turn

/tərn/

/tən/

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

1. verb

   move around an axis or a center
   “The wheels are turning”

   types:

   go around, revolve, rotate

   turn on or around an axis or a center

   drive in, screw

   cause to penetrate, as with a circular motion

   screw

   turn like a screw

   wheel, wheel around

   change directions as if revolving on a pivot

   gyrate, reel, spin, spin around, whirl

   revolve quickly and repeatedly around one's own axis

   swirl, twiddle, twirl, whirl

   turn in a twisting or spinning motion

   type of:

   move

   move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion
2. verb

   cause to move around or rotate
   “turn a key”

   “turn your palm this way”

   types:

   reorient

   cause to turn

   supinate

   turn (the hand or forearm) so that the back is downward or backward, or turn out (the leg)

   port

   put or turn on the left side, of a ship

   tip

   cause to tilt

   type of:

   displace, move

   cause to move or shift into a new position or place, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense
3. verb

   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”

   types:

   bring about

   cause to move into the opposite direction

   type of:

   displace, move

   cause to move or shift into a new position or place, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense
4. verb

   shape by rotating on a lathe or cutting device or a wheel
   “turn the legs of the table”

   “turn the clay on the wheel”

   type of:

   form, shape

   give shape or form to
5. verb

   twist suddenly so as to sprain
   “I turned my ankle and couldn't walk for several days”

   synonyms: rick, sprain, twist, wrench, wrick

   type of:

   injure, wound

   cause injuries or bodily harm to
6. verb

   accomplish by rotating
   “turn a somersault”

   “turn cartwheels”

   type of:

   do, perform

   get (something) done
7. noun

   a circular segment of a curve
   synonyms: bend, crook, twist

   types:

   bight

   a bend or curve (especially in a coastline)

   type of:

   curve, curved shape

   the trace of a point whose direction of motion changes
8. noun

   turning or twisting around (in place)
   synonyms: twist

   types:

   twiddle

   a series of small (usually idle) twists or turns

   type of:

   rotary motion, rotation

   the act of rotating as if on an axis
9. verb

   cause to move around a center so as to show another side of
   “turn a page of a book”

   synonyms: turn over

   types:

   evert

   turn inside out; turn the inner surface of outward

   leaf

   turn over pages

   type of:

   displace, move

   cause to move or shift into a new position or place, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense
10. verb

    to break and turn over earth especially with a plow
    “turn the earth in the Spring”

    synonyms: plough, plow

    types:

    ridge

    plough alternate strips by throwing the furrow onto an unploughed strip

    disk, harrow

    draw a harrow over (land)

    type of:

    till

    work land as by ploughing, harrowing, and manuring, in order to make it ready for cultivation
11. verb

    pass to the other side of
    “turn the corner”

    synonyms: move around

    type of:

    go, locomote, move, travel

    change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
12. verb

    cause (a plastic object) to assume a crooked or angular form
    “the strong man could turn an iron bar”

    synonyms: bend, deform, flex, twist

    types:

    dent, indent

    make a depression into

    incurvate

    cause to curve inward

    gnarl

    twist into a state of deformity

    crank

    bend into the shape of a crank

    convolute, convolve

    curl, wind, or twist together

    type of:

    change form, change shape, deform

    assume a different shape or form
13. verb

    to send or let go
    “They turned away the crowd at the gate of the governor's mansion”

    type of:

    direct, send

    cause to go somewhere
14. verb

    direct at someone
    “She turned a smile on me”

    “They turned their flashlights on the car”

    type of:

    aim, direct, take, take aim, train

    point or cause to go (blows, weapons, or objects such as photographic equipment) towards
15. verb

    let (something) fall or spill from a container
    “turn the flour onto a plate”

    synonyms: release

    types:

    deflate

    release contained air or gas from

    throw

    throw (a die) out onto a flat surface

    shoot

    throw dice, as in a crap game

    type of:

    channel, channelise, channelize, transfer, transmit, transport

    send from one person or place to another
16. noun

    the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course
    “he took a turn to the right”

    synonyms: turning

    types:

    deflection, deflexion, deviation, digression, divagation, diversion

    a turning aside (of your course or attention or concern)

    right

    a turn toward the side of the body that is on the south when the person is facing east

    left

    a turn toward the side of the body that is on the north when the person is facing east

