turn
Other forms: turned; turning; turns
When you turn something, you rotate it or move it around an axis, the way you turn a key in a lock or turn a car's steering wheel.
Gears and wheels turn, and you can turn a screw with a screwdriver. You can also turn by shifting direction or changing position: "She turned away from him when he started telling terrible jokes." When you flip the page of a book, you turn that as well. And to transform or change is another way to turn: "He turned pale when he saw the ghost." Turn can also be used a noun meaning "an act or instance of rotating." And when you play a board game, you roll the dice when it's your turn.
Definitions of turn
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move around an axis or a center“The wheels are turning”
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go around, revolve, rotate
turn on or around an axis or a center
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drive in, screw
cause to penetrate, as with a circular motion
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screw
turn like a screw
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wheel, wheel around
change directions as if revolving on a pivot
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gyrate, reel, spin, spin around, whirl
revolve quickly and repeatedly around one's own axis
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swirl, twiddle, twirl, whirl
turn in a twisting or spinning motion
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type of:
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move
move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion
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cause to move around or rotate“turn a key”“turn your palm this way”
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reorient
cause to turn
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supinate
turn (the hand or forearm) so that the back is downward or backward, or turn out (the leg)
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port
put or turn on the left side, of a ship
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tip
cause to tilt
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cause to move along an axis or into a new direction“turn your face to the wall”“turn the car around”“turn your dance partner around”
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types:
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bring about
cause to move into the opposite direction
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bring about
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shape by rotating on a lathe or cutting device or a wheel
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twist suddenly so as to sprain
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accomplish by rotating
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a circular segment of a curve
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turning or twisting around (in place)
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synonyms:
twist
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types:
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twiddle
a series of small (usually idle) twists or turns
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type of:
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rotary motion, rotation
the act of rotating as if on an axis
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twiddle
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cause to move around a center so as to show another side of
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to break and turn over earth especially with a plow
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pass to the other side of“turn the corner”
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synonyms:
move around
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cause (a plastic object) to assume a crooked or angular form“the strong man could turn an iron bar”
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Antonyms:
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unbend
free from flexure
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dent, indent
make a depression into
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incurvate
cause to curve inward
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gnarl
twist into a state of deformity
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crank
bend into the shape of a crank
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convolute, convolve
curl, wind, or twist together
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type of:
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change form, change shape, deform
assume a different shape or form
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unbend
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to send or let go
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direct at someone
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let (something) fall or spill from a container“turn the flour onto a plate”
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synonyms:
release
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types:
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deflate
release contained air or gas from
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throw
throw (a die) out onto a flat surface
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shoot
throw dice, as in a crap game
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type of:
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channel, channelise, channelize, transfer, transmit, transport
send from one person or place to another
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deflate
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the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course“he took a turn to the right”
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synonyms:
turning
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types:
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deflection, deflexion, deviation, digression, divagation, diversion
a turning aside (of your course or attention or concern)
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right
a turn toward the side of the body that is on the south when the person is facing east
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left
a turn toward the side of the body that is on the north when the person is facing east
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kick turn
a standing turn made in skiing; one ski is raised to the vertical and pivoted backward to become parallel with the other ski but headed in the opposite direction and then the other ski is aligned with the first
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stem, stem turn
a turn made in skiing; the back of one ski is forced outward and the other ski is brought parallel to it
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telemark
a turn made in skiing; the outside ski is placed ahead and turned gradually inwards
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swerve, swerving, veering
the act of turning aside suddenly
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three-point turn
the act of turning a vehicle around in a limited space by moving in a series of back and forward arcs
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version
manual turning of a fetus in the uterus (usually to aid delivery)
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red herring
any diversion intended to distract attention from the main issue
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type of:
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change of course
a change in the direction that you are moving
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the act of turning away or in the opposite direction“he made an abrupt turn away from her”
