Turn v.

Forms: α. 1 tyrnan, 3 tuyrne; 3 teorne, 3–5 terne, 5 tern. β. 1 turnian, 3 (Orm.) turrnenn, (3–4 tourne), 3–7 turne, 4–6 Sc. twrn(e, 4– turn; 3–6 torne, 4–6 tourne, 4–7 torn. [OE. tyrnan and turnian, both ad. L. tornāre to turn in a lathe, round off, f. torn-us a lathe, a turner’s wheel = Gr. τόρνος a carpenter’s tool to draw circles with, compasses, whence τορνεύειν to turn, work with a lathe; perhaps reinforced in ME. by OF. torner, turner, tourner, F. tourner, Pic. torner, Prov., Sp. tornar, It. tornare, all:—L. tornāre; cf. OHG. turnen, Icel. turna to turn (turnera to tilt, joust, Norw. dial. tunna to swing, whirl), ad. F. tourner.

  On the twofold representation of L. tornāre in OE. see Pogatscher Latein, u. Roman. Lehnworte im Altenglischen, §§ 9, 159, 271; he shows that the umlauted tyrnan must have already existed c. 600.

  The pa. pple. in Southern Eng. in the 12–13th c. had commonly the prefix i-, y-, i-tyrnd, i-turned, and the pa. t. was freq. i-turnde; there is also one instance of the infinitive i-turnen in the earlier text of Layamon, but no known instance in OE. of a compound *ʓetyrnan or *ʓeturnian; these ME. forms with i-, y- have therefore been included here.]

  General arrangement of senses. I. To rotate or revolve, and derived uses: 1–3. II. To form or shape by rotation, and derived uses: 4–5. III. To change or reverse position: * Senses denoting change of position: 6–9; ** Senses denoting reversal of position: 10–12. IV. To change or reverse course or direction: * denoting change of course or direction: 13–18; ** denoting reversal of course or direction: 19–21. V. Senses allied to III and IV, but referring specially to direction or destination: 22–34. VI. To change, alter: * general senses: 35–43; ** specific senses: 44–47. VII. Phrases, * with sb.: 48–60; ** with adj. or advb. phrase: 61–63; *** with another verb: 64. VIII. In comb. with adverbs (turn about, again, aside, in, out, up, etc.): 65–80 (Combinations formed on the vb.-stem are given in a separate article, TURN-, or as Main words.)

  I.  To rotate or revolve, and derived senses.

  1.  trans. To cause to move round on an axis or about a center; to cause to rotate or revolve, as a wheel.

  See also turn about, 65 c; turn round, 78 d.

c. 1000.  Ælfric, Saints’ Lives, xiv. 93. Þa tyrndon þa hæðenan hetelice þæt hweowl.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 23719 (Cott.). Dame fortune turnes [Gött. ternes] þan hir quele And castes vs dun vntil a wele.

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 507/2. Turnon forthe, idem quod trolle [502/2. Tryllyn, or trollyn, volvo].

1599.  Shaks., Much Ado, II. i. 261. she would haue made Hercules haue turnd spit.

1687.  A. Lovell, trans. Thevenot’s Trav., II. 38. There were two Boys…, one turning a wheel by the handle, to grind the Coffee, and the other boyling it.

1781.  Cowper, Retirement, 334. Waters turning busy mills.

1852.  Thackeray, Esmond, III. ix. Preparing paste, and turning rolling-pins.

  b.  To cause to move round, or (usually) partly round, in this way, esp. for opening or closing something: as a key, tap, door-handle, screw, etc.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 16906 (Cott.). Þe prince o preistes … sperd it wit a mikel stan, To turn i-nogh had tuent [? twenty].

1382.  Wyclif, Prov. xxvi. 14. As a dore is turned in his heeng.

1593.  Shaks., Rich II., V. iii. 36. Giue me leaue, that I may turne the key, That no man enter.

1655.  [see COCK sb.¹ 12].

a. 1715.  Burnet, Own Time (1823), I. 401. He … turned all the cocks that were then open, and stopped the water.

1880.  P. Greg, Errant, III. xi. 158. The lamp was turned very low. [Cf. 71 g.]

1890.  Fenn, Double Knot, III. xiv. 192. She softly turned the handle of the door.

  c.  To perform by revolving, as a somersault.

1860.  [see SOMERSAULT].

1863.  [see COACH-WHEEL 3].

1864.  [see CART-WHEEL 3].

1881.  [see CATHERINE WHEEL 4].

  2.  intr. To move round on an axis or about a center; to rotate, revolve, whirl, spin, as a wheel; to move partly round in this way, as a door or the like upon hinges, a key, a weathercock, etc.

  See also turn about, 65 a; t. round, 78 a.

c. 1000.  Sax. Leechd., III. 270. Se firmamentum went on ðam twam steorran, swa swa hweoʓel tyrnð on eaxe.

c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 1453. Nykeres … brynge schipmen … To som swelw to turne or steke.

c. 1435.  Torr. Portugal, 188. They tornyd xxxii tymys, In armys walloyng fast.

1560.  Bible (Genev.), Prov. xxvi. 14. As the dore turneth vpon his henges.

1589.  Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, II. xi. (Arb.), 111. The Roundell or Spheare is … most voluble and apt to turne.

1698.  Keill, Exam. Th. Earth (1734), 109. Jupiter … turns round his own Axis in … ten hours.

1796.  Mme. D’Arblay, Camilla, I. 259. A little boy … turning head over heels.

1843.  Macaulay, Horatius, lxix. The kid turns on the spit.

1890.  Mrs. Laffan, Louis Draycott, III. ii. The key turned and grated in the lock.

  b.  fig. To revolve (as time, etc.). In later use said chiefly of the head or brain: To have a sensation as of whirling; to be affected with giddiness; to reel, swim, be in a whirl. (Cf. 45 c, 78 a.)

c. 1000.  Ælfric, Hom. (Th.), I. 514. Þa arleasan turninð on ymbhwyrfte.

c. 1200.  Ormin, 3641. All þiss middellærdess þing Aȝȝ turrneþþ her & wharrfeþþ … swa summ þe wheol.

c. 1230, 1398.  [see TURNING vbl. sb. 1 b].

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 9400. The tyme of the tru turnyde to end.

1605.  Shaks., Lear, IV. vi. 23. How fearefull … And dizie ’tis, to cast ones eyes so low… Ile looke no more, Least my braine turne.

1853.  M. Arnold, Requiescat, 9. Her life was turning, turning, In mazes of heat and sound.

1892.  Stevenson & L. Osbourne, Wrecker, vi. 93. I looked at the handbill and my head turned.

  3.  Turn on or upon (fig.): a. To hinge upon, depend on, have as the center or pivot of movement or action.

1661.  J. Stephens, Procurations, 26. They that turn upon this hinge, I mean that receive Procurations upon the ground of Custome.

1712.  Swift, Conduct of Allies, ¶ 35. Great Events often turn upon very small Circumstances.

1823.  Examiner, 268/2. The plot … turns upon the secret marriage of Claudio.

1892.  Sat. Rev., 2 Jan., 2/2. The contest … is to turn on Home Rule.

  b.  To have as its subject, be about or concerned with, relate to: usually said of conversation or debate.

  App. orig. a development of prec. sense, but often associated with other senses: cf. 28.

1711.  Addison, Spect., No. 119, ¶ 7. As the two Points of Good Breeding, which I have … insisted upon, regard Behaviour and Conversation, there is a third which turns upon Dress.

1729.  Butler, Serm., Wks. 1874, II. 49. That the conversation might turn upon somewhat instructive.

1879.  M. Pattison, Milton, xiii. 203. The Dutch drama turns entirely on the revolt of the angels.

1884.  Manch. Exam., 26 May, 4/7. The debate … did not turn upon any … practical proposition.

  II.  To form or shape by rotation, and derived senses.

  4.  trans. To shape, esp. into a rounded form, by cutting with a chisel or similar tool while rotating in a lathe; to form, work, or make by means of a lathe. Also absol. to work with a lathe.

c. 1305.  Land Cockayne, 68, in E. E. P. (1862), 158. Þe pilers of þat cloistre alle Beþ i-turned of cristale.

1341–2.  Ely Sacr. Rolls (1907), II. 117. In le turning xxx bases pro columpnis.

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 507/2. Turnon, or throwe treyne [S. trene] vessel, torno.

1504.  in Bury Wills (Camden), 101. I wyll that my sonne … shall haue … also ij cheyres, on turnyd and the other closse.

1600.  J. Pory, trans. Leo’s Africa, V. 253. Such as turne wooden vessels.

1756.  Mrs. Calderwood, in Coltness Collect. (Maitl. Club), 212. A famous turner…, he turns things in ivory that would exceed beleif.

1833.  J. Holland, Manuf. Metal, II. 140. In turning … metals … and even wood, much depends upon the proper management of the tools.

1858.  Ramsay, Ramin., iv. (1870), 80. He … taught us to saw, and to plane, and to turn.

  b.  Building. To form, construct, build (an arched or vaulted structure).

1703.  Moxon, Mech. Exerc., 256. You may turn Arches over those insufficient places,… and … Arches inversed, or upside down.

1720.  W. Stukeley, Mem. & Corr. (Surtees), I. 32. At this time [1706–7] … the great arch of boards was made to turn the Cupola of St. Pauls.

1828.  Elmes, Metrop. Improv., 88. The arches for the coal-cellars [were] turned.

  c.  Cookery. To pare off the rind or peel of (an orange, lemon, etc.) round and round in a long narrow thin strip; to stone (an olive) in this way.

1706.  Phillips (ed. Kersey), Turning (among Confectioners) a … manner of paring … Oranges and Lemons when the … Rind … is par’d off very thin and narrow…; turning it [the knife] round about the Fruit, so as the Peel may be extended to a very great length.

1846.  Soyer, Cookery, 43. Turning or peeling mushrooms is an art that practice alone can attain.

1904.  Daily Chron., 6 June, 8/5. Soak the olives in cold water…, drain thoroughly and proceed to ‘turn’ them…. This means to peel them very evenly … so that it unfolds … in one strip, which will close up again … without the stone in the centre when done.

  d.  Knitting and Lace-making. To make in a curved form: see quots.

1882.  Caulfeild & Saward, Dict. Needlework, 504/1. Turn Heel—See Knitting Stockings. Ibid., 504/2. To Turn a Scallop: work across to the inside … but instead of completing the edge, work back with the same pair of Bobbins [etc.]…. Repeat until the scallop has been rounded.

1902.  R. Bagot, Donna Diana, viii. 93. She was always knitting, and appeared to be in a perpetual state of turning the heel of a stocking.

  5.  fig. To shape, form, or fashion artistically or gracefully: a. a material object: usually into a rounded form, as if shaped on a lathe. Chiefly in pa. pple.

1616.  B. Jonson, Devil an Ass, II. vi. This smooth, round, And well torn’d chin.

1695.  Blackmore, Pr. Arthur, IV. 88. He turn’d their Orbs, and polish’d all the Stars.

1711.  Steele, Spect., No. 2, ¶ 5. His Person is well turn’d.

1847.  L. Hunt, Men, Women, & B., I. xiv. 273. The hand long, delicate, and well turned.

1855.  Thackeray, in Yates’ Recoll. (1884), I. 280. The T of the signature … is [not] near so elegant as my ordinary T’s are;… my attention was drawn off just as I was turning it.

  b.  a piece of literary work, a tune, a compliment, etc.

1636.  B. Jonson, Discov., Wks. (Rtldg.), 762/2. Cast not away the quills…; but bring all to the forge and file again; torn it anew.

1687.  A. Lovell, trans. Thevenot’s Trav., I. C j b. The Reader … is not to expect that the Language should be so Accurate, nor the Style so well turned, as [etc.].

1791.  Boswell, Johnson, an. 1754. Some studied compliments, so finely turned, that [etc.].

1849.  Thackeray, Pendennis, ix. If I could turn a tune,… I should sing.

1850.  W. Irving, Goldsmith, xv. 161. Calling upon the poet one day, he opened the door without ceremony, and found him in the double occupation of turning a couplet and teaching a pet dog to sit upon his haunches.

  † c.  pa. pple. Of a person (or the mind, etc.): Naturally adapted, fitted, or ‘cut out’ for some pursuit. Obs.

1671.  Temple, Lett. to de Witt, Wks. 1731, II. 247. I find I am better turned for making a good Gard’ner.

1723.  in Eng. Hist. Rev., Jan. (1912), 56, note. A head the most turned for business of any I have known.

1728.  Swift, Jrnl. Mod. Lady, 36. By nature turn’d to play the rake.

1767.  Woman of Fashion, I. 41. A Genius like her’s, is little turn’d to Business.

  III.  To change or reverse position.

  * Senses denoting change of position.

  6.  intr. To move or shift (by a rotary motion, or through an angle) so as to change one’s posture or position; esp. to shift the body (as on an axis) from side to side; to twist or writhe about.

  To make a person turn in his grave: see GRAVE sb.¹ 1 d.

c. 1000.  Ælfric, Hom. (Th.), II. 508. He ealle ʓefæstnode heora fet to eorðan…. Hi tyrndon mid bodiʓe, ʓebiʓedum sceancum.

c. 1205.  Lay., 4586. Scipen þer sunken…. In þa teonfulle sæ Torneden sæiles.

c. 1394.  P. Pl. Crede, 543. But he lepe vp on heiȝ,… & þi name lakke Wiþ proude wordes…. And turne as a tyrant þat turmenteþ him-selue [etc.].

1500–20.  Dunbar, Poems, lxix. 11. I walk [= wake], I turne, sleip may I nocht.

1681.  Dryden, Span. Friar, III.

1827.  Scott, Chron. Canongate, v. Turning to the other side to enjoy his slumbers.

1881.  Mrs. Lynn Linton, My Love, II. v. 92. It is enough to make your poor father turn in his grave.

1888.  [see GRAVE sb.¹ 1 d].

  b.  To move circularly or as on a pivot, so as to face all ways successively, or so as ultimately to face in the opposite direction. (Cf. 2, 10.)

1500–20.  Dunbar, Poems, lxvi. 43. On thair conscience … May turne aucht oxin and ane wane.

1644.  Evelyn, Diary, 8 Feb. Capable of containing an hundred coaches to turne commodiously.

1893.  Chamb. Jrnl., 28 Jan., 50/2. She veered as if she would turn within her own length.

  c.  Said of the scale or beam of a balance, or of the balance itself: To move up or down from the horizontal position. (Cf. 49, 58.)

1596.  Shaks., Merch. V., IV. i. 330. If the scale doe turne But in the estimation of a hayre.

1654.  trans. Scudery’s Curia Pol., 59. To weigh in the Scales and not discern how the Beam turnes.

1827.  Faraday, Chem. Manip., ii. (1842), 25. Another balance … turning with about one-half or one-third of a grain.

  7.  trans. To alter the position or posture of (an object) by moving it through an angle; to move (a thing or person) into a different posture.

1377.  Langl., P. Pl., B. XVII. 183. Vnfolden or folden, my fuste & myn paume, Al is but an hande [= one hand] how so I torne it.

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 507/1. Turnon a thynge, verto, verso.

1578.  Banister, Hist. Man, V. 65. Some partes of the skinne are wholly immouable, and resistant to turne.

1644.  S. Kem, Messengers Prepar., 22. He speaks too late … for a reprieve, when the ladder is turned.

1711.  Addison, Spect., No. 120, ¶ 14. When she [a hen] has laid her Eggs…, what Care does she take in turning them frequently!

1720.  Watts, Moral Songs, Sluggard, i. As the door on its hinges, so he on his bed Turns his sides, and his shoulders, and his heavy head.

1843.  R. J. Graves, Syst. Clin. Med., ix. 100. He cannot be lifted up or even turned in bed, without having a tendency to faint.

1885.  ‘Mrs. Alexander,’ At Bay, iv. He took up a paper-knife, which he turned restlessly to and fro.

  b.  refl. = senses 6, 6 b. Obs. or arch.