    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

    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

    telemark

    a turn made in skiing; the outside ski is placed ahead and turned gradually inwards

    swerve, swerving, veering

    the act of turning aside suddenly

    three-point turn

    the act of turning a vehicle around in a limited space by moving in a series of back and forward arcs

    version

    manual turning of a fetus in the uterus (usually to aid delivery)

    red herring

    any diversion intended to distract attention from the main issue

    type of:

    change of course

    a change in the direction that you are moving
17. noun

    the act of turning away or in the opposite direction
    “he made an abrupt turn away from her”

    type of:

    change of direction, reorientation

    the act of changing the direction in which something is oriented
18. noun

    taking a short walk out and back
    “we took a turn in the park”

    type of:

    walk

    the act of walking somewhere
19. noun

    a movement in a new direction
    synonyms: turning

    types:

    reversal, turn around

    turning in an opposite direction or position

    swerve, yaw

    an erratic deflection from an intended course

    gyration, revolution, rotation

    a single complete turn (axial or orbital)

    coming back, return

    the occurrence of a change in direction back in the opposite direction

    volution

    a rolling or revolving motion

    clockwise rotation, dextrorotation

    rotation to the right

    counterclockwise rotation, levorotation

    rotation to the left

    axial motion, axial rotation, roll

    rotary motion of an object around its own axis

    orbital motion, orbital rotation

    motion of an object in an orbit around a fixed point

    spin

    a swift whirling motion (usually of a missile)

    type of:

    motion, movement

    a natural event that involves a change in the position or location of something
20. verb

    change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense
    “Turn towards me”

    “She turned from herself and learned to listen to others' needs”

    types:

    twist

    turn in the opposite direction

    flip, flip over, turn over

    turn upside down, or throw so as to reverse

    turn on a dime

    have a small turning radius

    roll, turn over

    move by turning over or rotating

    roll over

    make a rolling motion or turn

    swing about, swing around, turn around

    turn abruptly and face the other way, either physically or metaphorically

    flip, toss

    lightly throw to see which side comes up

    port

    turn or go to the port or left side, of a ship

    face

    turn so as to face; turn the face in a certain direction

    turn off

    make a turn

    turn away

    move so as not face somebody or something

    gee

    turn to the right side

    about-face

    turn, usually 180 degrees

    caracole

    make a half turn on a horse, in dressage

    corner

    turn a corner

    overturn, tip over, tump over, turn over

    turn from an upright or normal position

    bend

    change direction

    curve, cut, sheer, slew, slue, swerve, trend, veer

    turn sharply; change direction abruptly

    deflect

    turn aside and away from an initial or intended course

    bend, deflect, turn away

    turn from a straight course, fixed direction, or line of interest

    avert, turn away

    turn away or aside

    rotate, splay, spread out, turn out

    turn outward

    circumvolve, rotate

    cause to turn on an axis or center

    pivot, swivel

    turn on a pivot

    coil, gyrate, spiral

    wind or move in a spiral course

    corkscrew, spiral

    move in a spiral or zigzag course

    deviate, divert

    turn aside; turn away from

    pronate

    turn the forearm or the hand so that the palm is directed downwards

    crick

    twist (a body part) into a strained position

    quirk

    twist or curve abruptly

    curl, wave

    twist or roll into coils or ringlets

    crank, crank up

    rotate with a crank

    rim

    roll around the rim of

    somersault

    do a somersault

    tumble

    roll over and over, back and forth

    capsize, turn turtle, turtle

    overturn accidentally

    upend

    become turned or set on end

    peel off

    leave a formation

    yaw

    swerve off course momentarily

    birl, spin, twirl, whirl

    cause to spin

    birl, birle

    cause a floating log to rotate by treading

    pirouette

    do a pirouette, usually as part of a dance

    yaw

    deviate erratically from a set course

    detour

    travel via a detour

    depart, digress, sidetrack, straggle

    wander from a direct or straight course

    welter

    toss, roll, or rise and fall in an uncontrolled way

    type of:

