释义 |
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: turn to vb - (intr, adverb) to set about a task
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024turn /tɜrn/USA pronunciation v. - to (cause to) move around on an axis or about a center;
rotate: [~ + object]to turn a wheel.[no object]The wheel wouldn't turn. - to (cause to) move around or partly around: [~ + object]to turn a key in a door.[no object]The key turned in the lock.
- to reverse the position or placement of: [~ + object]to turn a page.[no object]The suspect turned and began to fire his gun.
- to direct, aim, or set toward: [~ + object]He turned his car toward the center of town.[no object]The car turned to the right and stopped.
- to bring the lower layers of (soil, etc.) to the surface, as in plowing:[~ + object]to turn the fields.
- to change the position or direction of;
move into a different position:[~ + object]to turn the handle one notch. - to change the focus or tendency of: [~ + object]She turned the conversation to a topic that was more pleasant.[no object]The conversation turned to more pleasant topics.
- to change or alter the nature or appearance of;
to (make something) become something else: [~ + object + adjective]Worry has turned his hair gray.[~ + object + to/into + object]The heat turned the ice to water.[no object]The neighborhood has turned into a slum.[no object* ~ + adjective]The milk turned sour. - to change the color of (leaves): [~ + object]The shortening of daylight has turned the leaves.[no object]The leaves have begun to turn; they're now a beautiful yellow.
- to (cause to) become sour or go bad: [no object]In the heat the milk turned.[~ + object]The hot air has turned the milk.
- Pathology, British Termsto (cause to) be affected with nausea, as the stomach: [~ + object]Violence turns her stomach.[no object]My stomach turned at the thought of all that violence.
- to (cause to) be put or applied to some use or purpose: [~ + object]He turned his mind to more practical matters.[no object]His mind turned to practical matters.
- to pass around: [~ + object]knew he was being followed, so he turned a corner and vanished.[no object]He turned to the left and vanished.
- to reach or pass (a certain age, etc.):[~ + noun]He turned sixty last week.
- Building[~ + object] to shape (a piece of metal, etc.) into form with a cutting tool while rotating it on a lathe.
- to form or express gracefully:[~ + object]In her letter writing she really shows an ability to turn a phrase.
- to cause to go;
send; drive:[~ + object + out/away]She turned him away. - to (cause to) be persuaded to change or reorder the course of one's life: [~ + object]He turned her to a life of crime.[~ + to + object]She turned to a life of crime.
- to (cause to) be angry (with) or betray: [~ + object]to turn children against their parents.[no object]They turned against their parents.
- to earn or gain:[~ + object]She turned a profit on the sale.
- to twist out of position;
wrench: [~ + object]He turned his ankle when he fell.[no object]His ankle turned when he fell. - Sport to perform (a gymnastic feat) by rotating or revolving:[~ + object]turned a somersault.
- to disorder the condition of:[~ + object]The crooks turned the apartment (upside down) looking for money.
- to hinge or depend:[not: be + ~-ing* ~ + on/upon + object]The whole question turns on this point.
- to direct one's gaze, etc., toward or away from someone or something: [no object]His gaze turned slowly from the window to his visitor.[~ + object]He turned his gaze toward her.
- to go to someone for help or information:[no object]to turn to a friend for a loan.
- turn away:
- [no object] to move the eyes away from someone or something:I offered her my hand, but she just turned away.
- to refuse to allow (someone) to enter: [~ + object + away]The guards turned us away.[~ + away + object]turned away anyone without an invitation.
- turn down:
- to turn over;
fold down: [~ + down + object]to turn down (the sheets or blankets of) a bed.[~ + object + down]to turn the bed down. - to lower in intensity;
lessen: [~ + down + object]to turn down the heat in the classroom.[~ + object + down]to turn the heat down. - to refuse or reject (a person, etc.): [~ + down + object]They turned down your request for promotion.[~ + object + down]She asked him to marry her, but he turned her down.
- turn in:
- to give (something) to someone in authority: [~ + in + object]Turn in your badge and report to the office.[~ + object + in]turned his badge in.
- to inform on (someone): [~ + object + in]Someone turned us in.[~ + in + object]He'd turn in his own mother if the reward was enough.
- Informal Terms[no object] to go to bed;
retire:I'm exhausted; I think I'll turn in.
- turn off:
- to stop the flow of (water, etc.), as by closing a faucet or valve: [~ + off + object]The electrician turned off the electricity to the house.[~ + object + off]The plumber turned the water off.