13[?].  Sir Beues (A.), 4414. Þat lane was so narw … He ne Arondel, is stede, Ne miȝte him terne.

c. 1385.  Chaucer, L. G. W., Prol. 144. Vpon the braunches … In hire delyt, they turned hem ful ofte.

1509.  Hawes, Past. Pleas., XVI. (Percy Soc.), 75. I myght not lye styll; On every syde I tourned me ful ofte.

  8.  fig. To consider in different aspects; to revolve in the mind. (See also turn over, 77 e.)

1725.  [see turn about, 65 e].

1825.  T. Hook, Sayings, Ser. II. Sutherl. (Colburn), 54. Turn these things in your mind.

1891.  Strand Mag., II. 483/2. I pondered over it, and turned it every way in my mind.

  9.  To give a curved or crooked form to; to bend or twist; † to fold (quot. 1303); † to form by twisting, to plait (quot. 1665); to bend or twist round something so as to encircle it (quot. 1821); to form by bending (quot. 1827²). (Cf. turn down, 71 1.)

1303.  R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 1153. [He] bade hym take A sak … And … turne hyt tweyfolde … And ley hyt on hys fadyr for colde.

14[?].  Sloane MS. 1986, lf. 19 b. Wyspes drawen out at fote and syde, Wele wrethyn and turnyd.

1665.  Hooke, Microgr., xxvii. 149. Let all the sides of this Box be turned of Basket-work.

1821.  Scott, Kenilw., xiv. A bonnet … encircled with a gold chain turned three times round it. Ibid. (1827), Surg. Dau., xiv. His mustaches were turned and curled.

1827.  Faraday, Chem. Manip., xiv. (1842), 307. Those [tubes] which are turned or bent, and soldered with gold, will not bear the high temperature.

  b.  spec. To bend back (the edge of a sharp instrument) so as to make it useless for cutting; to blunt in this way. To turn edge, to have the edge thus bent, to become blunt. Also fig.

a. 1568.  Ascham, Scholem. (Arb.), 32. Quicke wittes are … like ouer sharpe tooles, whose edges be verie soone turned.

1593.  Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., II. i. 180. This Newes I thinke hath turn’d your Weapons edge.

1639.  Fuller, Holy War, V. iii. (1647), 234. However at this time they might turn edge, they had formerly been true blades for his Holinesse.

1673–4.  Grew, Anat. Trunks, II. vii. § 3. It turns not the edge of their Knives.

1714.  Fiddes, Pract. Disc., II. 82. A difficulty sufficient to turn the edge of the finest wit.

1879.  J. C. Shairp, Burns, viii. 193. When the caustic wit is beginning to get too biting, the edge of it is turned by a touch of kindlier humour.

  c.  To turn (a person) round one’s (little) finger, a proverbial phrase denoting that one can ‘do what one likes’ with him. (Cf. turn and wind, 64 b.)

1855.  [see FINGER sb. 3 a].

1861.  Hughes, Tom Brown at Oxf., xxv. (1889), 244. I am sure one could turn him round one’s finger.

  d.  intr. for pass. To assume a curved form, to bend; to become blunted by bending. (See also turn again, 66 e.)

[1579:  see turn again, 66 e.]

1815.  J. Smith, Panorama Sci. & Art, I. 4 If … it be too soft,… the edge will turn or bend.

  ** Senses denoting reversal of position.

  10.  trans. To reverse the position or posture of; to move into the contrary position, so that the upper side becomes the under (= turn UPSIDE DOWN), or the front the back; to invert.

  See also turn about, 65 d; turn over, 77 a; turn round, 78 c. To turn turtle: see TURTLE sb.² 2.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 103. Wi list þu turnd [orig. L. pronus] on þe eorðe? aris.

c. 1440.  Douce MS. 55, lf. 15 b. Folde vppe the cake … & turne it onys in the panne.

1533.  J. Heywood, Johan, A iv b. It were tyme for to tourne The pye, for ywys it doth borne.

1577.  B. Googe, trans. Heresbach’s Husb., 46. The grasse being cutte, must be well tedded and turned.

1687.  A. Lovell, trans. Thevenot’s Trav., I. 268. They turn a half minute Sand-Glass.

1706.  Phillips, s.v. Literal Fault, When a Letter is … transpos’d or turn’d.

1773.  Boswell, Tour Hebrides, 3 Oct. When he turned his cup at Aberbrothick, where we drank tea.

1868.  Miss Yonge, Pripils of St. John, vii. 97. He turned his horse, and was about to flee.

1875.  Ruskin, Fors Clav., V. liii. 117. Her … fine legerdemain in turning pancakes.

  † b.  fig. To invert the order of, to reverse; to convert (a proposition). Obs.

a. 1569.  Kingesmyll, Godly Advise (1580), 20. Christe tourned Water into Wine. Turne not his miracle, make not, I meane, water of wine.

1654.  Z. Coke, Logick, 114. These … are not to be turned; Christ is a vine; Bread is Christs body.

  11.  spec. a. To reverse (a leaf of a book) in order to read (or write) on the other side (or on the next leaf); to do this with the leaves of (a book) in succession, to read or search through. (See also turn over, 77 b, and LEAF sb. 7 b.)

  In quot. c. 1830, to find and open at the place in (the service-books) for the organist and choir; cf. turn up, 80 h.

c. 1275.  Lay., 46. Laweman þes bokes bi[h]eolde An þe leues tornde [c. 1205 wende].

1377.  Langl., P. Pl., B. III. 337. Had she loked þat oþer half and þe lef torned.

1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 167. Handes … redy to turne theyr boke.

1599.  Davies, Immort. Soul, Introd. xiv. When we have all the learned Volumes turn’d.

1688.  Penton, Guard. Instruct. (1877), 67. Able to read Greek, and turn the Lexicon upon occasion.

c. 1830.  G. Elvey, in Bumpus’s Cathedrals, Canterbury (1906), 36. Going down … to turn the books for the service one morning.

Mod.  I had just turned the leaf of my diary and begun to write on the other side.

  b.  To reverse the position of the turf, or of the soil, in plowing or digging, so as to bring the under parts to the surface. Also absol.

  In quot. 1844, to bring (seed) under by doing this. See also turn in, 72 b; turn over, 77 c; turn up, 80 f.

c. 1477.  Caxton, Jason, 81. Thou shalt yoke hem and make hem to tourne foure rodd of londe.

1523.  Fitzherb., Husb., § 4. Howe these plowes shulde be tempered, to plowe and turne clene.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 138. Starting, with a bound He turns the Turf, and shakes the solid Ground.

1799.  Ht. Lee, Canterb. T., Old Woman’s T. (ed. 2), I. 392. The earth has been newly turned.

1825.  Mirror, V. 278/2. He … when turning peats walked … fearlessly among the Hags of Lochar Moss.

1844.  Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., V. I. 62. The seed being sown on the surface, and turned under by a shallow furrow with the plough.

1892.  Sat. Rev., 11 June, 677/1. The first sod of the … Railway was turned on Tuesday.

  c.  To reverse (a garment, etc.) so that the inner side becomes the outer, to turn inside out; hence, to alter or remake by putting the inner side outward.

1483, 1552.  [implied in TURNED ppl. a. 6 c].

1557.  [implied in TURNCOAT].

1576–.  [see COAT sb. 13].

1596.  Shaks., Tam. Shr., III. ii. 44. A paire or olde breeches thrice turn’d.

1680.  V. Alsop, Mischief Impos., Ep. Ded. Like an old Livery new turn’d and fresh trim’d up.

1834.  Mrs. Carlyle, Lett. (1883), I. 10. I am now turning my pelisse.

1893.  Illustr. Sport. & Dram. News, 11 Feb., 774/2. A way of turning an old frock. (See also turn one’s coat 51.)

  12.  To cause (the stomach) to reject or revolt against the food (also transf. and fig., as in quots. 1749, 1818); to turn the stomach of, to nauseate, to disgust extremely.

1622.  Mabbe, trans. Aleman’s Guzman d’Alf., II. 355. I may not give it a worse word, for feare of turning thy stomake.

1738.  Pope, Epil. Sat., II. 182. This filthy simile … Quite turns my stomach.

1749.  Fielding, Tom Jones, I. i. The one provokes … the most languid appetite, the other turns and palls that which is … keenest.

1818.  Byron, Ch. Har., IV. lxxvi. The daily drug which turn’d My sickening memory.

1892.  Temple Bar Mag., Sept., 35. Questions that would turn the stomach of a school inspector.

  b.  intr. Of the stomach: To be affected with nausea.

1719.  De Foe, Crusoe (1840), II. iv. 78. Their stomachs turned at this sight.

c. 1850.  Arab. Nts. (Rtldg.), 159. He was obliged to take it out of his mouth again, for his stomach turned against it.

  IV.  To change or reverse course.

  * Senses denoting change of course or direction.

  13.  trans. To alter the course of; to cause to go another way; to divert, deflect. (In quot. c. 1200 refl. = 16.)

  See also turn aside, 67 a; turn off, 73 f. Turn house (Mining): see quot. 1778, and cf. HOUSE sb.¹ 7 c.

c. 1200.  Ormin, 6568. Þatt ta þreo kingess turndenn hemm Ut off þe rihhte weȝȝe, & forenn till Herode.

c. 1205.  Lay., 4092. He turnde his fare & ferd feorh riht to Wales.

1303.  R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 4624. As a shyppe þat ys turned with þe roþer. Ibid. (c. 1330), Chron. Wace (Rolls), 8165. Do scope þis water, & turn þe borne.

1596.  Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., III. i. 136. You shall haue Trent turn’d.

a. 1648.  Ld. Herbert, Autobiog. (1824), 66. His Rod over the left Ear of his Horse, which he is to use for turning him every way.

a. 1680.  Charnock, Attrib. God (1834), II. 67. You … see a … flight of birds … turn wing another way.

1778.  Pryce, Min. Cornub., 99. If they are working or driving from east to west,… and perceive the Lode is gone,… they … turn house as they call it, or, in other words, they drive north or south.

1794.  Act for inclosing South Kelsey, 12. Such … Path so stopped up or turned.

1821.  Clare, Vill. Minstr., II. 48. They turn’d the winding rivulet’s course.

  b.  To check the course of; to cause to go aside or retreat (cf. 19); to throw off, keep out (wet).

c. 1620.  Sanderson, Serm. (1689), 204. Like an unruly colt…; no ground will hold him, no fence turn him.

a. 1658.  Cleveland, Inund. Trent, 60. We whose unliquor’d Hides will turn no wet.

1821.  Clare, Vill. Minstr., I. 51. Spreading thorns that turn’d a summer shower.

1843.  Macaulay, Horatius, xliv. With shield and blade Horatius Right deftly turned the blow.

1891.  Eng. Illustr. Mag., IX. 153. The snapping of a dry stick is not sufficient to turn the tiger.

  14.  fig. To divert or deflect from a course of action, purpose, thought, etc.; to alter the course of (something immaterial); † sometimes (with mixture of sense 34), to pervert, misapply (obs.).

  See also turn aside, 67 a; turn off, 73 f.

c. 1200.  Ormin, 14240. Swn to turrnenn all þe boc Till þeȝȝre grediȝnesse.

a. 1225.  Leg. Kath., 1514. Ne mei me nowðer teone ne tintreohe turnen From mi leofmonnes luue.

a. 1340.  Hampole, Psalter xvii. 41. I sall noght be turnyd fra þat entent.

1474.  Caxton, Chesse, III. iii. (1883), 95. How torne they the lawe and statutes at their pleasir.

1591.  Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., V. iv. 59. Will nothing turne your vnrelenting hearts?

1622.  Fletcher & Massinger, Prophetess, III. iii. It is not in thy power to turn this destiny.

1687.  Dryden, Hind & P., III. 34. She turn’d the talk.

1766.  Goldsm., Vic. W., xxviii. No submission can turn our severe master.

1859.  Jephson, Brittany, xvi. 273. I … turned the conversation to something else.

1888.  Bryce, Amer. Commw., I. v. 55. These thirty six votes turned the election. [Cf. 49, 58.]

  † b.  To mislead, beguile, cheat. Obs. rare^–1.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Can. Yeom. Prol. & T., 618. Hym to bigile he thoghte … Til he had terned hym, he koude nat blynne.

  † c.  refl. To change one’s course of action. Obs.

1535.  Coverdale, Josh. xxiv. 20. Yf ye forsake the Lorde,… then shall the Lorde turne him, and do you euell. Ibid., Ps. xc. 13. Turne the agayne (o Lorde) at the last, and be gracious vnto thy seruauntes.

  15.  † a. To transfer, hand over. (Cf. turn over, 77 h.) Also intr. in passive sense. Obs.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 185. He dude his wille þar-offe, swo ich wile mine, nu hit [property] is to me iturnd.

c. 1290.  Beket, 243, in S. Eng. Leg., I. 113. Þis holi Man was i-torned fram þe office of holi churche To a gret office of þe worlde.

1387.  Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), VII. 301. Þe abbot was i-chaunged and i-torned [orig. L. translatus est] to his owne abbay in Normandie.

1400.  in Ancestor, July (1904), 14. Yef it so be that Sir Nicholl deye … I wil that the fornseyd place wyth alle the portenans torne to Anneys Nook myn servant.

1535.  Coverdale, 1 Chron. xi. [x.] 14. Therfore slewe he him, & turned the kyngdome vnto Dauid. Ibid., Lam. v. 2. Oure enheritaunce is turned to the straungers.

  b.  ‘To keep passing in a course of exchange or traffick’ (J.); to cause (money or commodities) to circulate.

  See also turn over, 77 i. To turn the penny, to turn an honest penny: see PENNY 9 k, HONEST a. 4 b.

1605.  B. Jonson, Volpone, I. i. I turne no moneys, in the publike banke.

1673.  Temple, Ess. Adv. Trade Irel., in Misc. (1680), 119. Hide, Tallow, Butter … yield the readiest Money of any [commodities] that are turned in this Kingdom.

1863.  D. G. Mitchell, Farm Edgewood, 214. The shopkeeper, who turns his capital three or four times in a year.

  16.  intr. To change one’s course, so as to go in a different direction; to deviate.

  See also turn aside, 67 b; t. away, 68 f; t. down, 71 h; t. in, 72 e; t. off, 73 k; t. up, 80 t.

13[?].  Sir Beues (A.), 3669. Out of þe way ȝhe gan terne Ase ȝhe wolde do hire dedes derne.

1375.  Barbour, Bruce, III. 106. Quhen þai þe king … Saw sua behind his mengne rid, And saw him torne sa mony tid.

1579.  Gosson, Sch. Abuse (Arb.), 41. Hee runnes farre that neuer turnes.

1645.  Evelyn, Diary, 21 Feb. Turning a little down we came to another piazza.

1797.  Mrs. Radcliffe, Italian, i. As they turned into the Strada di Toledo he had nearly lost them.

1827.  Scott, Highl. Widow, v. He … turned from the road, and descended the path towards the hut.

1894.  Baring-Gould, Kitty Alone, II. 164. I shall turn to the left, and leave the road.

  fig.  1613.  Purchas, Pilgrimage (1614), 292. Imminent miserie,… (they say) together with the almes, turneth from them to the poore man.

1697.  Dryden, Æneid, Ded., Ess. (ed. Ker), II. 202. Virgil … turns short on the sudden into some similitude, which diverts … your attention from the main subject.

  b.  Naut. To beat to windward; to tack.

1569.  Sir J. Hawkins, Voy. (Hakl. Soc.), 37. With contrary windes blowing, whereby for feare of the shore we were faine to hale off to haue ankerhold, sometimes a whole day and a night turning vp and downe.

1633.  T. James, Voy., 93. We turned amongst this Ice, staying the Ship.

1706.  Lond. Gaz., No. 4215/3. The Wind being at North-East, they turned all that day…, but could not fetch Torbay.

1835.  Marryat, Pirate, xvi. The sloop of war … continued to turn to windward.

1867.  Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Turn to windward, to, to gain on the wind by alternate tacking.

  † c.  Turn about (something); to walk or travel round, circumambulate. Obs.