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type of:
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change of direction, reorientation
the act of changing the direction in which something is oriented
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change of direction, reorientation
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taking a short walk out and back“we took a turn in the park”
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type of:
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walk
the act of walking somewhere
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walk
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a movement in a new direction
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synonyms:
turning
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reversal, turn around
turning in an opposite direction or position
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swerve, yaw
an erratic deflection from an intended course
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gyration, revolution, rotation
a single complete turn (axial or orbital)
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coming back, return
the occurrence of a change in direction back in the opposite direction
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volution
a rolling or revolving motion
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clockwise rotation, dextrorotation
rotation to the right
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counterclockwise rotation, levorotation
rotation to the left
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axial motion, axial rotation, roll
rotary motion of an object around its own axis
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orbital motion, orbital rotation
motion of an object in an orbit around a fixed point
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spin
a swift whirling motion (usually of a missile)
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change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense“Turn towards me”“She turned from herself and learned to listen to others' needs”
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twist
turn in the opposite direction
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flip, flip over, turn over
turn upside down, or throw so as to reverse
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turn on a dime
have a small turning radius
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roll, turn over
move by turning over or rotating
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roll over
make a rolling motion or turn
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swing about, swing around, turn around
turn abruptly and face the other way, either physically or metaphorically
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flip, toss
lightly throw to see which side comes up
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port
turn or go to the port or left side, of a ship
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face
turn so as to face; turn the face in a certain direction
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turn off
make a turn
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turn away
move so as not face somebody or something
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gee
turn to the right side
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about-face
turn, usually 180 degrees
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caracole
make a half turn on a horse, in dressage
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corner
turn a corner
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overturn, tip over, tump over, turn over
turn from an upright or normal position
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bend
change direction
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curve, cut, sheer, slew, slue, swerve, trend, veer
turn sharply; change direction abruptly
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deflect
turn aside and away from an initial or intended course
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bend, deflect, turn away
turn from a straight course, fixed direction, or line of interest
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avert, turn away
turn away or aside
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rotate, splay, spread out, turn out
turn outward
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circumvolve, rotate
cause to turn on an axis or center
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pivot, swivel
turn on a pivot
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coil, gyrate, spiral
wind or move in a spiral course
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corkscrew, spiral
move in a spiral or zigzag course
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deviate, divert
turn aside; turn away from
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pronate
turn the forearm or the hand so that the palm is directed downwards
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crick
twist (a body part) into a strained position
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quirk
twist or curve abruptly
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curl, wave
twist or roll into coils or ringlets
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crank, crank up
rotate with a crank
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rim
roll around the rim of
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somersault
do a somersault
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tumble
roll over and over, back and forth
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capsize, turn turtle, turtle
overturn accidentally
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upend
become turned or set on end
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peel off
leave a formation
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yaw
swerve off course momentarily
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birl, spin, twirl, whirl
cause to spin
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birl, birle
cause a floating log to rotate by treading
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pirouette
do a pirouette, usually as part of a dance
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yaw
deviate erratically from a set course
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detour
travel via a detour
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depart, digress, sidetrack, straggle
wander from a direct or straight course
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welter
toss, roll, or rise and fall in an uncontrolled way
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type of:
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move
move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion
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undergo a transformation or a change of position or action“We turned from Socialism to Capitalism”
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synonyms:
change state
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grow
pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
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become
undergo a change or development
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arouse, awake, awaken, come alive, wake, wake up, waken
stop sleeping
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black out, pass out, zonk out
lose consciousness due to a sudden trauma, for example
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come to, resuscitate, revive
return to consciousness
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tense, tense up
become tense, nervous, or uneasy
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decompress, loosen up, relax, slow down, unbend, unwind