- to extinguish (a light): [~ + off + object]Turn off the lights and go to bed.[~ + object + off]Turn the light off; it's too bright.
- to exit (a road) and proceed in a different direction: [~ + off + object]to turn off the highway and take the local road.[no object]Turn off when you get to the exit.
- Slang Termsto disgust* to cause a feeling of dislike;
to alienate: [~ + object + off]Her manners turn me off.[~ + off + object]turned off everyone with her bad manners.
- turn on:
- to cause (water, etc.) to flow, as by opening a valve: [~ + on + object]to turn on the gas.[~ + object + on]to turn the gas on again.
- to switch on (a light): [~ + on + object]Turn on a light; I can't see.[~ + object + on]Turn the lights on; I can't see.
- to put into operation;
activate: [~ + on + object]turned on the engine.[~ + object + on]She turned the engine on. - [~ + on + object] to start suddenly to show:He just turned on the charm.
- Slang Termsto persuade (a person) to take a narcotic drug: [~ + object + on]turned his friend on to LSD.[~ + on + object]wanted to turn on the whole city by pouring LSD into the water supply.
- Slang Terms[no object]to take a narcotic drug:to get a little marijuana and turn on.
- Slang Terms[~ + object + on]to arouse the interest of:Architecture really turns her on.
- Slang Terms[~ + object + on]to arouse sexually:When she walks into a room, she turns every man on.
- Also, turn upon. [~ + on + object] to become suddenly hostile to:I don't know what got her so angry; she's even turning on her friends.
- turn out:
- to extinguish (a light): [~ + out + object]Turn out the light; it's right in my eyes.[~ + object + out]Turn the lights out.
- to produce as the result of labor: [~ + out + object]The factory turns out fifty computers every hour.[~ + object + out]They sell them as fast as our factory can turn them out.
- [no object] to become in the end:How did things turn out?
- [~ + out + to + verb] to be found or known to be;
prove to be:He turned out to be an enemy.
- turn over:
- to move or be moved from one side to another: [no object]He mumbled in his sleep and turned over.[~ + object + over]She turned him over and got him out of bed.
- to put in reverse position;
invert: [~ + over + object]The cat turned over the bowl of milk.[~ + object + over]The child turned the plate over. - to transfer;
give: [~ + over + object]He went to the police and turned over the gun.[~ + object + over]He turned the gun over to the police. - to (cause to) start, as an engine: [no object]The engine won't turn over; the battery is dead.[~ + object + over]Turn the engine over.
- to think about;
ponder: [~ + over + object]turned over in his mind what she said to him.[~ + object + over]He kept turning the problem over in his mind.
- turn up:
- to fold (material, etc.) up to alter a garment: [~ + up + object]to turn up a hem.[~ + object + up]to turn a hem up.
- to (cause to) be uncovered or found: [no object]Some new facts have just turned up.[~ + up + object]turned up some new leads in the investigation.[~ + object + up]Did the detective turn anything up yet?
- to intensify or increase: [~ + up + object]to turn up the volume.[~ + object + up]to turn the volume up loud.
- [no object] to appear;
arrive; happen:always believed that "something (good) will turn up.'' - [no object] to be recovered:That old ring you lost; did it ever turn up?
n. [countable] - a movement of partial or total rotation:a turn of the handle.
- an act of changing position, etc., as by a movement around something:a turn of the head.
- [usually singular] a time for action:It's my turn to speak, so let me finish.See in turn and out of turn below.
- an act of changing or reversing course or direction.
- a place where a road, etc., turns;
bend:a turn in the road. - a single revolution, as of a wheel:He gave the wheel a couple of sharp turns.
- any change, as in nature or circumstances:She has suffered a turn for the worse in her long battle with cancer.
- the point or time of change:at the turn of the century (= when the century changed, as from 1899 to 1900).
- a passing of one thing around another, as of a rope around a mast.
- a distinctive form of expression:a clever turn of phrase.
- a short walk, ride, etc., out and back, esp. by different routes.
- one's natural way of thinking or acting:She's of a lively turn of mind.
- an act of service or disservice:She did me a good (bad) turn by (not) showing up for my speech.
- Informal Terms a nervous shock, as from fright:[usually singular]gave us quite a turn when she fell from the balance beam.
Idioms- Idioms at every turn, constantly:She betrayed us at every turn.
- Idioms by turns, one after another;
alternately:did their shopping and cleaning by turns. - Idioms in turn, in order of one following another:We shook hands in turn with each of the people on line.
- Idioms out of turn:
- not in the correct order:He went out of turn and tried to push his way to the front.