1585.  T. Washington, trans. Nicholay’s Voy., III. xxi. 110 b. They goe turning seuen times about a fouresquare towre.

1642.  Tasman, Jrnl., in Acc. Sev. Late Voy., I. (1694), 135. In turning about this Island there appeared very few Men.

  d.  Of the wind: To shirt, so as to blow from a different quarter.

1610.  Holland, Camden’s Brit. (1637), 587. Unlesse the winde turne from West into the South.

1702.  Marwood, Diary, in Cath. Rec. Soc. Publ., VII. 121. After Noon the Wind turned, and it rayned a little.

  e.  Of a road, path, line, etc.: To change direction, as at a bend or curve; also, to branch off at an angle from the main road or line.

1535.  Coverdale, Josh. xix. 34. Their border … goeth out vnto Iordane, and turneth westwarde to Asnoth Thabor.

1821.  Scott, Kenilw., xiii. Following the smith down a lane which turned to the left hand towards the river.

1892.  Harper’s Mag., May, 907/2. Railways turn and curve through the valleys.

  17.  trans. To bend one’s course so as to get to the other side of; to go or pass round (a corner, etc.). See also CORNER sb.¹ 2 b.

1687–1877.  [see CORNER sb.¹ 2 b].

1743.  P. Francis, trans. Hor. Odes, I. i. 6. To turn with kindling wheels the goal.

1820.  Belzoni, Egypt & Nubia, III. 318. With the expectation, that on turning the next angle, I should have the glorious sight.

1855.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xx. IV. 493. Before Columbus had crossed the Atlantic, before Gama had turned the Cape.

  b.  Mil. To get round (an enemy’s position, etc.); also fig. See also turn flank, 55.

1845–6.  Trench, Huls. Lect., Ser. II. i. 152. Not so much anxiously defending our own position as confidently turning theirs.

1861.  Mill, Utilit., v. 84. These are difficulties;… and many devices have been invented to turn rather than to overcome them.

1892.  Black & White, 19 March, 371/2. The skill of the attack in turning the Russian defences.

  18.  To pass, get beyond (a particular age, time, or amount).

1789.  Mrs. Piozzi, Journ. France, I. 90. Let a man once turn sixty … and his natural heirs are sure of him.

1844.  W. H. Maxwell, Sports & Adv. Scotl., xxxvii. (1855), 290. I had turned my fourteenth year.

1893.  Illustr. Sport. & Dram. News, 10 June, 524/3. It had turned a quarter past one.

1899.  Q. Rev., Jan., 194. The vast ‘Coleccion de documentos inéditos’ is turning the hundred in the numbering of its volumes.

  b.  pa. pple. (in active sense) with or (now more usually in England) without of: Having passed (a particular age or time); more than, past.

1700.  Congreve, Way of World, III. viii. I hear he is turn’d of forty.

1703.  Farquhar, Inconstant, I. i. D. Sirrah, What’s a Clock? P. Turn’d of Eleven, Sir.

1789.  Mrs. Piozzi, Journ. France, I. 21. The little knot of unmarried females turned fifty.

1890.  Fenn, Double Knot, I. i. 84. I’m nineteen,… and you are turned twenty.

1892.  Harper’s Mag., Aug., 450/2. I was young then—only just turned of two-and-twenty. And now,… I am turned of forty-five!

  ** Senses denoting reversal of course or direction.

  19.  trans. To reverse the course of; to cause to go in the opposite direction: = turn back, 69 a. Also fig.

  Turn the dice (quot. a. 1700), to reverse the luck.

13[?].  Cursor M., 20713 (Cott.). Feres, gon we son onan, And turn we þis processiun.

1664.  Howard & Dryden, Ind. Queen, II. ii. Till this strange man had power to turn the tide, And carry conquest unto any side.

a. 1700.  Dryden, Cock & Fox, 754. But see how Fortune can confound the Wise, And when they least expect it, turn the Dice.

  20.  intr. To reverse one’s, or its, course; to begin to go, or to tend, in the opposite direction; to be reversed: = turn back, 69 e. (lit. and fig.)

c. 1205.  Lay., 7547. He … turnde to flæme [c. 1275 tornde to flende].

a. 1400.  Cato’s Morals, 170, in Cursor M., p. 1671. Quen þi hap turnis baft, and logh þou lise.

1593.  Shaks., Lucr., 646. My vncontrolled tide Turnes not, but swels the higher by this let.

1689.  Lond. Gaz., No. 2518/3. About four in the Afternoon the Tide turn’d.

1827.  Disraeli, Viv. Grey, V. xiv. Stocks fell…, the exchange turned, money became scarce.

1867.  J. B. Rose, trans. Virgil’s Æneid, 337. Before a woman do ye turn and flee?

1885.  Malet, Col. Enderby’s Wife, III. iv. I fancied … the luck would turn.

  † 21.  intr. To go or come back; to return. (See also turn again, 66 b.) Obs.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 11526 (Cott.). Þai had in wil þat ilk night To torn be herods.

c. 1385.  Chaucer, L. G. W., 1619 (Hypsipyle & Medea). So that ȝe schal nat die But turnyn sound hom to ȝoure tessalye.

c. 1420.  Arturs of Arth., 264. Turne þou to tuskayne.

1594.  Shaks., Rich. III., IV. iv. 184. Ere from this warre thou turne a Conqueror.

  † b.  Of property: To return to the former possessor; to revert. (See also turn again, 66 c.) Obs.

1500.  Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot., 537. Landis … To be haldin to the said Patrik and hys airis maill…, the quhilkis failyeand turnand to me … and my airis.

  † c.  trans. To give or send back; to return. Obs.

1593.  Shaks., Rich. II., IV. i. 39. I will turne thy falshood to thy hart, Where it was forged, with my Rapiers point.

1637.  B. Jonson, Sad Sheph., I. ii. She’ll turn us thanks.

  V.  Senses allied to III and IV, but referring specially to direction or destination.

  22.  a. trans. To change the direction of; to direct another way, or different ways alternately (esp. the eyes or face); sometimes, to avert (= turn away, 68 a); also, to cause to face in the opposite direction (= turn round, 78 e).

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 4311 (Cott.). Fleand turn þou noght þin ei.

c. 1300.  St. Margarete, 128. Þe justise … nolde loke þerto Ac bihuld abac & tournde his eȝen.

c. 1450.  Myrc, Par. Pr., 63. Tuynde [v.r. Turne] þyn ye þat thow ne se The cursede worldes vanyte.

c. 1460.  Towneley Myst., iii. 336. For Iak nor for gille wille I turne my face Tille I haue … spon a space on my rok.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 353. Often he turns his Eyes, and … Surveys the pleasing Kingdoms.

1842.  Tennyson, Walking to Mail, 38. Jack, turn the horses’ heads and home again. Ibid. (1842), Day Dream, Prol. 17. Turn your face, Nor look with that too-earnest eye.

  b.  refl. To change one’s position (or course) so as to face (or go) another way: = c. arch.

13[?].  Cursor M., 17288 + 224 (Cott.). Scho tourned hir and saȝe our lord stand nere.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 11000. Turnes yow full tyte, & taries a while.

1592.  Shaks., Rom. & Jul., I. i. 74. Turne thee Benuolio, looke vpon thy death.

1849.  M. Arnold, Sick King in Bokhara, 127. Turning him quickly to go in.

  c.  intr. To change one’s position so as to face in the contrary, or a different, direction; to face about.

  Right turn!, Left turn!, as military words of command = turn (through a right angle) to the right, to the left; Right about turn! = turn (by a movement to the right) so as to face in the opposite direction (see RIGHT ABOUT).

c. 1275.  Lay., 26576. Þo tornden hii sone … And ech his sweord swiþe droh.

1388.  Wyclif, John i. 38. Jhesu turnede, and say hem suynge hym.

a. 1533.  Ld. Berners, Huon, lix. 205. Whan they aprochyd nere, Huon sodenly tournyd.

1606.  Shaks., Tr. & Cr., V. vii. 33. Turne slaue and fight.

1667.  Milton, P. L., VIII. 507. Seeing me, she turn’d.

1780.  C. Simeon, in Carus, Life (1847), 19. Turning at the Creed, [I] saw the table covered.

1844.  Dickens, Mart. Chuz., ii. He … turned upon his heel, and walked out.

1890.  A. Gissing, Vill. Hampden, II. iv. 72. He recognised her figure, but never turned to look behind.

  23.  With reference chiefly to the new direction taken. (See also uses with adverbs in VIII.) a. trans. To direct, present, point (towards or away from some specified person or thing, or in some specified direction).

c. 1205.  Lay., 20658. Turnden [c. 1275 tornde] heo heore ordes, Stikeden & sloȝen Al þat heo neh comen.

c. 1230.  Hali Meid., 17. Þu most turne þe rug [= back].

a. 1330.  Roland & V., 341. An image … Stode on a roche … Þe face of him was turned souþe riȝt.

c. 1425.  Wyntoun, Cron., V. xiv. 5608. Be þe takyn þat þat ymage Had turnyt fra Romule his wissage.

a. 1533.  Ld. Berners, Huon, lxxxii. 254. He tournyd his face to her warde.

1583.  Melbancke, Philotimus, H j b. You are so wetherwise, turninge your tayle into euery wynde.

1667.  Milton, P. L., IX. 527. His gentle dumb expression turn’d at length The Eye of Eve to mark his play.

a. 1700.  Dryden, Ovid’s Met., XIII. Acis, Pol. & Galatea, 111. Plums, to tempt you, turn their glossy side.

1756.  Mrs. Calderwood, in Coltness Collect. (Maitl. Cl.), 205. The armies upon which the eyes of all Europe are turned.

1823.  Scott, Quentin D., xxxvi. D’Hymbercourt turned two culverins on the gate.

1880.  L. Stephen, Pope, vi. 157. A soured man prefers to turn his worst side outwards.

  b.  refl. = next sense. arch. (See also e.)

c. 1375.  Sc. Leg. Saints, xviii. (Egipciane), 265. I ma nocht me turne to þe.

c. 1400.  Maundev. (Roxb.), xvi. 72. When a man turnez him to þe este.

1548–9.  (Mar.) Bk. Com. Prayer, Communion (Rubric). Then the priest shall turne hym to the people.

1596.  Shaks., Merch. V., III. ii. 138. Turne you where your Lady is.

1725.  Pope, Odyss., III. 603. The Monarch turns him to his royal guest.

1812.  Cary, Dante, Paradise, XXII. 2. To the guardian of my steps I turn’d me.

  c.  intr. To change one’s position so as to face towards or away from some specified person or thing; to direct oneself; to face (with implied change of direction). See also e.

c. 1325.  Spec. Gy Warw., 435. For toward hem he wole turne Boþe wraþful and eke sterne.

c. 1425.  Cursor M., 11711 (Trin.). Iesu turned to þat tre.

1593.  Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., I. i. 189. Turne this way Henry, and regard them not.

1602.  Harington, Nugæ Ant. (ed. Park, 1804), I. 321. To turne askante from her condition withe tearlesse eyes.

1754.  Gray, Poesy, 37. Where’er she turns the Graces homage pay.

18[?].  T. Moore, Irish Melodies, ‘She is far from the land,’ i, But coldly she turns from their gaze, and weeps.

1890.  A. Gissing, Vill. Hampden, II. xiii. 273. All faces turned towards him as he rose.

  † d.  (without the notion of change.) To have a specified direction or aspect; to face. Obs. rare.

1535.  Coverdale, Ezek. xliii. 1. He brought me to y^e dore, that turneth towarde the east.

1604.  E. G[rimstone], D’Acosta’s Hist. Indies, III. xxi. 188. In places whereas the land … turnes from the shadow of the mountaines.

  e.  In not to know which way to turn (or turn oneself arch.), and similar phrases, the sense is partly lit. and partly fig. (= what course to take, what to do: cf. 28 c).

c. 1400.  Brut, xxxix. 146. He hade so miche to done wiþ þe Erl Randulf … & wiþ Hugh Bigot … þat he ne wist whider to turne.

1526.  Tindale, Luke xxi. 25. They shall not tell which waye to turne them selves.

1669.  Sturmy, Mariner’s Mag., Advt. C iij b. We have been at our wits end, and knew not which way in the World to turn our selves.

1719.  De Foe, Crusoe (1840), II. x. 219. They knew not which way to turn themselves.

1825.  Waterton, Wand. S. Amer., III. iii. 270. There is a vast deal of knowledge to be picked up … whichever way we turn ourselves.

1885.  Sir W. V. Field, in Law Times Rep., LII. 651/1. She did not know which way to turn to find means.

  24.  a. trans. To direct in the way of movement; to set going in a particular direction; to bend the course of.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 13476 (Cott.). If þai … turn ham [= home] þair wai, Bi þe wai son faile sal þai.

a. 1548.  Hall, Chron., Hen. V., 49. In whiche … just quarel al good persons shal rather set bothe theyr feete forwarde, then once to turne theyr one heale backward.

1692.  Prior, Ode in Imit. Horace, x. Where-e’er old Rhine his fruitful Water turns.

1891.  New Rev., Oct., 347. He then turned his steps towards the south.

  b.  refl. = next sense. arch.

a. 1240.  Sawles Warde, in Cott. Hom., 257. Al þat hird … turneð ham treowliliche to wit hare lauerd.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 2391 (Cott.). Abram turned him to þe south.

c. 1482.  J. Kay, trans. Caoursin’s Siege of Rhodes, ¶ 7. And thenne they tourned theyme in the see toward Rhodes.

1700.  S. L., trans. Fryke’s Voy. E. Ind. 306. We turned our selves to a River.

1867.  J. B. Rose, trans. Virgil’s Æneid, 342. Turn thee hither, turn thee.

  c.  intr. To direct one’s course; to set oneself to go in a particular direction: usually with implied change of course (cf. 16); sometimes almost synonymous with ‘go’ or ‘come,’ with special reference to destination.

c. 1200.  Ormin, 6596. & tatt te kingess turrndenn efft Till þeȝȝre rihhte weȝȝe.

c. 1290.  S. Eng. Leg., I. 25/54. Þat he scholde after þis lijf tuyrne into þulke blis.

c. 1380.  Sir Ferumb., 3545. Þay … in-to þe paleys þan tornde.

c. 1470.  Golagros & Gaw., 2. The king turnit on ane tyde towart Tuskane.

a. 1631.  Donne, Poems (1650), 58. Turne thou ghost that way, and let me turne this.

1653.  Walton, Angler, i. 38. I thought we had wanted three miles of the thatcht House … but now we are at it, we’l turn into it.

1893.  Cornh. Mag., Nov., 474. Thither their footsteps turn.

  25.  trans. To cause or command to go; to send, drive; esp. (with qualifying adv. or advb. phrase) to send or order away, dismiss.

  See also turn away, 68 c; t. off, 73 b; t. out, 75, c e. In quot. 1903 app, short for turn loose (61 b).

1526.  Tindale, Heb. xi. 34. [They] turned to flyght the armees of the alientes.

1545.  Ascham, Toxoph., I. (Arb.), 88. Where they turned with so fewe Archers so many Frenchemen to flight.

1586.  A. Day, Eng. Secretary, II. (1625), 118. They are turned at the last quite forth by the elbowes.

1600.  Shaks., A. Y. L., III. i. 18. Push him out of dores … turne him going.

a. 1649.  Winthrop, New Eng. (1853), II. 267. A vessel … was fallen into the hands of D’Aulnay, who had made prize of her, and turned the men upon an island.

1782.  Miss Burney, Cecilia, VII. ix. You will not … turn me from your door.

1891.  ‘L Keith’ (Grace L. K. Johnston), Halletts, II. ii. 37. He would turn me adrift without the smallest consideration.

1903.  A. Adams, Log Cowboy, xiii. 206. Before the bewildered spectators could raise a hand, five six-shooters were turned into the ceiling.

  b.  spec. To drive or put forth (beasts) to pasture. (See also t. out, 75 d.) Also in fig. or allusive use (= prec. sense).

1602.  2nd Pt. Return fr. Parnass., I. ii. 268. Clap a lock on their feete, and turne them to commons.