become less tense, rest, or take one's ease
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lose weight, melt off, reduce, slenderize, slim, slim down, thin
take off weight
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gain, put on
increase (one's body weight)
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apparel, clothe, dress, enclothe, fit out, garb, garment, habilitate, raiment, tog
provide with clothes or put clothes on
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cross-fertilise, cross-fertilize
undergo cross-fertilization; become fertile
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conceive
become pregnant; undergo conception
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secularise, secularize
make secular and draw away from a religious orientation
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citrate
cause to form a salt or ester of citric acid
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equilibrate
bring to a chemical stasis or equilibrium
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fall
pass suddenly and passively into a state of body or mind
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become, get, go, wax
enter or assume a certain state or condition
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decline, worsen
grow worse
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ameliorate, better, improve, meliorate
get better
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disengage
become free
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overgrow
become overgrown
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concentrate
make denser, stronger, or purer
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break
crack; of the male voice in puberty
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acetify, acidify
turn acidic
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alkalify, alkalise, alkalize, basify
turn basic and less acidic
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ionise, ionize
convert into ions
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ossify
become bony
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catalyse, catalyze
change by catalysis or cause to catalyze
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get worse, relapse
deteriorate in health
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fluctuate
be unstable
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break loose, burst forth, explode
be unleashed; emerge with violence or noise
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buy the farm, cash in one's chips, choke, conk, croak, decease, die, drop dead, exit, expire, give-up the ghost, go, kick the bucket, pass, pass away, perish, pop off, snuff it
pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
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be born
come into existence through birth
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cloud over
become overcast
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carbonise, carbonize
turn into carbon, as by burning
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chill, cool, cool down
loose heat
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heat, heat up, hot up
gain heat or get hot
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carbonise, carbonize, carburise, carburize
unite with carbon
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freeze
change to ice
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boil
come to the boiling point and change from a liquid to vapor
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burn, combust
undergo combustion
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emaciate
grow weak and thin or waste away physically
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Frenchify
become French in appearance or character
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thin
lose thickness; become thin or thinner
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inspissate, thicken
become thick or thicker
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solvate
undergo solvation or convert into a solvate
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react
undergo a chemical reaction; react with another substance under certain conditions
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dissolve, fade away, fade out
become weaker
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discharge, empty
become empty or void of its content
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fill, fill up
become full
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homogenise, homogenize
become homogeneous or similar, as by mixing
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homogenise, homogenize
break up the fat globules of
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clabber, clot, curdle
turn into curds
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clot, coagulate
change from a liquid to a thickened or solid state
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ferment, sour, work
go sour or spoil
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integrate
become one; become integrated
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precipitate
separate as a fine suspension of solid particles
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calcify
turn into lime; become calcified
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coke
become coke
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carnify
become muscular or fleshy
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chondrify
turn into cartilage
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emulsify
form into or become an emulsion
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denitrify
remove nitrogen from
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esterify
change (a compound) into an ester
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etherify
change into an ether
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thrombose
become blocked by a thrombus
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open, open up
become open
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close, shut
become closed
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sorb, take up
take up a liquid or a gas either by adsorption or by absorption
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calm, calm down, chill out, cool it, cool off, settle down, simmer down
become quiet or calm, especially after a state of agitation
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flourish, fly high, prosper, thrive
make steady progress; be at the high point in one's career or reach a high point in historical significance or importance
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emancipate, liberate
give equal rights to; of women and minorities
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get into, tangle with
get involved in or with
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liquefy
become liquid
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catch fire, combust, conflagrate, erupt, ignite, take fire
start to burn or burst into flames
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conk, faint, pass out, swoon
pass out from weakness, physical or emotional distress due to a loss of blood supply to the brain
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vege out, vegetate
engage in passive relaxation
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sit back, take it easy
settle into a comfortable sitting position
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prim, prim out, prim up
dress primly
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sweat off
lose weight by sweating
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fill out, flesh out, round
become round, plump, or shapely
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cover, wrap up
