- OE. turnentournen, OF. tournertornerturner, F. tourner, LL. tornare, fr. L. tornare to turn in a lathe, to round off, fr. tornus a lathe, Gr. to`rnos a turner's chisel, a carpenter's tool for drawing circles; probably akin to E. throw. See Throw, and cf. AttorneyReturnTornadoTourTournament
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.Expert when to advance, or stand, or,turnthe sway of battle.Thrice I deluded her, and turned to sport Her importunity.My thoughts are turned on peace.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Hence, to give form to; to shape; to mold; to put in proper condition; to adapt.The poet's penturnsthem to shapes.His limbs how turned, how broad his shoulders spread !He was perfectly well turned for trade.
- Specifically:To translate; to construe; as, to turn the Iliad.Who turns a Persian tale for half a crown.To make acid or sour; to ferment; to curdle, etc.: as, to turn cider or wine; electricity turns milk quickly.To sicken; to nauseate; as, an emetic turns one's stomach.
- 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.
