Language Research

turn · verb

/tɜːn/Full view

Word family

Nouns: turn, upturn, turning

Adjectives: upturned

Verbs: turn, overturn

turn (CHANGE DIRECTION)

A2 I or T to change the direction in which you are moving, or to make a car do this

Dictionary examples:

Turn left at the traffic lights.

I turned the car into the drive.

Learner example:

Go up the street and turn left on the square. (Key English Test; A2; Portuguese)

turn (MOVE YOUR BODY)

B1 I to move your body so that you are facing a different direction

Dictionary examples:

Ricky turned and saw Sue standing in the doorway.

She put out the light, turned over and went to sleep.

Learner example:

I turned around and looked into the eyes of my favourite football player Timo Hildebrand. (Preliminary English Test; B1; German)

turn (CHANGE POSITION)

B1 T to move something round so that it faces a different direction

Dictionary example:

Ella turned the cup to hide the crack in it.

Learner example:

I turned it over in my hands and looked at it quite carefully. (Preliminary English Test; B1; German)

turn (PAGE)

B1 I or T to move a page in a book or magazine in order to see the next one

Dictionary examples:

Now turn the page, please, and start Exercise 2.

He turned over two or three pages.

Now turn to page 23 and look at the first paragraph.

Learner example:

Television helps a lot to make our life easier. But, where is the poetry of handling a book? Yes, there is a lot of poetry, first you handle it, you turn the pages, second you can read any passage, where and when you want. (First Certificate in English; B2; Portuguese)

turn (GO ROUND)

B2 I or T to move around a central point in a circle, or to make something do this

Dictionary examples:

Turn the steering wheel as quickly as you can.

The Earth turns on its axis once every 24 hours.

The wheels started to turn (round).

She turned the door knob and quietly opened the door.

Learner example:

It's not like sitting on a bike and just turning the pedals, in this case you work only your legs. (First Certificate in English; B2; Latvian)

turn blue/cold/nasty, etc.

B2 to become blue, cold, nasty, etc.

Dictionary examples:

The sky turned black and it started to rain.

The weather has suddenly turned cold.

When I refused to pay, he turned nasty.

She turned pale and started to shiver.

Learner example:

His friends began to laugh and my face turned red. (First Certificate in English; B2; Danish)

turn 16/21, etc.

C1 to become a particular age

Dictionary example:

He turned 18 last May.

Learner example:

One of the best thing[s] when you turn 17 in Britain is that you can start to take driving lessons. (Certificate in Advanced English; C1; German)

turn a blind eye (to sth)

C1 to choose to ignore something that you know is wrong or illegal

Dictionary example:

Restaurant staff often took food home, and their boss turned a blind eye.

Learner example:

Nevertheless, we can't turn a blind eye to this reality. (Certificate in Advanced English; C1; Portuguese)

in turn

C1 as a result of something that is part of a series of events

Dictionary example:

This could result in the loss of certain species of fish and this in turn poses a serious threat to the fishing communities along the river banks.

Learner example:

This, in turn, enabled them to find jobs and become financially independent from their husbands. (Certificate in Advanced English; C1; Polish)

turn your back on sb/sth

C2 to decide to stop having contact with someone or something, or to refuse to help someone

Dictionary example:

She turned her back on Hollywood and went to live in Florida.

Learner example:

She gets to learn that Olivia turned her back on her past and merged totally with India through her attraction to and sympathy for the Nawab. (Certificate of Proficiency in English; C2; Catalan)

turn your nose up at sth

C2 to not accept something because you do not think it is good enough for you

Dictionary example:

He turned his nose up at my offer of soup, saying he wanted a proper meal.

Learner example:

Moreover, she will not turn her nose up at anybody who might be considered less worthy than her. (Certificate of Proficiency in English; C2; Spanish)

turn over a new leaf

C2 to start to behave in a better way

Dictionary example:

I'm not drinking any more - I've turned over a new leaf.

Learner example:

She promised to turn over a new leaf. (Certificate of Proficiency in English; C2; Spanish)

toss and turn

C2 be unable to sleep properly

Dictionary example:

I was tossing and turning for most of the night.

Learner example:

As she tossed and turned, unable to sleep, she started [going over] the events that had taken place before that evening. (Certificate of Proficiency in English; C2; Spanish)

turn (sth) back

B2 to return in the direction you have come from, or to make someone do this

Dictionary example:

They had to turn back because of the bad weather.

Learner example:

As we were walking along we came across a river we couldn't pass, so we turned back. (First Certificate in English; B2; Greek)

turn down sth or turn sth down

B1 to reduce the level of sound or heat that something produces

Dictionary example:

I asked him to turn down the heating.

Learner example:

Actually, as I know nothing about instruments, the only thing I could do was just turn the volume up and down. (First Certificate in English; B2; Japanese)

turn down sb/sth or turn sb/sth down

B2 to refuse an offer or request

Dictionary examples:

He offered her a trip to Australia but she turned it/him down.

He turned down the job because it involved too much travelling.

