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turn back

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phrasal verb
Word Forms
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present tense
I/you/we/theyturn back
he/she/itturns back
present participleturning back
past tenseturned back
past participleturned back
Other entries for this word
  1. 1
    [intransitive/transitive] to return the same way that you came instead of continuing on your journey, or to make someone do this

    Bad weather forced them to turn back.

    Refugees who reach the border may be turned back.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of turn back
  3. 3
    [transitive] same as turn down (sense 3)

    A servant was turning back the covers of his bed as he entered.

This is the British English definition of turn back. View American English definition of turn back.

Change your default dictionary and thesaurus to American English.

 
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