1646.  J. Lilburne, Unhappy Game Scotch & Eng., 12. When the King hath got all, he’ll turne our brethren to grasse.

1765.  Museum Rust., IV. 183. Let the grass take head for about … three weeks, before you turn your sheep upon it.

1825.  Scott, Betrothed, x. It’s like old Raoul and I will be turned to grass with the lord’s old chargers.

1847.  Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., VIII. I. 35. The privilege of turning stock into the park.

  c.  To put, cast, or convey into a receptacle or the like; now esp. by inverting the containing vessel (cf. 10), or diverting into a new channel (cf. 13).

  In quot. 1598 turn into = ‘put into’ (a different dress), with mixture of sense ‘change’ (branch VI).

1594.  Shaks., Rich. III., I. ii. 261. But first Ile turne yon Fellow in [= into] his Graue. Ibid. (1598), Merry W., V. v. 214. I knew of your purpose: turn’d my daughter into white.

1844.  Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., V. I. 107. The sewers … may be cleansed by turning some water into them out of a large pond.

1901.  Alldridge, Sherbro, ii. 15. A common method to detect bad kernels is to turn them into great casks containing water, when the good solid ones sink to the bottom, and the worthless ones float on the surface.

  d.  intr. for pass.

1801.  Naval Chron., VI. 76. At the top of the tide she turned off the stocks.

  26.  fig. trans. To direct or set (thought, desire, speech, action, etc.) towards (or away from) something. Usually const. to, rarely on, upon.

  † In quot. 1659, to direct, refer (a person) to something (cf. 28 d).

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 59. We and ure heldrene habbæð ben turnd fro him [God] eure siððen þe deuel com on neddre liche to adam.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 52. Eue biheold o þen uorbodene eppele,… & turnde hire lust þer toward, & nom & et þerof.

1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 6824. Þe luþer men of denemarch … To hor olde luþerhede iturnd adde hor þoȝt.

c. 1325.  Metr. Hom., Prol. 32. An unkind man es he, That turnes alle his thoht fra the.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Miller’s T., 6. Al his fantasye Was turned for to lerne Astrologye.

1483.  Caxton, G. de la Tour, F ij b. Moche merueylled the neyghbours how she had tourned her herte to loue suche a pryour.

1560.  Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 420 b. Turning his talke to him.

1659.  H. Thorndike, Wks. (1846), II. 504. Those who … turn simple … Christians to that translation.

1727.  Swift, What passed in Lond., Wks. 1755, III. I. 183. His mind was wholly turned upon spiritual matters.

1823.  Scott, Quentin D., xi. He turned his thoughts from this subject of reflection.

1863.  A. Blomfield, Mem. Bp. Blomfield, II. iii. 90. He could turn the whole force of his mind at a moment’s notice on any subject.

1883.  Stevenson, Treas. Isl., IV. xviii. We … turned our attention to poor Tom.

  b.  To cause or induce (a person, etc.) to take a particular course; to direct the course of (events, etc.). arch.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 380. Wel hath ffortune y-turned thee the dys.

1390.  Gower, Conf., III. 73. The kinge he torneth at his wille, And makth him forto dreme.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 2943. Throgh which treason betydes, & ternes vmqwhile Bolde men to batell and biker with hond.

1611.  Shaks., Wint. T., III. i. 15. Great Apollo Turne all to th’ best.

  27.  refl. To direct one’s mind, will, attention, etc., to or from a person or thing: = 28, 28 b, 28 c. Now rare or arch.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 61. Turneð ȝiu to me, and ich wile turnen me to ȝiu.

c. 1200.  Ormin, 6586. He þatt turrneþþ himm fra Crist … Forrleoseþþ sawless soþe lihht.

c. 1375.  Sc. Leg. Saints, xli. (Agnes), 242. Men sal … twrne þaim to þe cristine fay.

1535.  Coverdale, Exod. xxxii. 12. O turne the from the fearcenesse of thy wrath.

1539.  Bible (Great), Ps. xxv. 16. Turne the vnto me, and haue mercy vpon me.

1551.  Robinson, trans. More’s Utop., I. (1895), 87. Ynough for hym, yea, and more then he can well turne hym to.

1832.  Examiner, 92/1. They were compelled to turn themselves to other employments.

  28.  intr. To direct one’s mind, desire, or will to or from some person, thing, or action.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 61. We turnen ofte to him, and fro him.

c. 1315.  Shoreham, Poems, i. 122. Paȝ he torni to senne aȝen.

c. 1475.  Partenay, 518. Vnto my purpos torn shall I therfore.

1539.  Bible (Great), Exod. xxxii. 12. Turne from thy fearse wrath.

1567.  Gude & Godlie B. (S. T. S.), 173. Turnand till Goddis infinite.

1690.  Locke, Hum. Und., II. i. § 8. Ideas … make not deep Impressions … till the Understanding turn inwards upon it self, and reflect on its own Operations.

1764.  Goldsm., Trav., 8. Where’er I roam,… My heart untravell’d fondly turns to thee.

1891.  M. Maartens, Old Maid’s Love, II. iii. 46. She turned from the thought of scandal with impatience.

  b.  spec. To direct one’s attention to a different subject; to begin to speak or think of something else.

c. 1374.  Chaucer, Troylus, II. 639 (688). Now lat vs stynte of Troylus…, and late vs tourne [v.rr. torne, turne] faste Vnto Criseyde.

c. 1375.  Sc. Leg. Saints, xxi. (Clement), 622. Off þis matere now no mare I tel, Bot to þe story twrne I sel Of sancte clement.

1836.  W. Irving, Astoria, III. lvi. 188. It is with a feeling of momentary relief we turn to something of a more pleasing complexion.

1880.  L. Stephen, Pope, ii. 43. Let us now turn from the poems to the author’s personal career.

  c.  To direct one’s attention to something practically; to apply oneself to or take up an occupation or pursuit.

1667.  Milton, P. L., V. 630. Forthwith from dance to sweet repast they turn.

1842.  Tennyson, Locksley Hall, 99. What is that which I should turn to…? Every door is barr’d with gold, and opens but to golden keys.

1891.  Sat. Rev., 26 Dec., 730/1. He turned next to log-splitting.

  d.  Turn to: to refer to, look up, consult (a book, list, table, etc.).

1631.  Cotton (title), A Complete Concordance … By helpe whereof any passage of holy Scripture may bee readily turned unto.

1693.  Locke, Educ., § 172. Helvicus’s Tables may be … turned to on all occasions.

1850.  Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., XI. II. 400. To their reports the reader must turn for accurate information.

1886.  K. S. Macquoid, Sir J. Appleby, II. viii. 111. He took up a local paper and turned to the list of visitors.

  e.  To resort, betake oneself, have recourse to (a person, etc.); to appeal to for help or support.

1821.  Clare, Vill. Minstr., II. 80. He turns to heaven to witness what he feels.

1869.  A. W. Ward, trans. Curtius’ Hist. Greece, II. III. iii. 472. The Milesians were unable to maintain themselves in Priene and turned to Athens.

1890.  Clark Russell, Ocean Trag., I. i. 20. You are the one man … that I should turn to in such a time.

1912.  Jrnl. Friends’ Hist. Soc., IX. 204. Once more we have to turn to a German writer for information.

  † f.  To tend, have a tendency to something. Obs.

1340–70.  Alex. & Dind., 365. Tale tende we non þat turneþ to harme. Ibid., 469. When we tenden any tale þat turneþ to bourde.

1583.  Leg. Bp. St. Androis, 976. Whairto it turnes I can no^t tell.

  † 29.  trans. To induce or persuade to adopt a (different) religious faith (usually with implication of its truth or excellence), or a religious or godly (instead of an irreligious or ungodly) life; to convert; less commonly in bad sense, to pervert (cf. 14). Obs. or merged in other senses. a. Const. to, into; from.

c. 1200.  Ormin, 169. He shall turrnenn mikell flocc … till þe rihhte læfe.

c. 1205.  Lay., 12734. Heo þencheð … to … turne to heðenesse Þa hæȝe & þa læsse.

1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 4956. Seint birin þe bissop … Þat in to þis lond … ysend was. To turne þe king of west sex, kingilf, to cristendom.

a. 1375.  Joseph Arim., 11. In þe nome of þe fader Ioseph him folewede, And hedde I-turned to be feyþ fifti with him-seluen.

c. 1380.  Antecrist, in Todd, 3 Treat. Wyclif, 122. Þei shal … bowe a wey from trewþe and ben turned in to fables.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 107. We scholde nouȝt tarye to be yturned to God.

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 507/2. Turne, to badnesse, perverto.

1513.  More, Rich. III. (1641), 14. But if grace turne him to wisedome.

1579.  W. Wilkinson, Confut. Familye of Loue, Brief Descr., iij b. Who sought to peruert and turne from the truth xii godly Christians.

  b.  simply.

c. 1305.  St. Swithin, 10, in E. E. P. (1862), 43. Seint berin her bi weste wende And turnde þe king kenewold as oure louerd him grace sende.

1377.  Langl., P. Pl., B. XV. 540. Many miracles be wrouȝte man for to turne.

1539.  Bible (Great), Jer. xxxi. 19. As soon as thou turnest me, I shall refourme my selfe.

c. 1592.  Marlowe, Jew of Malta, IV. i. Why, brother, you converted Abigail … One [friar] turn’d my daughter, therefore he shall die.

1692.  Locke, Toleration, ii. Wks. 1727, II. 266. The two Reynold’s (… one a Protestant, the other a Papist) who upon the exchange of Papers between them, were both turn’d.

  30.  intr. To adopt a different (esp. the true) religion, or a godly life; to be converted. a. Const. to. (Now merged in sense 28.)

a. 1225.  St. Marher., 22. Turnden þa þurh þis to criste swiðe monie.

c. 1300.  Cursor M., 22119 (Edinb.). If þai wil noȝte turne til his lare, He sal taim sla wiþoutin spare.

1387.  Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), VI. 335. Þe kyng of Bulgares and his men tornede to Cristes fey and bileve.

[c. 1410.  Hampole’s Psalter lxxxvi. 3 (MS. U²). Þai resceyf sinfull men that will torune [? tourne] to me.

c. 1590.  Marlowe, Faust., v. 8. Abjure this magic, turn to God again.

1891.  Temple Bar, Dec., 599. It is never too late to turn to God.]

  b.  simply. To be converted; to repent. arch.

c. 1300.  Cursor M., 19013 (Edinb.). Þis wordis herd, þair hertis gan turne, alsua for þaire misdedis murne. Ibid. (13[?]), 16762 + 148 (Cott.). Mony þat stode & saȝe … Torned & wore baptized.

1526.  Tindale, Matt. xviii. 3. Except ye tourne and become as children.

1679.  Establ. Test, 45. So would they say to all Protestants,… Turn, or burn.

1876.  W. Arnot, Anchor of Soul, 333. If … the lost shall turn, they will get life in the Lord.

  c.  To go over to another side or party; to revolt, desert. Const. to. arch.

1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 9891. Richard þe kinges sone,… Aȝen is fader turnde to þe king of france alas!

13[?].  Cursor M., 15137 (Cott.). All þis werld es turnand Til him.

c. 1470.  Henry, Wallace, I. 110. Erle Patrik than ... Till our fa turnd, and harmyng did ws mast.

1593.  Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., I. i. 151. All will reuolt from me, and turne to him.

18[?].  J. Forbes, Battle of Corichie, ix., in A. Whitwell, Bk. Sc. Ball. (1857), 556. Whan the haf o’ the Gordones desertit, An’ turnit wi’ Murray in a crack.

  31.  trans. To direct or bring to bear in the way of (active) opposition; to retort or cause to recoil upon; to proceed to use against.

1297.  [see turn one’s hand, 56 a].

1538.  Cromwell, in Merriman, Life & Lett. (1902), II. 125. By this meane their owne craft … shalbe torned into their owne neckes.

a. 1641.  Bp. Mountagu, Acts & Mon., iii. (1642), 184. To wrest his weapon out of his hands, and turne it upon himselfe.

1687.  Atterbury, Answ. Consid. Spirit Luther, 48. Luther’s Conscience … turn’s these very reasonings upon him.

1839.  Yeowell, Anc. Brit. Ch., x. (1847), 107. Her cruel masters turned their ruthless hands against every thing and person that had a religious character.

1855.  Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., XVI. II. 569. He has sufficient security that the disclosure will not be turned against himself.

  b.  To direct against in feeling; to make antagonistic; to imbue with hatred or dislike.

1831.  Examiner, 722/2. The hearts of the poor were turned in bitterness against the rich.

1881.  Mrs. Lynn Linton, My Love, xi. Not even Papa could turn me against Cyril.

  32.  intr. To recoil upon; to fall upon with disastrous effect; to have an adverse tendency or result. Now rare or Obs., or merged in next.

1377.  Langl., P. Pl., B. XVIII. 359. Now bygynneth þi gyle ageyne þe to tourne.

a. 1380.  Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 351. Certis synne of siche children turneþ into heed of þer fadir.

1550.  J. Coke, Eng. & Fr. Heralds, § 71 (1877), 80. Thus your bostes, syr heralde, turne upon your heles.

1625.  Bacon, Ess., Empire (Arb.), 305. The destruction of Demetrius, Sonne to Philip the Second of Macedon, turned vpon the Father, who died of Repentance.

1660.  Trial Regic., 24 Court. There is nothing you can say, but Guilty, or Not guilty. All other discourses turn upon your self.

a. 1715.  Burnet, Own Time (1823), I. II. 430 (an. 1667). The Dutch war had turned so fatally on the king.

1831.  Gardiner & Mullinger, Stud. Eng. Hist., I. viii. 153. It turns upon those who attempt it, as the Florentine people turned upon Savonarola.

  33.  intr. To change one’s position in order to attack or resist some one; to take up an attitude of opposition; to oppose oneself; with on or upon, to assail suddenly or violently (in act or word); with against, usually implying a change from previous friendliness. See also turn again, 66 d; turn round, 78 c.

13[?].  in Pol. Songs (Camden), 189. Hue turnden hem aȝeynes with suerd ant with launce.

1477.  Earl Rivers (Caxton), Dictes, 72. Be not gladde of the euill fortune of another, for thou knowest not howe the worlde may tourne ayenst the.

1596.  Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., II. iv. 297. Should I turne vpon the true Prince?

1625.  Bacon, Ess., Friendship (Arb.), 169. Pompey turned vpon him againe, and … bad him be quiet.

1804.  A. Duncan, Mariner’s Chron., II. 241. At this place, Mr. Hamilton met with a large seal, or sea-lion, and fired a brace of balls into him, upon which the animal turned upon him open-mouthed.

1854.  Thackeray, Rose & Ring, iii. These people who are following you will be the first to turn against you.

1865.  Kingsley, Herew., xxxii. The king turned on his courtiers, glad to ease his own conscience by cursing them.

1837.  F. W. Robinson, In Bad Hands, I. 33. The impudence of some people … would make a worm turn.

1892.  Black & White, 12 March, 327/2. His adulators of yesterday are prepared to turn and rend him.

  34.  trans. To apply to some use or purpose; to make use of, employ.

  See also turn one’s hand to, 56 b; turn to account, 62 b. In quot. a. 1225, to dedicate to a saint.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 18. To þeo halewen þet ȝe habbeð to þurh luue iturnd ower weouedes.

1398.  Munim. de Melros (Bann. Cl.), 489. To be distreignede … and in[to] þaire profite to be turnide.

1445.  in Charters rel. Glasgow (1906), 440. A certane sowm … beforehand … payit be the said Davy and in myne use turnit.

1605.  Bacon, Adv. Learn., I. ii. § 1. Virgil, turning his pen to the advantage of his country.

1711.  Addison, Spect., No. 251, ¶ 2. I … would willingly turn my Head to any thing for an honest Livelihood.

1821.  Scott, Kenilw., vi. I trust that what I have spoken … will not be turned to my ruin.

1873.  Mrs. Oliphant, Innocent, II. ii. 33. An old house … which she had turned to a great many uses.

  b.  To set (a person) to some work or employment; in quot. 1781 Naut. = turn up, 80 r.

