—turn /tɜːn/ aep /tɝːn/
noun (CHANGE IN DIRECTION)
B2 [C] a change in the direction in which you are moving or facing:
» We got as far as the school, and there we had to make a right turn.» The path was full of twists and turns.Thesaurus+: ↑Changing directionon the turnF0 Something that is on the turn is about to change direction:
» The tide is on the turn.Thesaurus+: ↑Changing directionthe turn of sthC2 the point at which something changes or moves in a different direction:
» the turn of the tide» She was born around the turn of the century (= around 1900, 2000, etc.).Thesaurus+: ↑Changing directionThesaurus+: ↑Bends, loops and curvesWord Builder:–Nouns: turn, upturn, turning–Adjectives: upturned–Verbs: turn, overturn• • •
Extra Examples:» Take a right turn by the station.» Just take three left turns and you will reach the school.» I remembered to get to your house it was a left turn after the traffic lights.» He tried to take the turn too quickly and veered off the road.noun (DEVELOPMENT)
take a ... turnF0 to develop in a particular way:
» The situation took a nasty turn and the police were called.» Events took an unexpected turn when her mother suddenly arrived.Thesaurus+: ↑Making progress and advancing , ↑Becoming bettertake a turn for the better/worseC2 to suddenly become better or worse:
» Their relationship took a turn for the worse when he lost his job.Thesaurus+: ↑Becoming better , ↑Making things better , ↑Making progress and advancingThesaurus+: ↑Failing and doing badlynoun (TIME TO DO STH)
B1 [C] an opportunity or a duty to do something at a particular time or in a particular order, before or after other people:
» Is it my turn yet?» [+ to infinitive] I waited so long for my turn to see the careers adviser that I missed my train.» It's your turn to do the washing up!» In this game if you give the wrong answer you have to miss a turn.→ COMPARE GO(Cf. ↑go) noun (OPPORTUNITY)Thesaurus+: ↑Opportunity , ↑Freedom to acttake turns B2 (MAINLY UK take it in turn(s))F0 When a number of people take turns, they do the same thing one after the other:
» We take turns to answer the phone.Thesaurus+: ↑Replacing and exchangingin turn C1 (ALSO by turns)F0 one after the other in an agreed order:
» Each of us collects the mail in turn.Thesaurus+: ↑Simultaneous and consecutive , ↑Order and sequence• • •
Extra Examples:» Whose turn is it to buy the drinks?» I'm sorry, but you'll just have to wait your turn like everybody else.» Get to the end of the queue and wait your turn like everyone else.» Come on, it's my turn. Fair's fair!» Fair go mate, let the others have a turn!noun [C] (GO ROUND)
► F0 an action that causes something to move in a circle round a fixed point: » Give the screw a couple of turns to make sure it's tight.Thesaurus+: ↑Revolving, rotating and spinning• • •
Extra Examples:» I gave the knob a couple of turns.» One turn is enough to get the heating going.» It took several violent turns of the handle to set the tractor in motion.noun [C] (PERFORMANCE)
► F0 a stage act or performance: » The first couple of turns were children singing and dancing.Thesaurus+: ↑Spectacles and performancesnoun [C] OLD-FASHIONED INFORMAL (ILLNESS)
► F0 a slight illness, a strange feeling, or a nervous shock: » After the accident I started having funny turns.» It gave me quite a turn to see him after all these years.Thesaurus+: ↑Disease and illness - general wordsverb (BECOME) ↑Verb Endings for turn
B2 [L, I or T usually + adv/prep] to (cause to) become, change into, or come to be something:
» The weather has suddenly turned cold.» When I refused to pay, he turned nasty.» She turned pale and started to shiver.» The mood of the meeting turned solemn when the extent of the problem became known.» The companies worked well together for a time, but eventually the relationship turned sour (= became bad).» Keele, pop star turned business tycoon, has launched a new range of cosmetics.» The dry weather turned the soil into/to concrete.» By the end of September, the leaves have started to turn (= become brown).» Her attitude turned from politely interested to enthusiastic during the course of our conversation.Thesaurus+: ↑Changing , ↑Adapting and modifying , ↑Adapting and attuning to something , ↑Changing frequentlyturn 16, nine o'clock, etc.C1 to become a particular age or time:
» She turned 18 last year.» It's just turned ten o'clock.Thesaurus+: ↑Describing age and birthdays• • •
