Turn /(tûrn)/

imp. & p. p. Turned; p. pr. & vb. n. Turning

1. To cause to move upon a center, or as if upon a center; to give circular motion to; to cause to revolve; to cause to move round, either partially, wholly, or repeatedly; to make to change position so as to present other sides in given directions; to make to face otherwise; as, to turn a wheel or a spindle; to turn the body or the head.

   Turn the adamantine spindle round.

   The monarch turns him to his royal guest.

2. To cause to present a different side uppermost or outmost; to make the upper side the lower, or the inside to be the outside of; to reverse the position of; as, to turn a box or a board; to turn a coat.
3. To give another direction, tendency, or inclination to; to direct otherwise; to deflect; to incline differently; -- used both literally and figuratively; as, to turn the eyes to the heavens; to turn a horse from the road, or a ship from her course; to turn the attention to or from something.

   Thrice I deluded her, and turned to sport Her importunity.

   My thoughts are turned on peace.

4. To change from a given use or office; to divert, as to another purpose or end; to transfer; to use or employ; to apply; to devote.

   Therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David.

   God will make these evils the occasion of a greater good, by turning them to advantage in this world.

   When the passage is open, land will be turned most to cattle; when shut, to sheep.

5. To change the form, quality, aspect, or effect of; to alter; to metamorphose; to convert; to transform; -- often with to or into before the word denoting the effect or product of the change; as, to turn a worm into a winged insect; to turn green to blue; to turn prose into verse; to turn a Whig to a Tory, or a Hindu to a Christian; to turn good to evil, and the like.

   The Lord thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee.

   And David said, O Lord, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.

   Impatience turns an ague into a fever.

6. To form in a lathe; to shape or fashion (anything) by applying a cutting tool to it while revolving; as, to turn the legs of stools or tables; to turn ivory or metal.

   I had rather hear a brazen canstick turned.

7. Hence, to give form to; to shape; to mold; to put in proper condition; to adapt.

   His limbs how turned, how broad his shoulders spread !

   He was perfectly well turned for trade.

8. To translate; to construe; as, to turn the Iliad.

   Who turns a Persian tale for half a crown.

9. To make acid or sour; to ferment; to curdle, etc.: as, to turn cider or wine; electricity turns milk quickly.
10. To sicken; to nauseate; as, an emetic turns one's stomach.
11. To make a turn about or around (something); to go or pass around by turning; as, to turn a corner.

    The ranges are not high or steep, and one can turn a kopje instead of cutting or tunneling through it.

    We turn not back the silks upon the merchants, When we have soiled them.

    I'll turn you out of my kingdom.

    This house is turned upside down since Robin Ostler died.

1. To move round; to have a circular motion; to revolve entirely, repeatedly, or partially; to change position, so as to face differently; to whirl or wheel round; as, a wheel turns on its axis; a spindle turns on a pivot; a man turns on his heel.

   The gate . . . on golden hinges turning.

2. Hence, to revolve as if upon a point of support; to hinge; to depend; as, the decision turns on a single fact.

   Conditions of peace certainly turn upon events of war.

3. To result or terminate; to come about; to eventuate; to issue.

   If we repent seriously, submit contentedly, and serve him faithfully, afflictions shall turn to our advantage.

4. To be deflected; to take a different direction or tendency; to be directed otherwise; to be differently applied; to be transferred; as, to turn from the road.

   Turn from thy fierce wrath.

   Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways.

   The understanding turns inward on itself, and reflects on its own operations.

5. To be changed, altered, or transformed; to become transmuted; also, to become by a change or changes; to grow; as, wood turns to stone; water turns to ice; one color turns to another; to turn Muslim.

   I hope you have no intent to turn husband.

   Cygnets from gray turn white.

6. To undergo the process of turning on a lathe; as, ivory turns well.
7. To become acid; to sour; -- said of milk, ale, etc.
8. To become giddy; -- said of the head or brain.

   I'll look no more; Lest my brain turn.

9. To be nauseated; -- said of the stomach.
10. To become inclined in the other direction; -- said of scales.
11. To change from ebb to flow, or from flow to ebb; -- said of the tide.
12. To bring down the feet of a child in the womb, in order to facilitate delivery. (Obstetrics)
13. To invert a type of the same thickness, as temporary substitute for any sort which is exhausted. (Print.)

1. The act of turning; movement or motion about, or as if about, a center or axis; revolution; as, the turn of a wheel.
2. Change of direction, course, or tendency; different order, position, or aspect of affairs; alteration; vicissitude; as, the turn of the tide.

   At length his complaint took a favorable turn.

   The turns and varieties of all passions.

   Too well the turns of mortal chance I know.

3. One of the successive portions of a course, or of a series of occurrences, reckoning from change to change; hence, a winding; a bend; a meander.

   And all its [the river's] thousand turns disclose. Some fresher beauty varying round.

4. A circuitous walk, or a walk to and fro, ending where it began; a short walk; a stroll.

   Come, you and I must walk a turn together.

   I will take a turn in your garden.

5. Successive course; opportunity enjoyed by alternation with another or with others, or in due order; due chance; alternate or incidental occasion; appropriate time.

   His turn will come to laugh at you again.

   Every one has a fair turn to be as great as he pleases.

6. Incidental or opportune deed or office; occasional act of kindness or malice; as, to do one an ill turn.

   Had I not done a friendes turn to thee?

   thanks are half lost when good turns are delayed.

7. Convenience; occasion; purpose; exigence; as, this will not serve his turn.

   I have enough to serve mine own turn.

8. Form; cast; shape; manner; fashion; -- used in a literal or figurative sense; hence, form of expression; mode of signifying; as, the turn of thought; a man of a sprightly turn in conversation.

   The turn of both his expressions and thoughts is unharmonious.

   The Roman poets, in their description of a beautiful man, often mention the turn of his neck and arms.

9. A change of condition; especially, a sudden or recurring symptom of illness, as a nervous shock, or fainting spell; as, a bad turn. [Colloq.]
10. A fall off the ladder at the gallows; a hanging; -- so called from the practice of causing the criminal to stand on a ladder which was turned over, so throwing him off, when the signal was given. [Obs.]
11. A round of a rope or cord in order to secure it, as about a pin or a cleat.
12. A pit sunk in some part of a drift. (Mining)
13. A court of record, held by the sheriff twice a year in every hundred within his county. (Eng. Law)
14. Monthly courses; menses. (Med.) [Colloq.]
15. An embellishment or grace (marked thus, ), commonly consisting of the principal note, or that on which the turn is made, with the note above, and the semitone below, the note above being sounded first, the principal note next, and the semitone below last, the three being performed quickly, as a triplet preceding the marked note. The turn may be inverted so as to begin with the lower note, in which case the sign is either placed on end thus , or drawn thus . (Mus.)