1781.  Archer, in Naval Chron., XI. 283. Turn all hands! make sail!

1869.  Hughes, Alfred Gt., xii. 139. The whole manhood of the kingdom might have been … turned upon this work.

1892.  Blackw. Mag., CLI. 204/2. To turn the whole country on a deserter, and so take him dead or alive.

  VI.  To change, alter.

  * General senses.

  35.  trans. To change, transmute; to alter, make different, or substitute something else (of the same kind) for. Now rare or Obs. exc. as in 37, 40 or associated with other senses: cf. turn color, 52.

  † Turn sides (quot. 1736), to change sides, go over from one side to the other.

c. 1230.  Hali Meid., 9. Godd ne schop hit neauer swuch, Ah Adam & eue turnden hit to beo swuch þurh hare sunne.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 10434 (Cott.). Mend þi mode and turn þi chere.

a. 1400.  Maundev. (1839), viii. 86. An Aungel helde Jacob stille, & turned his name, & cleped him Israel.

c. 1470.  Golagros & Gaw., 1066. Schir Gawane tretit the knight to turn his entent.

c. 1489.  Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, vii. 170. Whan the barons sawe reynawde & bayarde so torned, they began to laughe.

1566.  Drant, Horace, Sat., viii. F vj b. But pleasure hath lyke Circes cuppes yturnde them from their Kynde.

1595.  Shaks., Merch. V., III. ii. 249. Some deere friend dead, else nothing in the world Could turne so much the constitution Of any constant man.

1607.  Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1658), 340. Orus writeth, that there is a Fish of this name which turneth sex.

1736.  Lediard, Life Marlborough, II. 524. Their good Fortune … may, hereafter, turn Sides.

1892.  Temple Bar Mag., Jan., 144. Suddenly she turned the subject. Ibid., April, 485. They … turned their dresses and their opinions.

  36.  intr. To undergo change or alteration; to become different, to change; in quot. 1599, to be fickle or inconstant. rare (exc. as in 38, 39).

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 91. Þa þet folc þis iherde, þa iturn[d]e heore mod.

c. 1275.  Lay., 3069. His euhe [= hue] torne[d] and … Bicom alse a blac cloþ.

14[?].  Sir Beues (MS. C.), 1283 + 47. Al his þouȝt bygan to tern.

1474.  Caxton, Chesse, III. iii. (1883), 98. Whan fortune torneth and perishith ther abideth not to hym one frende.

1599.  Shaks., Passionate Pilgr., vii. She bad loue last, and yet she fell a turning.

1732.  Pope, Ep. Bathurst, 379. Things change their titles, as our manners turn.

1894.  Parry, Stud. Gt. Composers, Schubert, 226. How to make the form turn and vary.

  37.  trans. with into or to: To change, transform, or convert into; to cause to become (something else).

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 97. Petrus wes fixere [= fisher] þene iturnde þe ilcan godes gast to apostle.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 45. Þanne is here foshipe turnd al to frendshipe.

c. 1275.  Passion of our Lord, 10, in O. E. Misc., 37. He … turnde water to wyne.

a. 1350.  Hampole, Poems, Wks. 1895, I. 78. Ihesu es lufe þat lastes ay:… Ihesu þe nyght turnes to þe day, þe dawyng in til spryng.

1413.  Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton, 1483), IV. xxviii. 73. The floure is forfaded and al the beaute therof torned to nouȝt.

1484.  Caxton, Fables of Alfonce, xi. The goddes … haue torned my daughter in to this catte.

a. 1569.  [see 10 b].

1631.  Weever, Anc. Fun. Mon., 433. This religious house is now turned into an Hospitall.

1765.  Gray, Shakespeare, 11. May not honey’s self be turn’d to gall?

1853.  J. H. Newman, Hist. Sk. (1873), II. I. ii. 63. A river overflows and turns a fruitful plain into a marsh.

  b.  To change into, cause to become of (a specified nature, form, or aspect).

1390.  Gower, Conf., II. 326. Echon of hem … Was torned into a briddes kinde.

c. 1400.  Maundev. (Roxb.), iv. 13. He schall turne þat damysell in to hir riȝt schappe.

1644.  Milton, Areop. (Arb.), 75. She turns herself into all shapes.

1651.  Hobbes, Leviath., II. xxv. 132. Then is the Counsell turned into the nature of a Command.

  c.  transf. To exchange for; to get something else instead of; also, to substitute something else for. Cf. CONVERT v. 15.

c. 1449.  Pecock, Repr., V. xiv. (Rolls), 557. Eer than he haue turnede or chaungid the iewelis into money.

c. 1537.  De Benese, Measurynge Lande, F iv b. Ye must turne the perches in to pence.

c. 1593.  Trag. Rich. II., II. iii. 23. My iewells and my plaite are turnd to coyne.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Past., VII. 51. Thy Marble Statue shall be turn’d to Gold.

1827.  Jarman, Powell’s Devises (ed. 3), II. 97. He laid some stress upon the fact of the real estate being turned into personal.

1855.  Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., XVI. II. 557. [They] turned their little stock into Cash.

  † d.  With inverse construction: To form by change out of. Obs. nonce-use.

1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 180. Whiche worde Aue was turned out of Eua, & made Aue, & that not without great mistery.

  38.  intr. with into or to: To change into; to be changed, transformed, or converted into; to become.

c. 1250.  Long Life, 3, in O. E. Misc., 156. Fair weder turneð ofte into reine.

1393.  Langl., P. Pl., C. XIV. 19. Al hus sorwe to solas þorgh þat songe turnede.

c. 1400.  Brut, cc. 228. Þe sonne þo turnede into blode.

1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 23. Lest our Ire turne to enuy, and our enuy to hate.

1660.  Boyle, New Exp. Phys. Mech., xxxvii. 312. Water turning from perspicuous to white.

1764.  Goldsm., Trav., 86. These rocks, by custom, turn to beds of down.

1892.  Monthly Packet, May, 532. The monkeys did not turn into men, the men turned into monkeys.

  b.  To change into, become of (a specified nature, form, or aspect).

1678.  J. Phillips, Tavernier’s Trav., II. xxii. 155. The milk will turn to the colour of an Apostemated matter.

1856.  Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., XVII. II. 482. Black cattle have been observed to turn … to a dun colour.

  39.  intr. with compl. To change so as to be, to become. a. with adj. compl. (in quot. 1303 with advb. phr.).

1303.  R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 6584. With wykked man, þou turnest as he.

1450.  Paston Lett., I. 158. Therwith he turned pale colour.

a. 1548.  Hall, Chron., Hen. VI., 103. Saiyng: that God was turned Englishe, and the devill would not helpe Fraunce.

1592.  Shaks., Rom. & Jul., I. ii. 48. Turne giddie, and be holpe by backward turning.

1626.  Bacon, Sylva, § 851. Cygnets from Gray turne White.

1758.  R. Brown, Compl. Farmer (1759), 111. When … the stalk begins to die, and to turn brown.

1818.  Scott, Br. Lamm., xxii. ‘It is my mother!’ said Lucy, turning as pale as ashes, and clasping her hands together.

1861.  Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., XXII. I. 48. The milk is apt to turn sour.

1888.  ‘J. S. Winter,’ Bootle’s Childr., viii. Lassie turned very white, and gasped for breath.

  b.  with sb. compl. (most commonly without article).

1596.  Shaks., Merch. V., III. i. 82. Vnlesse the diuell himselfe turne Iew.

1660.  Fuller, Mixt Contempl. (1841), 172. The remedy turned the malady of the land.

1758.  S. Hayward, Serm., xvii. 531. A mother must turn monster if she does not love her babe.

1853.  Lytton, My Novel, V. ix. Did not you turn … a common stage-player, sir?

1879.  Dowden, Southey, vi. 178. Under such strokes a courageous heart may turn coward.

1879.  Minto, Defoe, x. 170. He had seen Whig turn Tory and Tory turn Whig.

  c.  Turn after (of offspring): to become or grow like, to ‘take after’ (the parent).

1848.  Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., IX. II. 256. Where one parent is sound and the other diseased the progeny may turn after the former; but then it is just as likely to turn after the latter.

  40.  trans. with compl. (usually adj.) To change so as to make…; to make (so) by alteration; to render.

1607.  Shaks., Timon, IV. iii. 499. It almost turnes my dangerous Nature wilde.

1732.  Pope, Ep. Cobham, 163. That gay Free-thinker,… What turns him now a stupid silent dunce?

1821.  Clare, Vill. Minstr., I. 23. His fears would turn him chill.

1849.  Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., X. I. 177. It turns the fibre black.

1904.  Weyman, Abbess of Vlaye, xiv. With a … shock of the mind that turned her hot.

  † 41.  a. trans. To change so as to bring into some specified condition: e.g., to turn into madness = to cause to become mad, to make mad. Obs.

  In quot. c. 1400, to set on fire; in quot. 1470–85 torned vnto helpyng (?) = brought into a condition of recovery, ‘getting better.’

1382.  Wyclif, Mark iii. 21. Thei seiden, for he is turnyd in to wodenesse.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 7112. The Troiens þaire tore shippis hade turnyt on fyre.

1470–85.  Malory, Arthur, XIII. xiii. 631. He asked syr Melyas how it stood with him. Thenne he sayd he was torned vnto helpyng, god be thanked.

1608.  Topsell, Serpents (1658), 701. Dionysius,… being turned by Juno into madnesse.

  † b.  intr. To get into some specified condition: e.g., to turn into ire = to become angry. Obs.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 12252. Þen Thelamon was tenfull, & turnyt into yre.

  42.  trans. with into or to: To make the subject of (praise, mockery, etc.); now chiefly in phr. to turn (a thing) into ridicule (see RIDICULE sb.¹ 3 b).

1387.  Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), IV. 143. He wolde torne [v.r. teurne] hit to bourde and to lawȝhynge.

1533.  Gau, Richt Vay (S. T. S.), 13. Thay that … twrnis the halie writ to lichtlines and scorne.

1601.  Shaks., Twel. N., II. v. 223. It cannot but turn him into a notable contempt. Ibid. (1611), Cymb., IV. i. 23. Her Father … may … be a little angry…: but my Mother … shall turne all into my commendations.

1673–1784.  [see RIDICULE sb.¹ 3 b].

1891.  Emily & Dor. Gerard, Sensitive Plant, I. II. vii. 276. Does any one turn the true poet … into ridicule?

  † 43.  intr. with to: To lead to as a consequence; to become the cause or occasion of; to result in, bring about. (See also turn to account, 62 a.) Obs. or merged in other senses.

c. 1200.  Ormin, Ded. 18. Þu þohhtesst tatt itt mihhte wel Till mikell frame turrnenn.

c. 1205.  Lay., 25574. Let þu mi sweuen To selþen iturnen.

1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 7711. Þe vnriȝt ido to poueremen to such mesaunture turnde.

c. 1350.  Will. Palerne, 254. Perauenture þurth goddis grace to gode may it turne.

1422.  trans. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv., xxxvii. 194. Yef hit shold torn to pereill of the child.

1560.  Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 42. Fearynge lest this broile … would tourne to his vtter destruction.

1631.  Gouge, God’s Arrows, III. § 93. 355. Their plots turned to their owne damage.

a. 1774.  Goldsm., Surv. Exp. Philos. (1776), II. 147. To deduce any general theory that shall turn to public benefit.

  † b.  To turn (a person) to (something): to result in or bring about for the person; to put him to (trouble, etc.); to be for his (advantage, etc.). Obs.

  Orig. intr. with dative of person; afterwards taken as trans. with the person as direct object.

c. 1200.  Ormin, Ded. 150. Ȝiff þeȝȝ all forrwerpenn itt, Itt turrneþþ hemm till sinne.

c. 1230.  Hali Meid., 7. Serue Godd ane, & alle þinge schulen þe turnen to gode.

13[?].  Guy Warw. (A.), 898. Wiþ him he wald iusti, It turned him to vilani [Caius MS. And therof hym befelle grete vilanye].

1463.  in Acts Parlt. Scotl. (1874), XII. 28/2. That occupatioun & vse þat I sal haue of þe said landis … sal turn ȝou na ȝoure successowris in na preiudice.

1523.  Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. cccxlii. 537. It shall tourne hym to moche blame. Ibid., ccccxxxvi. 767. He was as thanne xl. dayes iourney from thens, but … he rode it in fourtene dayes … whiche tourned to hym [prob. = hym to] a great valyantnesse. [Orig. On luy doit tourner a bonne voulenté et vaillance.]

1593.  Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., V. v. 16. All the trouble thou hast turn’d me to. Ibid. (1607), Cor., III. i. 284. A word or two, The which shall turne you to no further harme, Then so much losse of time. Ibid. (1610), Temp., I. ii. 64. O my heart bleedes To thinke oth’ teene that I haue turn’d you to.

  ** Specific senses.

  44.  trans. To change from one language or form of expression to another; to translate or paraphrase; to render. Also absol.

c. 1200.  Ormin, Ded. 129. & tærfore hafe icc turrnedd itt Inntill Ennglisshe spæche.

a. 1225.  Juliana, 2. Þat is of latin iturnd into englisch.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 21108 (Cott.). Godspell he turnd in tung of ind.

14[?].  Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS. (E.E.T.S.), I. App. 407. This romance turned [a] Munk of sallay out of a frenche romance.

1548.  Turner, Names of Herbes (1881), 62. Picea is called in greeke as Theodore Gaza turneth, pitys.

1605.  Camden, Rem. (1637), 86. Others untruely turne it [Robert] Red-beard.

1700.  Dryden, Fables, Pref., Ess. (ed. Ker), II. 248. I … resolved to put their merits to the trial, by turning some of the Canterbury Tales into our language, as it is now refined.

1711.  Addison, Spect., No. 39, ¶ 6. If the Writer laid down the whole Contexture of his Dialogue in plain English, before he turned it into Blank Verse.

1735.  Pope, Prol. Sat., 180. The Bard … Who turns a Persian tale for half a Crown.

1879.  M. Pattison, Milton, vii. 90. In 1648 he turned nine psalms, and … in 1653, ‘did into verse’ eight more.

  b.  To alter the phrasing of (a sentence); to word differently, give another turn to.

1593.  Shaks., Lucr., 1539. She … turn’d it thus, it cannot be, I find, But such a face should beare a wicked mind.

1869.  Browning, Ring & Bk., XII. 651. How he dares reprehend both high and low! Else had he turned the sentence ‘God is true And every man a liar—save the Pope.’

1895.  North & Hillard, Latin Prose Comp. (1901), 24. The English has to be turned; e.g. ‘The Greeks, having captured Troy, burnt it,’ cannot go straight into Latin, because Latin has no Perfect Participle Active.

  45.  To disturb or overthrow the mental balance of; to impair the power of judgment of; to make mad or crazy, distract, dement, infatuate.

  a.  with the brain or head as obj.

c. 1340.  Hampole, Prose Tr., 17. He … ouertrauells by ymaginacions his wittes, and by vndiscrete trauellynge turnes þe braynes in his heuede.

1601.  R. Johnson, Kingd. & Commw. (1603), 167. The Arabians … delight in sower milke, or Cosmus, a kind of charmed-sower-mares milke verie forcible to turne the braine.

1683.  Apol. Prot. France, iv. 40. The Prince’s head was a little turned.

1719.  De Foe, Crusoe (1840), II. i. 8. My head was … turned with … whimsies.

1816.  Scott, Bl. Dwarf, v. Your plays and romances have positively turned your brain.

1861.  Hughes, Tom Brown at Oxf., xxxv. You have been making serious love to Patty, and have turned the poor girl’s head.

  † b.  with the person as obj. Obs.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 3272. All tourniet with tene,… Wailyng & weping.

1560.  Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 136 b. Albeit they did not chaunge him wholy,… yet did they turne him & confounde him.

1709.  Hearne, Collect. (O.H.S.), II. 300. It quite turn’d him, and destroy’d his Memory.

  c.  intr. for pass. of the head. rare. (Cf. 2 b.)

1852.  M. Arnold, Second Best, 8. So many books thou readest,… That thy poor head almost turns.

1885.  ‘Mrs. Alexander,’ At Bay, xi. I trust the poor man’s head hasn’t turned with all his troubles.