- at an unsuitable time;
unwisely; indiscreetly:He spoke out of turn.
- Idioms take turns, to succeed one another in order:We took turns making breakfast.
- Idioms turn one's back on, [~ + object] to abandon, ignore, or reject:She turned her back on her boyfriend and left him for another.
- Idioms turn the corner, to pass through a crisis safely:He was sick for months, but now he's begun to turn the corner.
- Idioms turn the tide, to reverse the course of events:The army was finally able to turn the tide and start pushing the invaders back.
turn•er, n. [countable] WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024turn (tûrn),USA pronunciation v.t. - to cause to move around on an axis or about a center;
rotate:to turn a wheel. - to cause to move around or partly around, as for the purpose of opening, closing, or tightening:to turn a key; to turn the cap of a jar.
- to reverse the position or placement of:to turn a page;to turn an egg;to turn a person around.
- to bring the lower layers of (sod, soil, etc.) to the surface, as in plowing.
- to change the position of, by or as if by rotating;
move into a different position:to turn the handle one notch. - to change or alter the course of;
divert; deflect:He turned the blow with his arm. - to change the focus or tendency of:She skillfully turned the conversation away from so unpleasant a subject.
- to reverse the progress of;
cause to retreat:The police turned the advancing rioters by firing over their heads. - to change or alter the nature, character, or appearance of:Worry turned his hair gray.
- to change or convert (usually fol. by into or to):to turn water into ice; to turn tears into laughter.
- to render or make by some change:Fear turned him cowardly and craven.
- to change the color of (leaves).
- to cause to become sour, to ferment, or the like:Warm weather turns milk.
- Pathology, British Termsto cause (the stomach) to reject food, liquid, etc.;
affect with nausea. - to change from one language or form of expression to another;
translate. - to put or apply to some use or purpose:He turned his mind to practical matters.
- to go or pass around or to the other side of:to turn a street corner.
- to get beyond or pass (a certain age, time, amount, etc.):His son just turned four.
- to direct, aim, or set toward, away from, or in a specified direction:to turn the car toward the center of town; to turn one's back to the audience.
- to direct (the eyes, face, etc.) another way;
avert. - Buildingto shape (a piece of metal, wood, etc.) into rounded form with a cutting tool while rotating the piece on a lathe.
- to bring into a rounded or curved form in any way.
- to shape artistically or gracefully, esp. in rounded form.
- to form or express gracefully:to turn a phrase well.
- to direct (thought, attention, desire, etc.) toward or away from something.
- to cause to go;
send; drive:to turn a person from one's door. - to revolve in the mind;
ponder (often fol. by over):He turned the idea over a couple of times before acting on it. - to persuade (a person) to change or reorder the course of his or her life.
- to cause to be prejudiced against:to turn a son against his father.
- to maintain a steady flow or circulation of (money or articles of commerce).
- to earn or gain:He turned a huge profit on the sale.
- to reverse or remake (a garment, shirt collar, etc.) so that the inner side becomes the outer.
- to pour from one container into another by inverting.
- to curve, bend, or twist.
- to twist out of position or sprain;
wrench:He turned his ankle. - to bend back or blunt (the edge of a blade).
- to perform (a gymnastic feat) by rotating or revolving:to turn a somersault.
- Psychiatryto disturb the mental balance of;
distract; derange. - to disorder or upset the placement or condition of:He turned the room upside down.
- [Obs.]
v.i. - to move around on an axis or about a center;
rotate. - Buildingto move partly around through the arc of a circle, as a door on a hinge.
- to hinge or depend (usually fol. by on or upon):The question turns on this point.
- to direct or set one's course toward, away from, or in a particular direction.
- to direct the face or gaze toward or away from someone or something.
- to direct one's thought, attention, desire, etc., toward or away from someone or something.
- to give or apply one's interest, attention, effort, etc., to something;
pursue:He turned to the study and practice of medicine. - to change or reverse a course so as to go in a different or the opposite direction:to turn to the right.
- to change position so as to face in a different or the opposite direction.
- to change or reverse position or posture as by a rotary motion.
- to shift the body about as if on an axis:to turn on one's side while sleeping.
- to assume a curved form;
bend. - to become blunted or dulled by bending, as the cutting edge of a knife or saw.
- Pathologyto be affected with nausea, as the stomach.
- to be affected with giddiness or dizziness;
have a sensation of whirling or reeling. - to adopt religion, a manner of life, etc., esp. as differing from a previous position or attitude:He turned to Christianity in his old age.
