figurative. To turn aside in conduct; esp. to swerve or fall away (from rectitude, duty, allegiance, instructions, etc.). Obsolete.

intransitive. To desert or revolt from (a leader, party, etc.); to turn away, deviate, or withdraw from (a course, purpose, principle, undertaking…

intransitive. To turn away from a person or thing; to abandon, desert. Obsolete.

intransitive. To abandon, desert, or withdraw one's support from a person, party, organization, or cause. Usually with from (also occasionally with to…

to turn (one's) tippet: to change one's course or behaviour completely; in bad sense, to act the turncoat or renegade. Obsolete.

intransitive. To go over to (†unto) (a rival power, another's service, etc.). †Also with on (a person's side). Now rare.

To be a deserter or rebel; to fall away from duty or allegiance, or from a person. Obsolete.

to turn one's coat: to change sides, to desert one's party or principles. Cf. turncoat, n. a.

intransitive. To change from one side or point of view to another (often that of the speaker), esp. as a result of persuasion. Frequently with to.

= apostatize, v.

to change (†one's) sides: to withdraw one's support from one side and give it to another in a battle, dispute, etc.; to change allegiance.

intransitive. To abandon or desert a person, party, organization, or cause, esp. in favour of an opposing one. Frequently with from specifying the…

intransitive. To abandon one's religion, party, etc.; to become a renegade. Frequently with from.

to change (one's) foot: to change allegiance. Obsolete.

intransitive. To change one's allegiance; = to go over 2a at go, v. phrasal verbs 1.

to face about (also to face right about and variants): to turn the face in the opposite direction (also figurative). Hence (Military) as imperative…

gen. To abandon a principle, desert a party.

intransitive. = tergiversate, v.

intransitive. To practise tergiversation; to desert one's party, turn renegade, apostatize; to shift, shuffle, use subterfuge or evasion; †to refuse…

intransitive (or absol.) To forsake one's duty, one's post, or one's party; esp. of a soldier or sailor: To quit or run away from the service in…

intransitive. To abandon or renounce a religion or religious belief; to move from one faith to another; to become an apostate. In extended use…

intransitive. To abandon one's religion, party, etc.; = renegade, v.

slang. intransitive. Originally: (Politics) to desert a party, cause, or principle; to go over as a deserter; (now also) to abandon, desert, or…

Politics. to cross the floor: (esp. in a parliamentary system) to vote against one's own party, or leave one's party to join another; (in extended…

(intr.) to play the turncoat, to change sides.

Irish English colloquial. to take (the) soup: to convert from Catholicism to Protestantism; (hence in extended use) to switch one's allegiances…

intransitive. Of a criminal: to become an informer, to ‘grass’.