  46.  trans. To make sour, taint (milk or fermented liquor); † in early use, to coagulate, curdle. Also fig.

1548.  Elyot, Coagulum … a courde or creame, the ruen of a beaste, wherewith mylke is tourned.

1563.  Hyll, Art Garden. (1593), 164. A Hogshead … of white wine Lees, not yet turned and sowr.

1670.  Dryden, 2nd Pt. Conq. of Granada, III. i. Love … ’Tis soon made sour, and turn’d by jealousy.

1722.  De Foe, Col. Jack (1840), 138. This … turned the very blood within my veins.

1887.  M. B. Edwards, Next of Kin Wanted, II. x. 130. A thunderstorm to-night might turn the syllabub.

  b.  intr. To become sour or tainted, as milk or fermented liquor; † in early use, To become curdled. Also transf. and fig.

1577.  B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., 147. Some vse to put into the bottom of the payles, the greene kernelles of the Pine apple, and milking into them, doo cause it so to turne.

1594.  Lyly, Moth. Bomb., II. v. If it thunder, though all the Ale and Beere in the towne turne, it will be constant.

1623.  Massinger, Bondman, I. iii. The blood turns!

1727.  Bradley’s Fam. Dict., s.v. Chocolate, If you would have Milk Chocolate, take as much Milk as you do Water,… and take care it does not turn.

1839.  Ure, Dict. Arts, 602. A thunder-storm sometimes destroys the coagulating power in the whole laminæ at once; or causes the glue to turn on the nets, in the language of the manufacturer.

  47.  intr. To change color, become of a different color (as ripening fruit, fading leaves, hair in old age): = turn color, 52.

  † Turn upon, to verge upon or shade off into (a different color). Obs.

1578.  Lyte, Dodoens, III. lxxix. 428. In the middle of the sayde flowers are many smal hearie threddes … turning vpon yellowe.

1888.  Howells, Annie Kilburn, iv. When her hair had begun to turn.

1889.  The Garden, 7 Sept., 216/3. Few Maples turn more beautifully than the shrub-like Manchurian form of Acer tataricum.

1892.  Daily News, 8 Nov., 6/2. No two trees turn alike; in every group each member wears his own livery.

1893.  M. Ellen Edwards, in Argosy, Jan., 71. ‘Has the grandfather really some ripe strawberries?’ asked Alice. ‘Why, Karl says that ours are not turning yet.’

  b.  trans. To change the color of.

1791.  Hamilton, Berthollet’s Dyeing, II. II. III. ix. 233. The silk being distributed on the rods…, lemon-juice … is poured into the bath, till it is of a fine cherry colour. This is called turning (virer) the bath.

1867.  Adelaide Sartoris, Week Fr. Country Ho., I. 17. Poplars, already turned by the season.

  VII.  Phrases.

  * with sb. obj.

  (For turn CAT in pan, t. a HAIR, t. the (or a new) LEAF, t. the PENNY, t. the TABLES, t. TIPPET, t. TURTLE, t. WIND, see the sbs.)

  48.  Turn the (or one’s) back: to turn away, go away; turn the back upon, to depart from, abandon: see BACK sb.¹ 24 g.

c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 8486. When þey wer sondred, þey tur[n]d þe bak.

c. 1400–1866.  [see BACK sb.¹ 24 g].

1581.  Earl Morton, in Calr. Scott. Pap., VI. 14. I was purposed to have … turned my backe upon Scotland while I had sene further.

  49.  Turn the balance or beam: to preponderate: = turn the scale, 58.

1590.  Shaks., Mids. N., V. i. 324. A Mote [ed. 1623 Moth] wil turne the ballance, which Piramus which Thisby is the better. Ibid. (1602), Ham., IV. v. 157. Thy madnesse shall be payed by waight, Till our Scale turnes the beame.

1722.  Wollaston, Relig. Nat., iii. 59. When there is nothing in the opposite Scale … this [probability] in the course of nature must turn the beam.

1892.  Eng. Illustr. Mag., X. 36. A straw will often suffice to turn the balance.

  50.  Turn bridle: to turn one’s horse and ride back; to retreat, as a rider. (In first quot. fig.)

1579.  Tomson, Calvin’s Serm. Tim., 731/2. If there bee but one man that turneth backe the bridle [orig. qui aura tourné bride], wee seeme to seeke such occasions to become wicked and lewde.

1653.  Holcroft, Procopius, Pers. Wars, II. 60. The Persians … drave them out of the fastnesses, and then turn’d bridle.

1825.  Scott, Betrothed, xiii. Were I you, my Lady Eveline,… I would turn bridle yet; for this old dungeon seems little likely to afford food or shelter to Christian folk.

1892.  Black & White, 9 Jan., 47/1. We turned bridle and trotted back.

  51.  Turn one’s coat: to change one’s principles or party: see COAT sb. 13, and cf. TURNCOAT.

1565.  Shacklock, Hatchet of Heresyes, 74. Howe many tymes Melancthon hath turned his cote in this one opinion.

1577.  Grange, Golden Aphrod., etc., O iij b. Now must I turne my coate and cleaue vnto my God, Desiring pardon for my crime.

1655.  Fuller, Ch. Hist., IX. vii. § 24. That all the Protestants would either turn their Coats, Copies, arms, or fly away.

1819.  Scott, Leg. Montrose, xvii. Sir John Urrie, a soldier…, who had already changed sides twice during the Civil War, and was destined to turn his coat a third time before it was ended.

  52.  Turn (one’s) color: to change color, become of a different color; of a person, to become pale or red in the face (now rare).

[1450:  cf. 39 a.]

1602.  Shaks., Ham., II. ii. 542. Looke where he ha’s not turn’d his colour, and ha’s teares in’s eyes.

1720.  Mrs. Manley, Power of Love (1741), VI. 346. She turned colour, and was much surprized to see so great a Company.

1899.  Tit-Bits, 19 Aug., 420/2. [These] buttons … do not turn colour.

Mod.  The fruit is beginning to turn colour.

  53.  Turn a deaf ear: to refuse to listen: cf. EAR sb.¹ 3 d.

1663.  Bp. Patrick, Parab. Pilgr., xviii. (1687), 176. Turn a deaf ear to him, and do not go along with him.

1793.  R. Hall, Apol. Freed. Press, 45. They … turn a deaf ear to their complaints.

1855.  Dickens, Dorrit, II. xxiii. Affery … turned a deaf ear to all adjuration.

  54.  Turn edge: see 9 b.

  55.  Turn … flank: Mil. to get round an enemy’s flank so as to make an attack in flank or in rear (cf. 17 b); hence fig. to ‘get round,’ circumvent, or outwit a person.

1813.  Wellington, in Gurw., Desp. (1839), X. 596. Sir Lowry Cole … retired … because his right flank was turned.

1841–4.  Emerson, Ess., Circles, Wks. (Bohn), I. 128. There is not a piece of science, but its flank may be turned to-morrow.

1844.  H. H. Wilson, Brit. India, II. ii. II. 45. Detaching … seven companies to turn the left flank of the position.

  56.  Turn one’s hand. a. To make an attack upon: cf. 31. arch.

1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 6070. Suan þe duc of denemarch, bigan to turne is hond. & after þat he adde destrued þe souþhalf of þis lond, He wende & robbede al þis lond al þe norþ side.

1382.  Wyclif, 2 Sam. xxiv. 17. I biseche, be thin hoond turned aȝens me, and aȝens the hows of my fader.

1839.  [see sense 31].

1877.  Queen’s Printers’ Bible-Aids, 134. David … entreating him [God] to spare the innocent people, and to turn his hand upon himself.

  b.  with to: To apply oneself to, set to work at, take up as an occupation: cf. 34.

1703.  Steele, Tender Husb., II. i. A good Servant should turn his Hand to every thing in a Family.

1742.  Sel. Trials, etc., I. 132. He turned his Hand to pilfering, not so much for the Sake of what he could steal, but only, as he said, for want of other Employment.

1856.  Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., XVII. II. 358. [He] can turn his own hand to the plough when wanted.

1867.  Smiles, Huguenots Eng., ii. (1880), 22. [He] was ready to turn his hand to anything that might enable him to earn a living.

  57.  Turn head: to turn and face an enemy; to show a bold opposing front: the opposite of turn tail. Cf. HEAD sb. 29. ? Obs.

1596.  Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., III. ii. 102. He … Turnes head against the Lyons armed Iawes.

1677.  N. Cox, Gentl. Recreat. (ed. 2), 17. When Deer … turn head against the Hounds, we say, they Bay.

1724.  De Foe, Mem. Cavalier, I. 125. Twas to no Purpose to turn Head, no Man would stand by us.

  58.  Turn the scale: to cause one scale of a balance to descend: said of an additional weight, usually a slight or just sufficient one; hence fig. to preponderate so as to determine the success or superiority of one of two opposing parties or sides.

1603.  Shaks., Meas. for M., IV. ii. 32. You waigh equallie: a feather will turne the Scale.

1697.  Dryden, Æneid, X. 736. A single Soul’s too light to turn the Scale.

1814.  [see SCALE sb.¹ 4].

1874.  Stubbs, Const. Hist., I. x. 311. The scale was turned in favour of strong measures by the voice of the native troops.

  b.  with at, in lit. sense: To weigh slightly more than.

1889.  J. K. Jerome, Three Men in Boat, 283. He had weighed it carefully … and it turned the scale at thirty-four pounds.

1892.  Photogr. Ann., II. 883. A case containing a ¹/₄-plate camera … turning the scale at 6 lbs.

  59.  Turn tail. a. (orig. in Falconry) To turn the back and flee; to run away, retreat: see TAIL sb.¹ 11 d.

1575.  Turberv., Falconrie, 126. Most commonly if a yong hawke be let flee at olde game shee will turne tayle.

a. 1586–1719.  [see TAIL sb.¹ 11 d].

1841.  Capt. B. Hall, Patchwork, II. vii. 139. As soon as my companion turned tail … I was compelled … to run for it likewise.

1891.  Gwen. D. Galton, La Fenton, v. He turned tail and fled.

  b.  with on or upon: To abandon, forsake.

1624.  Quarles, Job, v. 4. As a Truant-Scholler … turnes speedy tayle Upon his tedious booke.

1807.  [see TAIL sb.¹ 11 d].

1853.  G. P. R. James, Agnes Sorel, I. ii. 30. [They] have turned tail upon their former faith.

  † c.  To turn in opposition or defiance: in proverbial phrase (see quots., and cf. 33, 66 d). Obs.

1611.  Middleton & Dekker, Roaring Girle, D.’s Wks. 1873, III. 158. Tread vpon a worme they say twill turne taile.

1641.  G. Raleigh, Albania, 23. There is not the least Worme, but being trodden upon will turne taile.

  †  60.  Turn one’s tale: to tell a different story, ‘change one’s tune.’ Obs.

1535.  Coverdale, Ecclus. xxvii. 23. Whan thou art present, he shal … prayse thy wordes: but at the last he shall turne his tayle [1560 tale] and slaunder thy sayenge.

1678.  Bunyan, Pilgr., I. 13. Then they all turned their tales, and began to deride poor Christian behind his back.

  ** with compl. adj. or adv. phr. (prep. + sb., etc.)

  (See also IN AND OUT 2, inside out (INSIDE A. 4), top over tail (TOP sb.¹ 24 d), TOPSY-TURVY, UPSIDE DOWN, out of (or at) WINDOW, the WRONG side out.)

  61.  Turn loose. trans. To set free (an animal) and allow to go loose; transf. and fig. to free from restraint and allow to go where, or do as, one will; to leave to oneself or one’s own devices.

1598.  Shaks., Merry W., II. i. 190. If he should intend this voyage toward my wife, I would turne her loose to him.

1679.  Dryden, Tr. & Cr., I. ii. He’s the ablest man for judgment in all Troy; you may turn him loose, i’ faith.

1765.  Treat. Dom. Pigeons, 77. He braces a letter under the wings of a Pigeon,… and … turns it loose.

1892.  Sat. Rev., 9 Jan., 40/2. They are turned loose to graze on the succulent grasses.

  b.  To discharge, fire off (a bullet, or a fire-arm); also (humorously) fig. intr. with on, to speak to, address (cf. open fire, FIRE sb. 14). U.S.

1874.  J. W. Long, Amer. Wild-fowl, xxvi. 269. When they are coming to your decoys down-wind … as they double back to alight, ‘turn it loose’ at the middle of the cluster.

1903.  A. Adams, Log Cowboy, x. 137. The [Indian] chief could not speak a word of English, but made signs with his hands; when I turned loose on him in Spanish, however, he instantly turned his horse and signed back to his band. Ibid., xiii. 206. Somebody of our party in the rear turned his gun loose into the air.

  62.  Turn to account. † a. intr. To result in profit or advantage (cf. 43 and ACCOUNT sb. 5); to be profitable, to ‘pay’; also with dat. of person (prob. often taken as direct object: cf. 43 b). Obs.

1675.  G. R., trans. Le Grand’s Man without Passion, 227. Sometimes troubles turn us to account.

a. 1677.  Barrow, Serm., Wks. 1716, I. 10. Any of us may … throughly compass and carry it on; which will exceedingly turn to accompt.

a. 1692.  Pollexfen, Disc. Trade (1697), 20. Bullion or Coyn will turn them to a better Account.

1700.  Wallis, in Collect. (O.H.S.), I. 326. It may turn to good account.

1727.  Swift, Modest Prop., Wks. 1755, II. II. 61. They will not yield above three pounds … which cannot turn to account either to the parents or kingdom.

1743.  Pococke, Descr. East, I. 134. Of late the West India coffee … has sold so cheap, that it does not turn to account to send it to England.

  b.  trans. To make use of for one’s advantage or profit (cf. 34); to employ profitably.

1826.  B’ness Bunsen, in Hare, Life (1879), I. vii. 267. Whether I shall ever find time … to turn to account the instructions of Neukomm.

1870.  Tyndall, Notes Lect. Electr., § 20. Others have turned to account mechanically the attraction exerted by electro-magnetic cores on bars of iron.

1878.  L. Stephen, Johnson, i. 11. He could at least turn his talents to account.

  63.  Turn to bay: to turn and defend oneself, as a hunted animal at bay (see BAY sb.⁴ 3); also fig.

1810.  Scott, Lady of L., I. viii. The Stag must turn to bay, Where that rude rampart barred the way.

1832.  Macaulay, Armada, 25. So glared he when at Agincourt in wrath he turned to bay. Ibid. (1849), Hist. Eng., vi. II. 137. The colonists turned to bay with the stubborn hardihood of their race.

  *** with another verb.

  †  64.  Turn and wind (in specific uses). Obs. a. intr. and refl. To turn this way and that; to go or move in a winding course.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 6540 (Cott.). He ne wist queþer it bettur war To turn or winde him forþar mare.

1634.  Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 20. In Mæanders [the dancers] turne and winde themselues.

1676.  D’Urfey, Mad. Fickle, IV. ii. Turn and wind Like Foxes in a storme.

c. 1680.  Beveridge, Serm. (1729), I. 462. We see how all things wind and turn and work together, till they accomplish the end for which they were designed.

1824.  Scott, Redgauntlet, Let. iv. A tall man, well mounted on a strong black horse, which he caused to turn and wind like a bird in the air.

  † b.  trans. To turn this way and that, as a rider his horse; fig. to manage according to one’s pleasure, to do what one will with. (Cf. 9 c.)

1596.  Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., IV. i. 109. To turne and winde a fierie Pegasus.

1606.  Sir G. Goosecappe, I. iv., in Bullen, O. Pl., III. 26. Wee will turne her, and winde her, and make her so plyant, that we will drawe her thorugh a wedding ring yfaith.

1673.  Milton, True Relig., Wks. 1851, V. 414. An ordinary Protestant, well read in the Bible, may turn and wind their Doctors.

  † c.  To put in circulation, circulate, cause to pass in exchange: = turn over, 77. i. (Cf. 15 b.) Obs.

1598.  Grenewey, Tacitus’ Ann., IV. iv. (1622), 93. By turning and winding base merchandise in Affrica and Sicilia, he gayned his liuing.

