trump's State of the Union speech is top paper-ripping moment ever," 5 Feb. 2020 The show was an artful deception from start to finish, giddy with its own twists and turns (guided by an actual philosopher, Clemson University professor Todd May) and happy to lapse into the absurd.
—
Washington Post, "What did ‘The Good Place’ teach us? That even eternal bliss needs a happy ending.," 31 Jan. 2020 In the near future, the $344 million facility, which sits on Haleakala volcano in Hawaii, will also gauge the twists and turns of the invisible but fierce force that drives space weather: magnetism.
—
Charlie Wood, Popular Science, "These close-up photos of the sun could help us forecast space weather," 31 Jan. 2020 There are too many twists and turns of Sebastian’s career to cover adequately.
—
Chris Varias, Cincinnati.com, "John Sebastian shares memory of recording live with Lonnie Mack and Jim Morrison," 29 Jan. 2020 And if the advent of GPS included several unexpected twists and turns, the scale of its eventual impact has also proved surprising.
—
Katherine Dunn, Fortune, "How GPS went from being the tech everyone hated to the tech everyone needs," 24 Jan. 2020
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'turn.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for turn
turn
verbEnglish Language Learners Definition of turn
(Entry 1 of 2)
: to move around a central point
: to cause your body or a part of your body to face a different direction
: to cause (something or a side of something) to face an opposite or different direction
turn
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of turn (Entry 2 of 2)
: an opportunity or responsibility to do or use something before or after other people
: an act of turning something around a central point
: an act of changing the direction that someone or something is facing or moving in
See the full definition for turn in the English Language Learners Dictionary
turn
verb\ ˈtərn \
\turned; turning
Kids Definition of turn
(Entry 1 of 2)
1 : to change in position usually by moving through an arc of a circle
They turned and walked away. Turn the pancakes over.
2 : to change course or direction
The road turns to the left.
3 : to move or direct toward or away from something
We turned toward home.
4 : to become or cause to become a certain way
The weather turned leaves red.
5 : change entry 1 sense 1, transform turn lead into gold
6 : to move or cause to move around a center : rotate The earth turns on its axis.
7 : to twist so as to bring about a desired end
Turn the key to unlock the door.
8 : to go around
We turned the corner.
9 : to reach or pass beyond
Soon she will turn ten.
10 : to become or make very unfriendly
We were friends until she turned on me.
11 : to pass from one state to another : become The weather turned cold.
12 : execute sense 2, perform turn somersaults
13 : to set in another and especially an opposite direction
It's difficult to turn the car on such a narrow street.
14 : wrench entry 1 sense 2 turn an ankle
15 : upset entry 1 sense 2 His behavior turns my stomach.
16 : to make an appeal
He turned to a friend for help.
17 : to make or become spoiled
The milk turned.
18 : translate sense 1
19 : to give a rounded form to (as on a lathe)
turn down turn off turn on turn out turn over turn tail turn up
1 : to lower by using a control
Turn down the heat.
2 : refuse entry 1 sense 1, reject I turned down the offer.
3 : to fold back or under
Turn down the sheets.
1 : to stop by using a control
Remember to turn off the alarm.
2 : to change direction
They turned off onto another road.
: to make work by using a control
Turn on the light.
1 : to prove to be
The noise turned out to be from mice.
2 : to turn off
: to give control or responsibility of to someone
: to turn so as to run away
1 : to be found or happen unexpectedly
Don't worry, the key will turn up.
2 : to raise by or as if by using a control
Turn up the volume.
3 : arrive sense 1
turn
nounKids Definition of turn (Entry 2 of 2)
1 : the act of moving about a center
Give the crank another turn.
2 : a change or changing of direction, course, or position
Make a left turn.
3 : a place at which something changes direction
a turn in the road
4 : a period of action or activity : spell I had my turn as guard.
5 : proper place in a waiting line or time in a schedule
Take your turn.
6 : a change or changing of the general state or condition
Business took a turn for the better.
7 : an act affecting another
Do a friend a good turn.
8 : a short walk or ride
They took a turn through the park.
9 : a special purpose or need
That will serve the turn.
10 : special quality
a nice turn of phrase
11 : the beginning of a new period of time
the turn of the century
12 : a single circle or loop (as of rope passed around an object)
13 : natural or special skill
She has a turn for writing.
at every turn by turns in turn to a turn
: all the time : constantly, continuously She has managed to succeed at every turn.
: one after another
: one after the other in order
: precisely right
The turkey was cooked to a turn.
turn
transitive verb\ ˈtərn \
\Medical Definition of turn
: to injure by twisting or wrenching
turned his ankle
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turn
intransitive verbLegal Definition of turn
: to have a specified decisive factor
—used with on the first of the cases…turned on first amendment issues— K. A. Cohen
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Share turn
Time Traveler for turn
The first known use of turn was before the 12th century
See more words from the same century