    move

    move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion
21. verb

    undergo a transformation or a change of position or action
    “We turned from Socialism to Capitalism”

    synonyms: change state

    grow

    pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

    become

    undergo a change or development

    types:

    arouse, awake, awaken, come alive, wake, wake up, waken

    stop sleeping

    black out, pass out, zonk out

    lose consciousness due to a sudden trauma, for example

    come to, resuscitate, revive

    return to consciousness

    tense, tense up

    become tense, nervous, or uneasy

    decompress, loosen up, relax, slow down, unbend, unwind

    become less tense, rest, or take one's ease

    lose weight, melt off, reduce, slenderize, slim, slim down, thin

    take off weight

    gain, put on

    increase (one's body weight)

    apparel, clothe, dress, enclothe, fit out, garb, garment, habilitate, raiment, tog

    provide with clothes or put clothes on

    cross-fertilise, cross-fertilize

    undergo cross-fertilization; become fertile

    conceive

    become pregnant; undergo conception

    secularise, secularize

    make secular and draw away from a religious orientation

    citrate

    cause to form a salt or ester of citric acid

    equilibrate

    bring to a chemical stasis or equilibrium

    fall

    pass suddenly and passively into a state of body or mind

    become, get, go, wax

    enter or assume a certain state or condition

    decline, worsen

    grow worse

    ameliorate, better, improve, meliorate

    get better

    disengage

    become free

    overgrow

    become overgrown

    concentrate

    make denser, stronger, or purer

    break

    crack; of the male voice in puberty

    acetify, acidify

    turn acidic

    alkalify, alkalise, alkalize, basify

    turn basic and less acidic

    ionise, ionize

    convert into ions

    ossify

    become bony

    catalyse, catalyze

    change by catalysis or cause to catalyze

    get worse, relapse

    deteriorate in health

    fluctuate

    be unstable

    break loose, burst forth, explode

    be unleashed; emerge with violence or noise

    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

    be born

    come into existence through birth

    cloud over

    become overcast

    carbonise, carbonize

    turn into carbon, as by burning

    chill, cool, cool down

    loose heat

    heat, heat up, hot up

    gain heat or get hot

    carbonise, carbonize, carburise, carburize

    unite with carbon

    freeze

    change to ice

    boil

    come to the boiling point and change from a liquid to vapor

    burn, combust

    undergo combustion

    emaciate

    grow weak and thin or waste away physically

    Frenchify

    become French in appearance or character

    thin

    lose thickness; become thin or thinner

    inspissate, thicken

    become thick or thicker

    solvate

    undergo solvation or convert into a solvate

    react

    undergo a chemical reaction; react with another substance under certain conditions

    dissolve, fade away, fade out

    become weaker

    discharge, empty

    become empty or void of its content

    fill, fill up

    become full

    homogenise, homogenize

    become homogeneous or similar, as by mixing

    homogenise, homogenize

    break up the fat globules of

    clabber, clot, curdle

    turn into curds

    clot, coagulate

    change from a liquid to a thickened or solid state

    ferment, sour, work

    go sour or spoil

    integrate

    become one; become integrated

    precipitate

    separate as a fine suspension of solid particles

    calcify

    turn into lime; become calcified

    coke

    become coke

    carnify

    become muscular or fleshy

    chondrify

    turn into cartilage

    emulsify

    become combined into a liquid with a uniform consistency

    denitrify

    remove nitrogen from

    esterify

    change (a compound) into an ester

    etherify

    change into an ether

    thrombose

    become blocked by a thrombus

    open, open up

    become open

    close, shut

    become closed

    sorb, take up

    take up a liquid or a gas either by adsorption or by absorption

    calm, calm down, chill out, cool it, cool off, settle down, simmer down

    become quiet or calm, especially after a state of agitation

    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

    emancipate, liberate

    give equal rights to; of women and minorities

    get into, tangle with

    get involved in or with

    liquefy

    become liquid

    catch fire, combust, conflagrate, erupt, ignite, take fire

    start to burn or burst into flames

    conk, faint, pass out, swoon

    pass out from weakness, physical or emotional distress due to a loss of blood supply to the brain