- to change or transfer one's loyalties;
defect:He turned from the Democrats and joined the Republicans. - to change an attitude or policy:to turn in favor of someone; to turn against a person.
- to change or alter, as in nature, character, or appearance.
- to become sour, rancid, fermented, or the like, as milk or butter.
- to change color:The leaves began to turn in October.
- to change so as to be;
become:a lawyer turned poet; to turn pale. - Psychiatryto become mentally unbalanced or distracted.
- Nautical, Naval Termsto put about or tack, as a ship.
- Journalism(of copy) to run either from the bottom of the last column on one page to the top of the first column on the following page or from one column on a page to the expected place in the next column on the page (opposed to jump).
- turn back:
- to retrace one's footsteps;
turn around to return. - to cause to go no further or to return, as by not welcoming;
send away. - to fold (a blanket, sheet of paper, etc.) on itself:Turn back the page to keep the place.
- turn down:
- to turn over;
fold down. - to lower in intensity;
lessen. - to refuse or reject (a person, request, etc.):The Marine Corps turned him down.
- turn in:
- to hand in;
submit:to turn in a resignation. - to inform on or deliver up:She promptly turned him in to the police.
- to turn from one path or course into another;
veer. - Informal Termsto go to bed;
retire:I never turn in before eleven o'clock.
- turn into:
- to drive a vehicle or to walk into (a street, store, etc.):We turned into the dead-end street. He turned into the saloon at the corner.
- to be changed, transformed, or converted into:He has turned into a very pleasant fellow. The caterpillar turned into a butterfly.
- turn off:
- to stop the flow of (water, gas, etc.), as by closing a faucet or valve.
- to extinguish (a light).
- to divert;
deflect. - to diverge or branch off, as a side road from a main road.
- to drive a vehicle or walk onto (a side road) from a main road:You turn off at 96th Street. Turn off the highway on the dirt road.
- [Slang.]to stop listening:You could see him turn off as the speaker droned on.
- Slang Termsto disaffect, alienate, or disgust.
- British Terms[Chiefly Brit.]to discharge an employee.
- turn on:
- to cause (water, gas, etc.) to flow, as by opening a valve.
- to switch on (a light).
- to put into operation;
activate. - to start suddenly to affect or show:She turned on the charm and won him over.
- Slang Termsto induce (a person) to start taking a narcotic drug.
- Slang Termsto take a narcotic drug.
- Slang Termsto arouse or excite the interest of;
engage:the first lecture that really turned me on. - Slang Termsto arouse sexually.
- Also, turn upon. to become suddenly hostile to:The dog turned on its owner.
- turn one's hand to. See hand (def. 74).
- turn out:
- to extinguish (a light).
- to produce as the result of labor:She turned out four tapestries a year.
- to drive out;
dismiss; discharge:a premier turned out of office. - to fit out;
dress; equip. - to result;
issue. - to come to be;
become ultimately. - to be found or known;
prove. - to be present at;
appear. - Informal Termsto get out of bed.
- Naval Terms[Naut.]to order (a seaman or seamen) from quarters for duty.
- to cause to turn outward, as the toes.
- turn over:
- to move or be moved from one side to another.
- to put in reverse position;
invert. - to consider;
meditate; ponder. - to transfer;
give. - to start (an engine):He turned over the car motor.
- (of an engine) to start:The motor turned over without any trouble.
- Business[Com.]to purchase and then sell (goods or commodities).
- Business[Com.]to do business or sell goods to the amount of (a specified sum).
- Business[Com.]to invest or recover (capital) in some transaction or in the course of business.
- turn the tables. See table (def. 19).
- turn the tide. See tide 1 (def. 12).
- turn to:
- to apply to for aid;
appeal to:When he was starting out as an artist he turned to his friends for loans. - to begin to attend to or work at something:After the storm we turned to and cleaned up the debris.
- to change to:The ice turned to water.
- turn up:
- to fold (material, a hem, cuffs, etc.) up or over in order to alter a garment.
- to bring to the surface by digging:to turn up a shovelful of earth.
- to uncover;
find. - to intensify or increase.
- to happen;
occur:Let's wait and see what turns up. - to appear;
arrive:She turned up at the last moment. - to be recovered:I'm sure your watch will turn up eventually.
- to come to notice;
be seen.
n. - a movement of partial or total rotation:a slight turn of the handle.
- an act of changing or reversing position or posture, as by a rotary movement:a turn of the head.
- a time or opportunity for action which comes in due rotation or order to each of a number of persons, animals, etc.:It's my turn to pay the bill.
