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turn

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noun [countable] British English pronunciation: turn

/tɜː(r)n/

singular	turn
plural	turns

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1
someone's turn is the time when they can or must do something, because they are with other people who are each doing the same activity one after the other
You've already moved your piece – it's my turn now.
someone's turn to do something:
I'm sure it's your turn to wash the dishes.
wait your turn (=be patient until it is your turn):
You'll just have to wait your turn like everyone else.
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2
a change of direction made by a person or vehicle
He made a left turn into a quiet street.
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1. a.
  a place where a road bends to the right or left
  There's a very sharp turn at the end of the road.
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2. b.
  mainly American a turning
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3
a movement in a circle made by an object
He gave the tap one more firm turn.
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4
a change in a situation
The argument over drugs in sport took an unexpected turn yesterday.
take a turn for the better/worse (=become better/worse):
The weather suddenly took a turn for the worse.
turn of events (=an unexpected change in a situation):
We wanted to express our shock at today's tragic turn of events.
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5
a short performance consisting of a song, a piece of music, a series of jokes etc as part of a set of performances
I'm going to do a turn at the concert next week.
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6
old-fashioned a short walk taken for pleasure
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7
British informal old-fashioned an occasion when you suddenly feel ill or very weak
I think she's having one of her turns.
give someone a turn (=to frighten someone so that they feel ill):
You gave her quite a turn, suddenly appearing like that!
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phrases

at every turn
wherever or whenever someone tries to do something
He was frustrated at every turn by petty rules and regulations.
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by turns
changing from one state, mood, or quality to another
Maria is by turns protective and vulnerable.
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done/cooked to a turn
cooked for exactly the right amount of time
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a good/bad turn
1. 1
  an action that helps/harms someone
  He had done her a good turn.
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2. 2
  one good turn deserves another
  used for saying that you should be kind to someone who has been kind to you
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in turn
1. 1
  as a result of something that is part of a connected series of events
  Her mother taught her, and she in turn taught her own daughter.
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2. 2
  one after the other in an order that has been agreed or officially decided
  We look at each element of the process in turn.
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on the turn
British
starting to change
My luck's definitely on the turn now.
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speak/talk out of turn
to say something that you should not say because you have no right to say it or because it upsets someone
I hope I'm not speaking out of turn, but I preferred the original version.
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take turns
or take it in turn(s) British
if people take turns or take it in turns to do something, each of them does their share of it, one after the other
We took turns steering the boat.
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the turn of the century/year
the time around the end of one century/year and the beginning of the next
a mansion built at the turn of the century
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turn of mind
a particular way of thinking
She has a very practical turn of mind.
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turn of phrase
1. 1
  an expression
  That's a rather unfortunate turn of phrase.
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2. 2
  a particular way of expressing yourself
  As a letter writer he had a neat turn of phrase.
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turn of speed
British
1. 1
  the ability to go very fast
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2. 2
  a sudden large increase in speed
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This is the British English definition of turn. View American English definition of turn.

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View the pronunciation for turn.

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turn

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phrases

at every turn

by turns

done/cooked to a turn

a good/bad turn

one good turn deserves another

in turn

on the turn

speak/talk out of turn

take turns

or take it in turn(s) British

the turn of the century/year

turn of mind

turn of phrase

turn of speed

cyberloafing

Word of the Day

wane

show a bit of ankle