    vege out, vegetate

    engage in passive relaxation

    sit back, take it easy

    settle into a comfortable sitting position

    prim, prim out, prim up

    dress primly

    sweat off

    lose weight by sweating

    fill out, flesh out, round

    become round, plump, or shapely

    cover, wrap up

    clothe, as if for protection from the elements

    jacket

    put a jacket on

    frock

    put a frock on

    shirt

    put a shirt on

    habit

    put a habit on

    vesture

    provide or cover with a cloak

    overclothe, overdress

    dress too warmly

    underdress

    dress without sufficient warmth

    corset

    dress with a corset

    shoe

    furnish with shoes

    coat

    cover or provide with a coat

    costume, dress up

    dress in a costume

    robe, vest

    clothe formally; especially in ecclesiastical robes

    abort

    cease development, die, and be aborted

    hatch

    emerge from the eggs

    inflame

    become inflamed; get sore

    superfetate

    conceive when a fetus is already present in the uterus

    come down, sicken

    get sick

    degenerate, deteriorate, devolve, drop

    grow worse

    convalesce, recover, recuperate

    get over an illness or shock

    heal

    get healthy again

    gown

    dress in a gown

    pack on

    gain (weight)

    drop

    fall or sink into a state of exhaustion or death

    fall in love

    begin to experience feelings of love towards

    sober, sober up

    become sober after excessive alcohol consumption

    sober, sober up

    become more realistic

    work

    arrive at a certain condition through repeated motion

    reform, see the light, straighten out

    change for the better

    surge

    see one's performance improve

    deprive, impoverish

    take away

    fail

    get worse

    tumble

    suffer a sudden downfall, overthrow, or defeat

    drop away, drop off, fall away, slip

    get worse

    suffer

    get worse

    lose, suffer

    be set at a disadvantage

    pick up, turn around

    improve significantly; go from bad to good

    unlock

    become unlocked

    regress, retrograde, retrogress

    get worse or fall back to a previous condition

    bounce back, get over, get well

    improve in health

    heal, mend

    heal or recover

    asphyxiate, stifle, suffocate

    be asphyxiated; die from lack of oxygen

    buy it, pip out

    be killed or die;

    drown

    die from being submerged in water, getting water into the lungs, and asphyxiating

    fall

    be born, used chiefly of lambs

    predecease

    die before; die earlier than

    come into being, come to life

    be born or come into existence

    merge, unify, unite

    become one

    overheat

    get excessively and undesirably hot

    glaciate

    become frozen and covered with glaciers

    boil over, overboil

    overflow or cause to overflow while boiling

    burn down, burn up, go up

    burn completely; be consumed or destroyed by fire

    smolder, smoulder

    burn slowly and without a flame

    curdle

    turn from a liquid to a solid mass

    flow away, flow off

    flow off or away gradually

    water

    fill with tears

    flood

    become filled to overflowing

    rack up

    supply a rack with feed for (horses or other animals)

    lysogenize

    become integrated into the genome of (a bacterium)

    fructify

    become productive or fruitful

    take effect

    go into effect or become effective or operative

    bromate, brominate

    react with bromine

    declutch

    disengage the clutch of a car

    run

    change from one state to another

    take

    be seized or affected in a specified way

    break

    come into being

    settle

    become resolved, fixed, established, or quiet

    turn down

    take a downward direction

    scorch, sear, singe

    become superficially burned

    upgrade

    get better travel conditions

    deflagrate

    burn with great heat and intense light

    famish, starve

    die of food deprivation

    unfasten

    become undone or untied

    fly open

    come open suddenly

    absorb

    become imbued

    adsorb

    accumulate (liquids or gases) on the surface

    chemisorb

    take up a substance by chemisorption

    fall

    die, as in battle or in a hunt

    succumb, yield

    be fatally overwhelmed

    reincarnate, transmigrate

    be born anew in another body after death

    fry

    be excessively hot

    flame

    be in flames or aflame

    blow out

    erupt in an uncontrolled manner

    catch

    start burning

    light up

    start to burn with a bright flame

    blaze up, burn up, flame up, flare

    burn brightly

    blaze

    burn brightly and intensely

    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
22. verb

    cause to change or turn into something different;assume new characteristics
    “The princess turned the frog into a prince by kissing him”