Learner example:

I hope you don't turn down my invitation. (First Certificate in English; B2; Greek)

turn (sb/sth) into sb/sth

B1 to change and become someone or something different, or to make someone or something do this

Dictionary examples:

The council was hoping to turn a children's home into a residence for adolescent girls.

The town turned from a small seaside resort into a major commercial centre when oil was discovered.

Learner example:

After midnight it turns into a club where you can dance [to] any kind of music. (Preliminary English Test; B1; Spanish)

turn off sth or turn sth off

A2 to move the switch on a machine, light, etc. so that it stops working, or to stop the supply of water, electricity, etc.

Dictionary example:

Have you turned the computer off?

Learner example:

He turned the TV off and started thinking about Tania. (Preliminary English Test; B1; Portuguese)

turn on sth or turn sth on

A2 to move the switch on a machine, light, etc. so that it starts working, or to start the supply of water, electricity, etc.

Dictionary example:

Ben turned the TV on.

Learner example:

I turned the computer on to check my e-mail box. (Preliminary English Test; B1; Portuguese)

turn out (HAPPEN)

B2 to happen in a particular way or to have a particular result, especially an unexpected one

Dictionary examples:

The bomb warning turned out to be a false alarm.

How did the recipe turn out?

Learner example:

But unfortunately, my experience of seeing the musical show named "Over the Rainbow" in your Circle Theatre turned out to be rather disappointing. (First Certificate in English; B2; Chinese)

turn out (BE DISCOVERED)

B2 to be known or discovered finally and surprisingly

Dictionary example:

It turned out that we'd been to the same school.

Learner example:

It turned out that Corey was organizing the concert and he asked me and three of my friends if we wanted to help. (First Certificate in English; B2; Spanish)

turn out (GO)

B2 If people turn out for an event, they go there.

Dictionary examples:

Thousands of people turned out to welcome the England team home.

Over 800 people turned out for the protest.

Learner example:

On top of that, there were more than 5,000 people who had turn[ed] out [for] the festival! (First Certificate in English; B2; Chinese)

turn to sb/sth

B2 to ask a person or organization for help or support

Dictionary examples:

Eventually she turned to her aunt for help.

Her family lived a long way away, and she had no one to turn to.

Learner example:

People were very friendly and there was always someone to turn to in case of trouble. (First Certificate in English; B2; French)

turn up (somewhere)

B2 to arrive or appear somewhere

Dictionary examples:

Do you think many people will turn up?

She turned up at my house late one night.

Learner example:

A few minutes later two security men turned up. (First Certificate in English; B2; Spanish)

turn up sth or turn sth up

B1 to increase the level of sound or heat that a machine produces

Dictionary example:

Could you turn the heating up, please?

Learner example:

In addition to that, my neighbour is always organizing part[ie]s during the week. He stay[s up] with his friends till late and they turn the music up. (Skills for Life (Entry 3); B1; French)

turn · noun

/tɜːn/

Word family

Nouns: turn, upturn, turning

Adjectives: upturned

Verbs: turn, overturn

turn (TIME)

B1 C the time when you can or must do something, usually before or after someone else

Dictionary examples:

Is it my turn yet?

It's your turn to do the washing up!

In this game if you give the wrong answer you have to miss a turn.

Learner example:

I really enjoy[ed] the holidays in England with you, so now it's my turn to invite you to come to my country, Peru. (Preliminary English Test; B1; Spanish)

take turns or take it in turns

B2 When a number of people take turns, they do the same thing one after the other.

Dictionary examples:

We take turns to answer the phone.

They all took turns carrying the suitcase.

Learner example:

I suggest that each family takes turns to cut the grass once a week. (First Certificate in English; B2; Danish)

in turn

C1 one after the other

Dictionary examples:

Each of us collects the mail in turn.

He spoke to the three boys in turn.

Learner example:

We had two different teachers in the mornings and in the afternoons in turn. (Certificate in Advanced English; C1; Japanese)

in turn

C1 as a result of something

Dictionary example:

He took out more loans, which, in turn, led to more debt.

Learner example:

People will study for a range of degrees, which may imply that a lot of new jobs, mainly related to computers, will gain importance, which, in turn, could result in a better organization of the jobs and, as a consequence, a reduction in the unemployment rate. (Certificate in Advanced English; C1; Catalan)

turn (CHANGE IN DIRECTION)

B2 C a change in the direction in which you are moving or facing

Dictionary examples:

a left/right turn

We got as far as the school, and there we had to make a right turn.

take a turn for the better/worse

C2 to become better or worse suddenly

Dictionary example:

The weather took a turn for the better.

Learner example:

Despite all the environmental problems it is up to us to prevent things from taking a turn for the worse. (Certificate of Proficiency in English; C2; Greek)

the turn of the century

C2 the start of a new century

Dictionary example:

He was born at the turn of the century.

turn of events

C2 the way in which a situation develops, especially a sudden or unexpected change

Dictionary example:

We were all shocked by this tragic turn of events.

Learner example:

She was not prepared for such an unexpected turn of events! (Certificate of Proficiency in English; C2; Greek)