1686.  trans. Chardin’s Coronat. Solyman, 92. All the money that we turn and wind is the Kings.

  VIII.  In combination with adverbs.

  65.  Turn about. (See also simple senses and ABOUT adv.) *intr. † a. To move circularly on an axis; to rotate, revolve: = turn round, 78 a. Obs.

c. 1000.  Sax. Leechd., III. 254. Seo firmamentum tyrnþ symle onbutan us under þyssere eorðan & bufan … & ealle ða steorran þe hyre on fæste synd turniað onbutan mid hyre.

a. 1300.  Holy Rode, 379, in Leg. Rood, 48. Þer-aboute he let do Þe fourme of sonne and mone and of sterres also Scyne as it hem-sulf were and turne aboute vaste.

1539.  Bible (Great), Prov. xxvi. 14. Lyke as the dore turneth aboute vpon the thresholde.

1609.  Bible (Douay), Numb. xxviii. 14. Through al monethes, that succede one another as the yeare turneth about.

  b.  To reverse one’s position or course; to turn so as to face or go in the opposite direction: = turn round, 78 b. Now rare.

1303.  [see TURNING vbl. sb. 4].

13[?].  Sir Beues (A.), 4070. ‘Fro whanne komeþ þis fair deistrer?… Which is þe kroupe? terne about!’ Aboute he ternde þe deistrer.

1526.  Tindale, John i. 38. Jesus turned about, and sawe them folowe.

1676.  Dryden, Aureng-z., V. i. The Morning, as mistaken, turns about, And all her early fires again go out.

1719.  De Foe, Crusoe (1840), I. xx. 358. They began to retire, and turn about.

1804.  Man in Moon, 191. I turned about and went to sleep again.

1868.  Morris, Earthly Par., Man born to be King, 250. He … turned about and left him there.

  ** trans. † c. To cause to rotate or revolve: = sense 1. Obs.

1483.  Caxton, G. de la Tour, F viij. [They] made hym to tourne aboute a mylle as a blynde hors.

1579.  Tomson, Calvin’s Serm. Tim., 348/1. They … doe but turne about the pot.

1669.  Sturmy, Mariner’s Mag., I. 34. The other Foot [of the compasses] being turned about, will … touch the Line AG.

  d.  To alter or reverse the position of; to put into a different, or the opposite, position (by a rotatory motion): = turn round, 78 e; refl. = b. Now rare or Obs.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 15951 (Cott.). Jesus þan turnd him abute. Ibid. (c. 1300), 23223 (Edinb.). Quil þou moht turn þin hand about.

13[?].  [see b].

c. 1550.  Song Sir A. Barton, iii. in Surtees Misc. (1883), 65. King Henry was stout, and turnd hime about.

1590.  Spenser, F. Q., II. iii. 42. So [she] turned her about, and fled.

1826.  F. Reynolds, Life & Times, I. 174. Give me only time to turn myself about, and something must soon turn up trumps. [Cf. 78 b, note.]

  e.  To turn this way and that; to move or push about; also fig. = turn over, 77 e.

1598.  Shaks., Merry W., V. v. 108. Pinch him, and burne him, and turne him about. Ibid. (1610), Temp., II. ii. 118. ’Prethee doe not turne me about, my stomacke is not constant.

1725.  Watts, Logic, II. iv. § 3. Turn these Ideas about in your Mind.

  66.  Turn again. (See also simple senses and AGAIN adv.) * intr. † a. To face round the other way (usually in order to go back): = turn back, 69 e. arch.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 12594 (Cott.). At þe vte-cuming o þe yatte He turnd again.

c. 1400.  Maundev. (Roxb.), iv. 13. Scho turned agayne with a hidous crie.

1678.  [see AGAIN A. 1 b].

1818.  Scott, Rob Roy, xxi. Few turned again to take some minutes’ voluntary exercise.

  † b.  To return, go back (= sense 21). Obs.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 87. Ihc wile turnen agen to mine huse.

1340.  Hampole, Pr. Consc., 7241. Alle þase þat tylle helle wendes … Salle never after turne ogayne.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Clerk’s T., 872. Naked out of my fadres hous, quod she, I cam and naked mnoot I turne agayn.

c. 1420.  Anturs of Arth., 292. Ther salle … Ane torne home a-ȝayne [v.r. ye shullene turne ayene] for that tydynge.

c. 1511.  1st Eng. Bk. Amer. (Arb.), Introd. 33/1. To tourne ageyne unto there owne lande.

1535.  Coverdale, Ruth i. 11. But Naemi sayde: Turne agayne my doughters, why wolde ye go with me?

1612.  R. Johnson, Song Sir Richard Whittington, v., in Crown-Garl. Gould. Roses, B v b. London bells sweetly rung…. Euermore sounding so, turne againe Whittington: For thou in time shalt grow, Lord Maior of London.

1640.  Shirley, Constant Maid, II. ii. Six bells in every steeple, And let them all go to the city tune,—Turn again, Whittington.

1667.  Pepys, Diary, 2 Sept. I took a coach and went homewards; but then turned again, and to White Hall.

  † c.  fig. To return to a former condition (or possessor: cf. 21 b); to revert. Obs. (or merged in other senses).

1303.  R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 5232. To leue hys synne … And turne aȝen to lyfe and grace.

c. 1400.  Maundev. (Roxb.), iv. 12. Þan sall scho turne agayne to hir awen kynde and be a womman.

c. 1450.  Godstow Reg., 198. Aftur þ^e deceasse of þ^e foreseyde … þ^e foreseyde mansyon with hys pertinences shulde turne holly & fully a-geyne to þ^e foreseyde abbas & couent.

1600.  Shaks., A. Y. L., II. vii. 162. His bigge manly voice, Turning againe toward childish trebble, pipes And whistles in his sound.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 597. Till … he turns agen To his true Shape.

  † d.  To turn in opposition or defiance; in quot. 1393, to recoil on; cf. 32, 33. Obs.

c. 1330.  Arth. & Merl. (Kölbing), 6871. Þe Sarrazins turned oȝen On king Vrien.

1393.  Langl., P. Pl., C. XXI. 402. Now by-gynneþ thi gyle a-gayn on þe turne.

a. 1548.  Hall, Chron., Edw. IV., 199. What worme is touched, and will not once turne again?

1641.  in Verney Mem. (1907), I. 199. A worme will turne agayne if it be trod on.

  † e.  Of an edge: To bend back so as to become blunted: = sense 9 d. Obs.

1579.  Spenser, Sheph. Cal., Feb., 203. The Axes edge did oft turne againe.

  ** trans. † f. refl. = a, b. Obs.

c. 1275.  Passion of our Lord, 653, in O. E. Misc., 55. Hi turnden heom ayeyn … to iherusalem.

13[?].  Cursor M., 12608 (Gött.). Ioseph and mari þaim turned againe To sek him.

c. 1420.  Chron. Vilod., 1739. When þe messagers seyen herre so stedfaste … Þey tur[n]den hem aȝeyne.

1539.  Bible (Great), Ps. xc. 13 Turn the agayne (O Lorde) at the last, and be gracious.

  † g.  trans. To cause to turn back (in various senses); to avert (cf. 13 b); to drive back, repel (cf. 19, 25); to convert (= 29). Obs.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 288. To turnen aȝen þis þondir þat it persiþ noȝt.

1387.  Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), V. 233. By his witte and sleiþe þe Hunnes were i-torned aȝen.

1483.  Cath. Angl., 397/1. To Turne agayn to gudnes,… conuertere.

  67.  Turn aside: see simple senses and ASIDE adv. a. trans.: cf. 13, 14. In quot. 13[?] refl. (= b); cf. 7 b.

13[?].  Coer de L., 355. The baroun turnyd hym asyde.

1535.  Coverdale, Isa. xliv. 20. Folishnesse of herte hath turned them a syde.

a. 1648.  Ld. Herbert, Autobiog. (1824), 114. Lieutenant Prichard … taking me by the shoulder, turned me aside.

1718.  Free-thinker, No. 62, ¶ 14. The Gods were beseeched to turn aside the Event.

1892.  Cornh. Mag., May, 478. He had never been turned aside from the execution or his purpose.

  b.  intr.: cf. 6, 16, 28.

1535.  Coverdale, Deut. v. 32. Turne not asyde nether to y^e right hande ner to the lefte.

1560.  Bible (Genev.), Exod. iii. 3. I wil turne aside now, and se this great sight. Ibid., Ps. xl. 4. Blessed is the man, that … regardeth not the proude, nor suche as turne aside to lies.

1606.  Shaks., Ant. & Cl., I. iii. 76. I prythee turne aside, and weepe for her.

1844.  Ld. Brougham, A. Lunel (1872), I. xiv. 282. The Baron turned not aside from his argument.

1891.  Temple Bar Mag., Dec., 581. He turned aside and crept in at the open door.

  68.  Turn away. (See simple senses and AWAY adv.) * trans. a. To avert (one’s face, etc.); in quot. 1827, to place so as to be directed away from something (cf. 23 d).

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 53. Swa sone se hi beoð iturnd awey from heom.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 8. His preiere is cursid … þat turneþ a-wey his eris. Ibid. (1382), Ps. xii[i]. 1. Lord … hou longe thou turnest awei thi face fro me?

1588.  Shaks., L. L. L., V. ii. 148. Each turne away his face.

1782.  Cowper, Anti-thelyphthora, 87. She saw,—and turn’d her rosy cheek away.

1827.  Faraday, Chem. Manip., xv. (1842), 327. In filling the fresh jar with water, its mouth is to be turned away from the gas jars.

1889.  Frances M. Peard, Paul’s Sister, v. She … turned away her head.

  b.  fig. To divert; to avert (calamity, etc.): cf. 14, 26; in quot. 1848 = turn off, 73 g.

1382.  Wyclif, Ps. liii[i]. 7 [5]. Turne awei euelis to myn enemys. Ibid., Isa. xliii. 13. I shal werchen, and who shal turnen awei it?

c. 1591.  in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden), 79. To turne awaie the peoples likinge from him.

1658.  Whole Duty Man, v. 112. Deprecation,… when we pray to God to turn away some evil from us.

1848.  Thackeray, Bk. Snobs, xxvi. Which question Lady Hawbuck turned away with a sudden query regarding her … daughters.

  c.  To send away, dismiss; spec. to dismiss from service; † in quot. c. 1400, ? to take away, carry off. (Cf. 25.)

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 8553. He was takon full tite & turnyt away.

1598.  Shaks., Merry W., I. iii. 4. I must turne away some of my followers.

a. 1654.  Selden, Table-T. (Arb.), 63. The Master of the House may turn away all his Servants.

1793.  Regal Rambler, 17. The footman … was turned away without wages or warning.

1866.  Mrs. Gaskell, Wives & Dau., xxiii. He has turned away all the men off the new works.

1901.  W. R. H. Trowbridge, Lett. Mother to Eliz., vii. We were lucky to get rooms…, for they are turning people away.

  d.  refl. = e, f. Obs. or arch.

1375.  Barbour, Bruce, I. 167. [He] turnyt him in wreth away.

1382.  Wyclif, Ezek. xviii. 24. If a iust man shal turne hym awei fro his riȝtwisness.

  ** intr. e. To turn so as to face away from some person or thing; to avert one’s face; also fig.: cf. 22 c, 23 c, 28.

a. 1300.  Floriz & Bl., 744. Al wepinge he turnde away.

1470–85.  Malory, Arthur, XIII. viii. 623. The kyng tourned awey and myghte not speke for wepynge.

1593.  Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., III. ii. 74. What, dost thou turne away, and hide thy face?

1840.  Dickens, Barn. Rudge, xxii. ‘Oh, very well—if you’re in a huff,’ cried Miggs, turning away.

1865.  Ruskin, Sesame, ii. § 91. Instead of trying to do this, you turn away from it.

  f.  To leave the straight course, deviate; to be averted: cf. 16. Obs. or arch.

1535.  Coverdale, Ezek. xviii. 24. Yf the rightuous turne awaye from his rightuousnes.

1611.  Bible, Gen. xxvii. 45. Vntill thy brothers anger turne away from thee.

  † g.  To go away, depart; to vanish. (Cf. 24 c.) Obs. rare.

1340.  Hampole, Pr. Consc., 516. Naked,… I cam Hyder,.. And naked I sal turne away.

c. 1425.  Cursor M., 22472 (Trin.). Whenne alle þinge shul turne away.

  69.  Turn back. (See simple senses and BACK adv.) * trans. a. To reverse the course of, drive back, cause to retreat: cf. 19.

1535.  Coverdale, Jer. xxi. 4. I will turne backe the weapens … wherwith ye fight agaynst the kinge of Babilon.

1872.  Morley, Voltaire, vi. (1886), 314. The man who turned the tide back.

1880.  R. Mackenzie, 19th Cent., III. ix. 448. To arrest and turn back the mightiest power.

  † b.  To send or give back, return: cf. 21 c. Obs.

1597.  Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., I. i. 34. Sir Iohn Vmfreuill turn’d me backe With ioyfull tydings. Ibid. (1606), Tr. & Cr., II. ii. 69. We turne not backe the Silkes vpon the Merchant When we haue spoyl’d them.

1672.  Villiers (Dk. Buckhm.), Rehearsal, II. iii. (Arb.), 55. These insolent Raskals have turn’d ’em all back upon my hands again.

  c.  To reverse the direction of; to direct backwards: cf. 22 a, 23 a.

  In quot. 1845, to expose by reversing: = turn over, 77 c.

1663.  Bp. Patrick, Parab. Pilgr., xxxiv. (1687), 417. They heard the noise of an horses heels behind them. Which causing them to turn their eyes back [etc.].

1825.  Scott, Talism., ii. It were better … to turn back thy horse’s head towards the camp of thy people.

1845.  Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., VI. II. 344. Both heaps [of potatoes] have now been turned back, and none are diseased.

  d.  To fold or double back or over (part of a garment, etc.). Also in pa. pple. with with = turned up with: see 80 e.

1869.  H. S. Leigh, Carols of Cockayne, 166.

1913.  Play Pictorial, No. 130. 18/2. A gown of green paon broché crêpe de chine, draped … with tulle,… turned back with handsome cream guipure.

  ** intr. e. To reverse one’s position so as to face (and, usually, go) in the opposite direction; to turn and go back: cf. 20, 22 c, 23 c, 24 c.

1535.  Coverdale, Ps. cxiii[i]. 5. What ayled the … thou Iordan that thou turnedst backe?

1592.  Shaks., Rom. & Jul., II. i. 2. Can I goe forward when my heart is here? Turne backe dull earth, and find thy Center out.

1816.  Scott, Antiq., vii. ‘Turn back! turn back!’ exclaimed the vagrant.

1843.  Macaulay, Horatius, lii. He … thrice came on in fury, And thrice turned back in dread.

1886.  Mrs. Lynn Linton, P. Carew, xxv. He had put his hand to the plough, and he was not the man to turn back.

  † f.  To come or go back, return: cf. 21. Obs.

c. 1600.  Shaks., Sonn., cxliii. 11. Turne back to me.

1611.  Bible, 2 Kings i. 5. When the messengers turned backe vnto him, he said…, Why are ye now turned backe?

1660.  F. Brooke, trans. Le Blanc’s Trav., 37. We turned back again into Persia.

  † 70.  Turn by. trans. To set aside, reject (a candidate): cf. BY adv. 2. (Also with by as prep.: cf. BY prep. 16 c.) Obs.

1705.  Hearne, Collect., 7 Dec. (O.H.S.), I. 119. When he stood for orders [he] was turn’d by for Deficiency. [Ibid. (1709), II. 294. Reasons … not reckon’d as sufficient for turning Mr. Littleton by his Degree.]

1803.  J. Adams, in Harvard Grad. Mag., IX. 349. I was in a great fright, and expected to be turned by.

  71.  Turn down. (See simple senses and DOWN adv.) * trans. a. To fold or double down; to bend downwards: cf. 9.

1601.  Shaks., Jul. C., IV. iii. 273. Is not the Leafe turn’d downe Where I left reading?

1793.  Smeaton, Edystone L., § 273. The cramps … were turned down at each end.

1828.  [H. Best], Italy as it is, 128. The beds … were all, in the housewife’s phrase, turned down.