    “The alchemists tried to turn lead into gold”

    synonyms:

    become

    undergo a change or development

    type of:

    alter, change, modify

    cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
23. verb

    channel one's attention, interest, thought, or attention toward or away from something
    “people turn to mysticism at the turn of a millennium”

    types:

    take up

    turn one's interest to

    type of:

    direct, send

    cause to go somewhere
24. verb

    have recourse to or make an appeal or request for help or information to
    “She turned to her relatives for help”

    synonyms: call on

    type of:

    appeal, invoke

    request earnestly (something from somebody); ask for aid or protection
25. verb

    pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
    “The weather turned nasty”

    synonyms: grow

    change state

    undergo a transformation or a change of position or action

    types:

    bald

    grow bald; lose hair on one's head

    type of:

    change

    undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature
26. verb

    undergo a change or development
    “The water turned into ice”

    “He turned traitor”

    synonyms: become

    change state

    undergo a transformation or a change of position or action

    types:

    boil down, come down, reduce

    be the essential element

    choke, suffocate

    become stultified, suppressed, or stifled

    nucleate

    form into a nucleus

    add up, amount, come

    develop into

    aggregate

    amount in the aggregate to

    type of:

    metamorphose, transform, transmute

    change in outward structure or looks
27. verb

    change to the contrary
    “the tides turned against him”

    synonyms: change by reversal, reverse

    types:

    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

    commutate

    reverse the direction of (an alternating electric current) each half cycle so as to produce a unidirectional current

    exchange, switch, switch over

    change over, change around, as to a new order or sequence

    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

    regress, retrovert, return, revert, turn back

    go back to a previous state

    desynchronise, desynchronize

    cause to become desynchronized; cause to occur at unrelated times

    deconsecrate, desecrate, unhallow

    remove the consecration from a person or an object

    undo

    cancel, annul, or reverse an action or its effect

    fall back, lapse, recidivate, regress, relapse, retrogress

    go back to bad behavior

    amend, rectify, remediate, remedy, repair

    set straight or right

    debug

    locate and correct errors in a computer program code

    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

    unknot, unpick, unravel, unscramble, untangle

    become or cause to become undone by separating the fibers or threads of

    disentangle, unwind

    separate the tangles of

    unbuckle

    undo the buckle of

    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
28. verb

    alter the functioning or setting of
    “turn the dial to 10”

    “turn the heat down”

    type of:

    control, operate

    handle and cause to function
29. verb

    change color
    “In Vermont, the leaves turn early”

    type of:

    grow

    pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

    color, colour, discolor, discolour

    change color, often in an undesired manner
30. verb

    go sour or spoil
    “The cream has turned--we have to throw it out”

    synonyms: ferment, sour, work

    ferment, work

    cause to undergo fermentation

    type of:

    change state

    undergo a transformation or a change of position or action
31. verb

    become officially one year older
    “She is turning 50 this year”

    type of:

    age, get on, maturate, mature, senesce

    grow old or older
32. noun

    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
33. noun

    (game) the activity of doing something in an agreed succession
    “it is my turn”

    synonyms: play

    types:

    move

    (game) a player's turn to take some action permitted by the rules of the game

    start, starting

    a turn to be a starter (in a game at the beginning)

    innings

    the batting turn of a cricket player or team

    attack

    an offensive move in a sport or game

    down

    (American football) a complete play to advance the football

    at-bat, bat

    (baseball) a turn trying to get a hit

    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

    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
34. noun

    a time for working (after which you will be relieved by someone else)
    synonyms: go, spell, tour

    type of:

    duty period, shift, work shift

    the time period during which you are at work
35. noun

    (sports) a division during which one team is on the offensive
    synonyms: bout, round

    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

    type of:

    division, part, section

    one of the portions into which something is regarded as divided and which together constitute a whole
36. noun

    a short theatrical performance that is part of a longer program
    synonyms: act, bit, number, routine

    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
37. noun

    a favor for someone
    synonyms: good turn

    type of:

    favor, favour

    an act of gracious kindness
38. verb

    get by buying and selling
    “the company turned a good profit after a year”

    type of:

    acquire, get

    come into the possession of something concrete or abstract