Extra Examples:» He started to turn grey in his mid-forties.» We're planning to turn the smallest bedroom into an office.» The situation could turn nasty at any moment.» He was an amateur singer until the age of 40, when he turned professional.» You make wine by leaving grape juice to ferment until all the sugar has turned to alcohol.verb (TWIST) ↑Verb Endings for turn
turn your ankle OLD-FASHIONED► F0 to damage the muscles in the foot by suddenly twisting it too strongly: » She turned her ankle on the rocks and had to hobble back to camp.Thesaurus+: ↑Injuring and injuriesverb [I or T, usually + adv/prep] (SWITCH) ↑Verb Endings for turn
► A2 to use a control to switch a piece of equipment or a power or water supply on or off, or to increase or reduce what it is producing: » Turn off/out the light.» Who turned the telly on?» I asked him to turn down the heating.» Turn the sound up - I can't hear what they're saying.» This sort of heater turns off (= can be switched off) at the mains.Thesaurus+: ↑Electricity and electronics• • •
Extra Examples:» Could you turn the light off, please?» To turn the television on, you just push this button.» The bath is running over - quick, turn the taps off.» Are you comfortable or shall I turn the heat down?» The electricity has been turned off.verb [I or T] (CHANGE DIRECTION) ↑Verb Endings for turn
► A2 to (cause to) change the direction in which you are facing or moving: » Turn right at the traffic lights.» The path twists and turns for the next half mile.» We have to turn down/into/up the next road on the right.» Plants tend to turn towards the source of light.» She turned to face him.» He turned round and waved to us.» He turned on his heel (= turned quickly to face the opposite direction) and left the room.» The person on my left turned to me and whispered "Not another speech!"» His wife tried to speak to him, but he turned his back (on her)/turned away (from her) (= moved himself round and away from her to show his anger).» At about three o'clock, the tide started to turn (= the sea started to come closer to or move away from the beach).» He turned his head to me to listen.» I'll just turn the car round and go back the way we've come.» We watched until the car had turned (= gone round) the corner.» The army turned their guns on (= pointed them at and started to shoot at) the protesters.» She can turn (= perform) a somersault.Thesaurus+: ↑Changing directionWord Builder:–Nouns: turn, upturn, turning–Adjectives: upturned–Verbs: turn, overturn• • •
Extra Examples:» Follow the road for two kilometres, then turn left.» The sight was so horrible that I had to turn away.» He would always turn and wave at the end of the street.» The intruders turned and ran as the police shone their torches full on them.» The plane turned northwards.verb [I or T] (CHANGE POSITION) ↑Verb Endings for turn
► B1 to move, or to move an object or page, so that a different side or surface is on the top: » Now turn the page, please, and start work on Exercise 2.» She turned the vase over to look for the price.» He turned over two or three pages.» She put out the light, turned over (= rolled in order to face in another direction) and went to sleep.» Now turn to (= open the book at) page 23 and look at the first paragraph.Thesaurus+: ↑Changing direction• • •
Extra Examples:» The car spun off the road, turned over twice and came to rest in a field.» That painting is upside-down - turn it the other way, quick!» It's time to turn the cassette over - that side's finished.» Turn the cushion the other way up, so that the stain doesn't show.» He keeps turning the pages, but I don't think he can actually be reading it that quickly.verb [I or T] (GO ROUND) ↑Verb Endings for turn
► B2 to (cause to) move in a circle round a fixed point or line: » The Earth turns on its axis once every 24 hours.» She turned on her toes, holding out her skirt.» The wheels started to turn (round).» Turn the steering wheel as quickly as you can.» She turned the doorknob and quietly opened the door.» Slowly, I turned the door handle.Thesaurus+: ↑Revolving, rotating and spinning• • •
Extra Examples:» There was no air conditioning, just a ceiling fan turning slowly.» I heard someone turn a key in the lock.» She turned the handle and slowly opened the door.» We watched as the sails of the windmill slowly started to turn.» When this wheel turns, it makes those big stones turn which grind the grain into flour.verb [T] SPECIALIZED (WOOD) ↑Verb Endings for turn
► F0 to shape a piece of wood while it is fixed to a machine that spins it: » a turned bowlThesaurus+: ↑Carpentry and joinery