- an act of changing or reversing the course or direction:to make a turn to the right.
- a place or point at which such a change occurs.
- a place where a road, river, or the like turns;
bend:About a mile ahead, you'll come to a turn in the road. - a single revolution, as of a wheel.
- an act of turning so as to face or go in a different direction.
- direction, drift, or trend:The conversation took an interesting turn.
- any change, as in nature, character, condition, affairs, circumstances, etc.;
alteration; modification:a turn for the better. - the point or time of change.
- the time during which a worker or a set of workers is at work in alternation with others.
- that which is done by each of a number of persons acting in rotation or succession.
- rounded or curved form.
- the shape or mold in which something is formed or cast.
- a passing or twisting of one thing around another, as of a rope around a mast.
- the state of or a manner of being twisted.
- a single circular or convoluted shape, as of a coiled or wound rope.
- Buildinga small latch operated by a turning knob or lever.
- style, as of expression or language.
- a distinctive form or style imparted:a happy turn of expression.
- a short walk, ride, or the like out and back, esp. by different routes:Let's go for a turn in the park.
- a natural inclination, bent, tendency, or aptitude:one's turn of mind.
- a spell or period of work;
shift. - a spell or bout of action or activity, esp. in wrestling.
- an attack of illness or the like.
- an act of service or disservice:He once did her a good turn. She repaid it with a bad turn.
- requirement, exigency, or need:This will serve your turn.
- treatment or rendering, esp. with reference to the form or content of a work of literature, art, etc.;
twist:He gave the story a new turn. - Informal Termsa nervous shock, as from fright or astonishment:It certainly gave me quite a turn to see him.
- Business[Stock Exchange.]a complete securities transaction that includes both a purchase and sale.
- Music and Dancea melodic embellishment or grace, commonly consisting of a principal tone with two auxiliary tones, one above and the other below it.
- British Terms[Chiefly Brit.]an individual stage performance, esp. in a vaudeville theater or music hall.
- Militarya drill movement by which a formation changes fronts.
- a contest or round;
a bout, as in wrestling. - at every turn, in every case or instance;
constantly:We met with kindness at every turn. - by turns, one after another;
in rotation or succession; alternately:They did their shopping and cleaning by turns. - hand's turn, a period or piece of work:It won't be necessary for you to do a hand's turn yourself, but rather to supervise.
- in turn, in due order of succession:Each generation in turn must grapple with the same basic problems.
- on the turn, on the verge or in the process of turning;
changing:She said she hoped to be alive to see the century on the turn. - out of turn:
- not in the correct succession;
out of proper order. - at an unsuitable time;
imprudently; indiscreetly:He spoke out of turn and destroyed the cordial atmosphere of the meeting.
- take turns, to succeed one another in order;
rotate; alternate:They took turns walking the dog. - to a turn, to just the proper degree;
to perfection:The steak was done to a turn. - turn and turn about or turn about, by turns:They fought the fire, turn and turn about, until daybreak.
- Latin tornus, as above
- Anglo-French *torn, t(o)urn; Old French tor, t(o)ur
- Latin, as above; (noun, nominal) Middle English, partly derivative of the verb, verbal, partly
- Old French torner, t(o)urner
- Greek tórnos tool for making circles), partly
- Latin tornāre to turn in a lathe, round off (derivative of tornus lathe
- (verb, verbal) Middle English turnen, partly continuing Old English turnian, tyrnan bef. 1000
turn′a•ble, adj. - 9.See corresponding entry in Unabridged metamorphose, transmute, transform.
- 23, 24.See corresponding entry in Unabridged fashion, mold.
- 41.See corresponding entry in Unabridged Turn, revolve, rotate, spin indicate moving in a more or less rotary, circular fashion. Turn is the general and popular word for motion on an axis or around a center, but it is used also of motion that is less than a complete circle:A gate turns on its hinges.Revolve refers esp. to movement in an orbit around a center, but is sometimes exchangeable with rotate, which refers only to the motion of a body around its own center or axis:The moon revolves about the earth. The earth rotates on its axis.To spin is to rotate very rapidly:A top spins.
- 79.See corresponding entry in Unabridged spin, gyration, revolution.
- 88.See corresponding entry in Unabridged deviation, bend, twist, vicissitude, variation.
- 101.See corresponding entry in Unabridged talent, proclivity. Turn, cast, twist are colloquial in use and imply a bent, inclination, or habit. Turn means a tendency or inclination for something:a turn for art.Cast means an established habit of thought, manner, or style:a melancholy cast.Twist means a bias:a strange twist of thought.
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