clothe, as if for protection from the elements
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jacket
put a jacket on
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frock
put a frock on
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shirt
put a shirt on
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habit
put a habit on
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vesture
provide or cover with a cloak
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overclothe, overdress
dress too warmly
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underdress
dress without sufficient warmth
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corset
dress with a corset
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shoe
furnish with shoes
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coat
cover or provide with a coat
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costume, dress up
dress in a costume
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robe, vest
clothe formally; especially in ecclesiastical robes
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abort
cease development, die, and be aborted
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hatch
emerge from the eggs
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inflame
become inflamed; get sore
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superfetate
conceive when a fetus is already present in the uterus
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come down, sicken
get sick
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degenerate, deteriorate, devolve, drop
grow worse
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convalesce, recover, recuperate
get over an illness or shock
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heal
get healthy again
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gown
dress in a gown
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pack on
gain (weight)
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drop
fall or sink into a state of exhaustion or death
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fall in love
begin to experience feelings of love towards
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sober, sober up
become sober after excessive alcohol consumption
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sober, sober up
become more realistic
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work
arrive at a certain condition through repeated motion
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reform, see the light, straighten out
change for the better
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surge
see one's performance improve
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deprive, impoverish
take away
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fail
get worse
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tumble
suffer a sudden downfall, overthrow, or defeat
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drop away, drop off, fall away, slip
get worse
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suffer
get worse
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lose, suffer
be set at a disadvantage
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pick up, turn around
improve significantly; go from bad to good
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unlock
become unlocked
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regress, retrograde, retrogress
get worse or fall back to a previous condition
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bounce back, get over, get well
improve in health
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heal, mend
heal or recover
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asphyxiate, stifle, suffocate
be asphyxiated; die from lack of oxygen
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buy it, pip out
be killed or die;
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drown
die from being submerged in water, getting water into the lungs, and asphyxiating
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fall
be born, used chiefly of lambs
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predecease
die before; die earlier than
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come into being, come to life
be born or come into existence
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merge, unify, unite
become one
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overheat
get excessively and undesirably hot
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glaciate
become frozen and covered with glaciers
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boil over, overboil
overflow or cause to overflow while boiling
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burn down, burn up, go up
burn completely; be consumed or destroyed by fire
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smolder, smoulder
burn slowly and without a flame
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curdle
turn from a liquid to a solid mass
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flow away, flow off
flow off or away gradually
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water
fill with tears
-
flood
become filled to overflowing
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rack up
supply a rack with feed for (horses or other animals)
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lysogenize
become integrated into the genome of (a bacterium)
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fructify
become productive or fruitful
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take effect
go into effect or become effective or operative
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bromate, brominate
react with bromine
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declutch
disengage the clutch of a car
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run
change from one state to another
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take
be seized or affected in a specified way
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break
come into being
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settle
become resolved, fixed, established, or quiet
-
turn down
take a downward direction
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scorch, sear, singe
become superficially burned
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upgrade
get better travel conditions
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deflagrate
burn with great heat and intense light
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famish, starve
die of food deprivation
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unfasten
become undone or untied
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fly open
come open suddenly
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absorb
become imbued
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adsorb
accumulate (liquids or gases) on the surface
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chemisorb
take up a substance by chemisorption
-
fall
die, as in battle or in a hunt
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succumb, yield
be fatally overwhelmed
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reincarnate, transmigrate
be born anew in another body after death
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fry
be excessively hot
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flame
be in flames or aflame
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blow out
erupt in an uncontrolled manner
-
catch
start burning
-
light up
start to burn with a bright flame
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blaze up, burn up, flame up, flare
burn brightly
-
blaze
burn brightly and intensely
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accessorize
provide with small, decorative articles of clothing, jewelry, etc.
