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REFERENCE

turn

v. · n.
US //ˈtɝn// UK //tˈɜːn// turn
  1. 1 to change direction (v.)
    A1 Beginner

    to move your body or a vehicle in a new direction.

    to cause to move or to move oneself so as to face or travel in a different direction.

    Example

    Turn left at the next traffic light to find the supermarket.

    Example

    The driver had to turn sharply to avoid the debris that had fallen from the truck ahead of him.
  2. 2 to rotate (v.)
    A2 Elementary

    to move in a circle around a central point.

    to rotate or cause to rotate around an axis or centre.

    Example

    You have to turn the key clockwise to unlock the front door.

    Example

    The turbine began to turn rapidly as the water pressure increased, generating enough electricity for the entire village.
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  1. 3 to become (v.)
    A2 Elementary

    to change into something else or reach a certain age.

    to undergo a transformation in state, nature, or appearance; also used to indicate reaching a specific age.

    Example

    The leaves turn brown in the autumn before they fall off the trees.

    Example

    He will turn fifty next month, a milestone that has prompted him to reconsider his career path entirely.
  2. 4 sequential opportunity (n.)
    A1 Beginner

    the time when you are allowed or expected to do something after someone else.

    an opportunity or obligation to do something in a specified order among a group.

    Example

    It is your turn to wash the dishes after dinner tonight.

    Example

    Each player must wait for their turn before moving their piece across the board according to the dice roll.
  3. 5 a change in direction (n.)
    A2 Elementary

    a movement or a place where you change direction.

    an act of changing course or the place where a road or path deviates.

    Example

    The car took the turn too fast and nearly hit the fence.

    Example

    The mountain road was full of sharp turns that made several passengers feel quite motion-sick during the ascent.
  4. 6 a helpful or harmful act (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    an action that helps or hurts someone else.

    a service or deed performed for another, often appearing in the phrase 'do someone a good turn'.

    Example

    He did me a good turn by lending me his car when mine broke down.

    Example

    The local business owner did the community a good turn by sponsoring the youth football team's new uniforms.
  5. 7 a short performance (n.)
    C1 Advanced British English Theatre

    a short act or performance in a show.

    a short theatrical or musical performance, typically as part of a variety show.

    Example

    The comedian's turn was the highlight of the evening's entertainment.

    Example

    The veteran singer performed a brief turn at the charity gala, reminding the audience of her enduring vocal talent.
  6. 8 to shape on a machine (v.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Technical

    to shape a piece of wood or metal using a special machine called a lathe.

    to shape an object by rotating it against a cutting tool on a lathe.

    Example

    The carpenter turned the legs of the table to give them a rounded shape.

    Example

    The artisan spent hours turning the mahogany block into a perfectly symmetrical bowl with intricate decorative grooves.
Etymology 1

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *terh₁-der. Ancient Greek τόρνος (tórnos)bor. Latin tornus Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin tornōbor. Proto-West Germanic *turnēn Old English turnian ▲ Latin tornō Old French tornerbor. Middle English turnen English turn From Middle English turnen, from Old English turnian, tyrnan (“to turn, rotate, revolve”), from Proto-West Germanic turnēn (“to turn, lathe”) (also the source of German turnen and its derivatives) and Old French torner (“to turn”), both from Latin tornāre (“to round off, turn in a lathe”), from tornus (“lathe”), from Ancient Greek τόρνος (tórnos, “turning-lathe: a tool used for making circles”), from Proto-Indo-European terh₁- (“to rub, rub by turning, turn, twist, bore”). Cognate with Old English þrāwan (“to turn, twist, wind”), whence English throw. Displaced native Middle English wenden from Old English wendan (see wend), and Middle English trenden from Old English trendan (see trend), among several other terms.

Etymology 2

Partly from Anglo-Norman *torn, from Latin tornus, from Ancient Greek τόρνος (tórnos), and partly an action noun from the verb turn.

Word family
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