-
type of:
-
change
undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature
-
grow
-
cause to change or turn into something different;assume new characteristics
-
channel one's attention, interest, thought, or attention toward or away from something
-
have recourse to or make an appeal or request for help or information to
-
pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become“The weather turned nasty”
-
synonyms:
grow
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change state
undergo a transformation or a change of position or action
-
change state
-
undergo a change or development“The water turned into ice”“He turned traitor”
-
synonyms:
become
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change state
undergo a transformation or a change of position or action
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types:
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boil down, come down, reduce
be the essential element
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choke, suffocate
become stultified, suppressed, or stifled
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nucleate
form into a nucleus
-
add up, amount, come
develop into
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aggregate
amount in the aggregate to
-
type of:
-
metamorphose, transform, transmute
change in outward structure or looks
-
change state
-
change to the contrary“the tides turned against him”
-
synonyms:
change by reversal, reverse
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types:
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alternate, flip, flip-flop, interchange, switch, tack
reverse (a direction, attitude, or course of action)
-
turn the tables, turn the tide
cause a complete reversal of the circumstances
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commutate
reverse the direction of (an alternating electric current) each half cycle so as to produce a unidirectional current
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exchange, switch, switch over
change over, change around, as to a new order or sequence
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correct, rectify, right
make right or correct
-
falsify
falsify knowingly
-
commute, permute, transpose
change the order or arrangement of
-
metamorphose, transfigure, transmogrify
change completely the nature or appearance of
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regress, retrovert, return, revert, turn back
go back to a previous state
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desynchronise, desynchronize
cause to become desynchronized; cause to occur at unrelated times
-
deconsecrate, desecrate, unhallow
remove the consecration from a person or an object
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undo
cancel, annul, or reverse an action or its effect
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fall back, lapse, recidivate, regress, relapse, retrogress
go back to bad behavior
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amend, rectify, remediate, remedy, repair
set straight or right
-
debug
locate and correct errors in a computer program code
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map, represent
to establish a mapping (of mathematical elements or sets)
-
resile
return to the original position or state after being stretched or compressed
-
go back, recover, recuperate
regain a former condition after a financial loss
-
unbrace, unlace, untie
undo the ties of
-
unstrap
remove the strap or straps from
-
unhitch
unfasten or release from or as if from a hitch
-
unpick
undo (the stitches) of (a piece of sewing)
-
unfasten
cause to become undone
-
unbelt
undo the belt of
-
unstaple
take the staples off
-
unclip
remove the clip from
-
unbutton
undo the buttons of
-
unpin
remove the pins from; unfasten the pins of
-
disconnect, unplug
pull the plug of (electrical appliances) and render inoperable
-
unbraid
undo the braids of
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unknot, unpick, unravel, unscramble, untangle
become or cause to become undone by separating the fibers or threads of
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disentangle, unwind
separate the tangles of
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unbuckle
undo the buckle of
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open, spread, spread out, unfold
spread out or open from a closed or folded state
-
unwire
undo the wiring of
-
type of:
-
change
undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature
-
alter the functioning or setting of
-
change color
-
go sour or spoil
-
become officially one year older
-
an unforeseen development“events suddenly took an awkward turn”
-
synonyms:
turn of events, twist
-
type of:
-
development
a recent event that has some relevance for the present situation
-
development
-
(game) the activity of doing something in an agreed succession“it is my turn”
-
synonyms:
play
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types:
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move
(game) a player's turn to take some action permitted by the rules of the game
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start, starting
a turn to be a starter (in a game at the beginning)
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innings
the batting turn of a cricket player or team
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attack
an offensive move in a sport or game
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down
(American football) a complete play to advance the football
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at-bat, bat
(baseball) a turn trying to get a hit
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lead
the playing of a card to start a trick in bridge
-
ruff, trumping
(card games) the act of taking a trick with a trump when unable to follow suit
-
trick
(card games) in a single round, the sequence of cards played by all the players; the high card is the winner
-
chess move
the act of moving a chess piece
-
follow-on
an immediate second innings forced on a cricket team scoring a prescribed number of runs fewer than its opponents in the first innings
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counterattack, counterplay
(chess) an attack that is intended to counter the opponent's advantage in another part of the board
-
type of:
-
activity
any specific behavior
-
a time for working (after which you will be relieved by someone else)
-
type of:
-
duty period, shift, work shift
the time period during which you are at work
-
duty period, shift, work shift
-
(sports) a division during which one team is on the offensive
-
types:
-
top, top of the inning
the first half of an inning; while the visiting team is at bat
-
bottom, bottom of the inning
the second half of an inning; while the home team is at bat
-
top, top of the inning
-
a short theatrical performance that is part of a longer program
-
types:
-
show-stopper, showstopper, stopper
an act so striking or impressive that the show must be delayed until the audience quiets down
-
type of:
-
performance, public presentation
a dramatic or musical entertainment
-
show-stopper, showstopper, stopper
-
a favor for someone
-
get by buying and selling
Pronunciation
US
/tərn/
UK
/tən/
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