1841.  Thackeray, Gt. Hoggarty Diam., vii. Nothing could make him … refrain from wearing his collars turned down.

  b.  To turn upside down, to invert; to turn (a card) face downwards: cf. 10.

1763.  Brit. Mag., IV. 117. Sometimes she turns down my cup herself, after the first dish, because … tea is nervous.

1859.  FitzGerald, Omar, lxxv. Turn down an empty Glass!

1890.  Fenn, Double Knot, III. viii. 115. The played cards were solemnly turned down.

  c.  To put down, send to a lower position (as in a class at school; also fig.): cf. 25. ? Obs.

1581.  J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 69. You beyng ignoraunt what difference is betwixt an affirmative, & a negative proposition, must be turned doune agayne behinde the Schoolehouse doore.

1693.  Dryden, Examen Poeticum, Ded., Ess. (Ker), II. 3. Julius Scaliger would needs turn down Homer and abdicate him.

  d.  U.S. slang. To rebuke, snub, ‘put down’; to reject, refuse to accept.

1891.  Cent. Dict., s.v., To turn down … (c) to snub; suppress. (Slang, U. S.)

1897.  Boston (Mass.) Jrnl., 14 Jan., 7/6. Secretary Olney was turned down by the Senate … in his effort to have the vote on the extradition treaties … reconsidered.

1900.  Montreal Gaz., 3 March, 2/7. [Denmark] turns down America’s offer.

1913.  Edith Wharton, Custom of Country, II. xvi. The Ararat investigation had been … quashed,… and Elmer Moffatt ‘turned down.’

  e.  colloq. To drink down, ‘toss off’ (? obs.); also in Brewing, to put (liquor) into a vat to ferment. (Cf. 25 c.)

1760–72.  H. Brooke, Fool of Qual. (1809), III. 150. Asking for a flask of champaign, [he] turned it down without taking it once from his head.

1826.  Art Brewing (ed. 2), 109. Turned down 28 barrels of liquor, at 158 deg.

1844.  W. H. Maxwell, Sports & Adv. Scotl., xxxvi. (1855), 289. We turned down a second tumbler.

  f.  Sporting, etc. To put (game, etc.) in a place to stock it.

1891.  Field, 26 Dec., 963/3. Foxes … are turned down in order that the supply may be kept up. Ibid. (1892), 19 Nov., 793/3. I would urge all farmers to turn down some Indian game cocks in their yards.

  g.  To lower (a lamp, gas) by turning the handle or stop-cock: cf. 1 b.

1868.  Miss Braddon, Dead Sea Fr., xix. Love’s torch … flames anew before we turn it down for ever.

1892.  Harper’s Mag., LXXXIV. 283/2. She … turned the lamps down low.

  ** intr. h. To bend one’s course downwards (with change of direction); to turn aside and go down: cf. 16.

c. 1595.  Capt. Wyatt, R. Dudley’s Voy. W. Ind. (Hakl. Soc.), 29. Commaundinge him that they shoulde … turne downe unto the other carvell.

1833.  T. Hook, Parson’s Dau., I. i. Opposite the limekilns, as you turn down to the Duke’s Head, near the turnpike.

1887.  P. M’Neill, Blawearie, 88. Long before the men in general began to turn down, he had every box in the pit-bottom filled.

  i.  To bend downwards: cf. 9 d.

1885.  Malet, Col. Enderby’s Wife, III. ii. The corners of his mouth began to turn down in an ominous fashion.

  72.  Turn in. (See simple senses and IN adv.) * trans. a. To send, drive, put, or take in: cf. 25, 25 b, 25 c. + In quot. c. 1300 refl. = e below.

c. 1300.  St. Brandan, 472. Ther cam out a grislich wiȝt … Thurf suart and berning al his eȝen upe hem he caste, And turnde him in anon.

1607.  Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1658), 373. He turned in amongst them some of his foresaid children.

1762.  in W. Wing, Ann. Steeple Aston (1875), 63. No horse or sheep to be turn’d in under the penalty of twenty shillings … for each offence.

1891.  F. W. Robinson, Her Love & His Life, IV. x. You will turn in the cash by wholesale.

  b.  Agric. To bury or cover (weeds, stubble, manure) by turning the soil over them in digging or plowing; to dig or plow into the ground. Also with the ground as obj. (Cf. 11 b, 25 c.)

1563.  Hyll, Art Garden. (1593), 3. The Gardens … should be … both well digged and turned in with dung.

1577.  B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., 22. In the Spring the ground being mellowe … the weedes are then best turned in.

1864.  Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., XXV. II. 526. Not to turn in the wheat-stubble much before Christmas. Ibid., 528. The clover-lands that I have just turned in for roots. Ibid. (1866), Ser. II. II. I. 170. Loamy land is ploughed a second time before winter, and the manure turned in.

  c.  To bend or fold inwards: cf. 9. Also Naut.: see quot. 1867.

1572.  in Feuillerat, Revels Q. Eliz. (1908), 159. White Rownde plates turnde in with a crest.

1721.  Swift, George-Nim-Dan-Dean’s Answ., 18. Thus a wise tailor is not pinching, But turns at every seam an inch in.

1776.  Withering, Brit. Plants (1796), IV. 201. Pileus pale yellow,… edge turned in, 1¹/₂ to 2 inches over.

1867.  Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Turn in a dead eye or heart, to, to seize the end of a shroud or stay, &c., securely round it.

  d.  To cause to point or face inwards: cf. 7, 23 a.

1851.  Mayhew, Lond. Labour (1861), III. 200/2. I gives ’em … the bandy jig, that’s dancing with my toes turned in.

1865.  Morn. Star, 27 Jan. To turn the tallies in. That is to put the tallies against the wall, so that they should not be seen.

1870.  Daily News, 19 July, 6. Go-ahead, a good mare … turns in her toes a little.

  ** intr. e. To turn aside and go in (to a place, house, room, etc.): cf. 16, 24 c.

1535.  Coverdale, Judg. iv. 18. Iael wente forth to mete Sissera, & sayde…: Turne in my lorde.

1658.  Gurnall, Chr. in Arm., verse 14. III. ix. 257. Even they sometimes turne in at the fairest signe.

1888.  Miss Tytler Blackhall Ghosts, II. xv. 23. Hearing your stable clock strike as I turned in at your gate.

  f.  (orig. Naut.) To go to bed. colloq.

1695.  Congreve, Love for L., III. xv. Mrs. F. I believe it’s late. B. … An you think so, you had best go to Bed…. I mean to toss a Can … afore I turn in.

1837.  T. Hook, Jack Brag, xiii. Jack ‘turned in,’ as the sailors say.

1891.  N. Gould, Double Event, 218. It’s late … and quite time we turned in.

  g.  To change its course and go inwards; † of an eruption, to disappear (opp. to break out).

a. 1776.  R. James, Dissert. Fevers (1778), 29. Small-pox … which turned in the seventh day of the eruption and went off in the most desirable manner.

1862.  Pycroft, Cricket Tutor, 35. Spinning bowling is always liable to turn in or break away contrary to all expectation.

  h.  To have an inward direction, point inwards: as, ‘his toes turn in.’ (Cf. 23 c, d.)

  73.  Turn off. (See simple senses and OFF adv.)

  * trans. a. To strip off, peel off. Also intr. for pass. (Cf. 4 c.) ? Obs.

1737.  Bracken, Farriery Impr. (1756), I. 108. The Crystalline … becomes White, and turns off in … Laminae … like unto the Coats of an Onion. Ibid., 109. We cut this … thin Membrane, and turn off … one or more of the Laminae of the Crystalline Humour.

  b.  To dismiss, send away; spec. to discharge from service or employment: cf. turn away, 68 c.

  In quot. 1841, = turn loose (61).

1564.  Harding, Answ. Welles Chalenge, xi. 128. If any deuout person require to be partetaker with the priest,… he is not tourned of, but with all gentlenes admitted.

1601.  Shaks., All’s Well, V. iii. 220. You that haue turn’d off a first so noble wife.

1676.  Earl Essex, in Essex Papers (Camden), II. 73. It not being reasonable to turne off an old servant without some provision.

1768.  Goldsm., Good-n. Man, I. Pay him his wages and turn him off.

1841.  Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., II. II. 152. His unshod cattle … were turned off to regale themselves upon the neighbouring waste.

1892.  Temple Bar Mag., March, 321. A packer had been turned off for carelessness.

  † e.  To give over, resign, consign (to). Obs.

1667.  Decay Chr. Piety, i. 10. We are not so wholly turned off to that reversion, as to have no supplies for the present.

1674.  Govt. Tongue, x. 185. The murmurer seems to be turn’d off to the company of those doleful Creatures … which were to inhabit the ruines of Babylon.

  d.  To hang (on a gallows): orig. to turn off the ladder (cf. 7, and LADDER sb. 1 b). Now rare or Obs.

[1594.  Nashe, Unfort. Trav., Wks. (Grosart), V. 185. A fidler cannot turne his pin so soone, as he would turn a man of the ladder.]

1680.  C. Nesse, Church Hist., 143. His own mule … as it were, turns him off the ladder … he turns himself off when he had tyed his halter.

1715.  J. Chappelow, Right Way Rich (1717), 64. The executioner has him upon the ladder … and turns him off in an instant.

1840.  Thackeray, Catherine, viii. I’ve seen a many men turned off.

  e.  humorously (? fig. from prec.). To marry, join in marriage. (Cf. to tie the knot.)

1759.  H. Walpole, Lett. to G. Montagu, 16 May. Lord Weymouth is to be married on Tuesday, or, as he said himself, to be turned off.

1833.  Marryat, P. Simple, xxxix. They will be turned off next Friday, and I only wish you were here to dance at the weddings.

1891.  S. Mostyn, Curatica, 157. I sent a reply … wishing her every happiness and consenting ‘to turn her off.’

  f.  To deflect, divert (lit. and fig.): cf. 13, 14.

1716.  Addison, Freeholder, No. 34, ¶ 6. To turn off the Thoughts of the People from busying themselves in Matters of State.

1719.  De Foe, Crusoe (1840), II. vi. 151. He turned off the discourse to the rest.

1736.  Lediard, Life Marlborough, III. 75. To turn off the Waters of the River … which made the Inundations.

1846.  H. G. Robinson, Odes of Horace, III. xviii. 219.

  g.  spec. To give a different turn to; to divert attention from, or alter the effect of (a remark, etc.).

1744.  Ozell, trans. Brantome’s Sp. Rhodomontades, 18. He turn’d it off with a Laugh, which was only Teeth outwards.

1886.  G. Gissing, Isabel Clarendon, viii. Ada seemed about to rise, but turned it off in an arrangement of her dress.

1892.  Blackw. Mag., CLI. 88/2. That’s all very fine;… you may turn it off in that way, but the fact remains.

  h.  To stop the flow of (water, gas, electric current, etc.) by turning a tap or the like (cf. 1 b), or by closing a sluice; to shut off; to turn out (a light). Also with the tap, etc., as obj.

1850.  Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., XI. I. 199. The waste steam … may be … turned on or off by a cock.

1886.  Law Times Rep., LIII. 676/1. The gas is turned off at eleven o’clock.

1891.  L. Keith, Lost Illusion, II. xiv. 101. She did not turn the gas off at the meter.

1892.  Black & White, 23 Jan., 116/2. The electric lights … were turned off.

1892.  Monthly Packet, Dec., 656. When the water is running away one must hurry up and turn off the tap.

  i.  To complete and get off one’s hands; to produce (with skill or facility): = turn out, 75 j.

  In quot. 1897, to accomplish (a distance) swiftly.

[1684.  New Hampshire Prov. Papers (1867), I. 521. The actions go on, and are turned off hand apace, twelve at a clap.]

1840.  Dickens, Barn. Rudge, xxxix. ‘When I [the hangman] look at that hand and remember the helegant bits of work it has turned off.’ [With play on sense d.]

1855.  Poultry Chron., III. 160. The hens were … square short-legged birds, likely to turn off some good chickens.

1879.  M. Pattison, Milton, ix. 108. Turning off 300 pages of fluent Latin.

1897.  Outing (U.S.), XXX. 242/2. We [cyclists] rode on through Harrisonburg and turned off the twenty-five miles to … Staunton.

  j.  To turn the soil so as to form (a furrow); in quot. 1858, to round off (a corner) in plowing.

1842.  Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., III. I. 11. Admiring … its [the Scotch plough’s] apparent facility in cleaving and turning off the furrow. Ibid. (1858), XIX. II. 277. One plough goes and turns off the corners.

  ** intr. (See also a.) k. To turn away or aside from the direct road; to deviate; also transf. of a road or path, to branch off: cf. 16, 16 e.

1687.  Norris, Misc., To his Muse, iv. Where with noise the waters creep Turn off with Care, for treacherous rocks are nigh.

1742.  Pope, Dunc., IV. 525. The vulgar herd turn off to roll with Hogs.

1776.  Pennsylv. Even. Post, 27 June, 320/2. A road that turns off on the left hand.

1820.  W. Irving, Sketch Bk. (1859), 11. He turned off, through a gate, into some ornamented grounds.

1892.  Leisure Hour, Jan., 188/1. I took a wrong turning, or kept straight on when I ought to have turned off.

  1.  To fall off in quality, ‘go off,’ change for the worse; to wither and fall off; also, of food, etc.: to become sour or bad. Also with compl. adj.

1797.  Monthly Mag., III. 489. The Rye-Grass and Clovers are expected … to turn off light.

1813.  Jane Austen, Lett. (1884), II. 202. The day turned off … and we came home in some rain.

1846.  Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., VII. II. 380. My ash-leaf potatoes … looked healthy; they, however, turned off sickly in June…. The Shaw[s] … were short in the haulm, and turned off by the middle of July.

1889.  Devonsh. Provinc., in Eng. Dial. Dict., s.v., I think the chutney’s turned off, sir.

  74.  Turn on. a. trans. To induce a flow of (water, steam, gas, electric current) by turning a tap or stop-cock (cf. 1 b), or by opening a sluice; also with the tap, etc., as obj.; also intr. for pass. (quot. 1890); also fig.

1833.  Ht. Martineau, Loom & Lugger, I. i. 10. He turned on the gas in his back room to an unusual brightness.

1846.  Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., VII. II. 403. The steam being turned on.

1874.  Micklethwaite, Mod. Par. Churches, 186. Having certain jets [of gas] turned on at full.

1890.  Mrs. Hungerford, Born Coquette, xiii. A moon … warranted to last for eight hours and to turn on at any moment.

1891.  Review of Rev., 14 Nov., 523/2. The electric lamp that glows … when the current is turned on.

1892.  Blackw. Mag., CLI. 79/2. A sluice might be turned on to flood a certain meadow.

1892.  Black & White, 21 May, 674/2. A woman who turned on her smiles as we do the electric light.

  b.  To set (a person) to do something; to employ: cf. 34 b. colloq.

1893.  Chamb. Jrnl., 8 July, 419/2. Ainsworth had turned him on to assist him in ‘doing’ the theatres.

  75.  Turn out. (See simple senses and OUT adv.) * trans. † a. ? To change from one’s normal condition, to ‘put out’; or ? to divert from one’s course. Obs. rare^–1.

c. 1320.  Cast. Love, 1211. In wonhope weore his disciples … Ac þou weore studefast … Ne miȝte þe no þing tornen out.

  b.  To put or take out by a rotary movement (in quot. 1892, on a lathe); † to bore or gouge out.

13[?].  Erasmus, in Horstm., Altengl. Leg. (1878), 202. Þe turmentours … turnyng oute his ien withe wymbles.

1892.  Photogr. Ann., II. 286. Extending frame and reversing back mitred, keyed and glued up; the front turned out for circular disc.

  c.  To cause to go or come out; to drive out or forth, to expel; also (trans. of o), to fetch or summon out (quots. 1867, 1903). Cf. 25.

1546.  J. Heywood, Prov. (1867), 82. He turnde hir out at doores.

1611.  Beaum. & Fl., Knt. Burning Pest., III. v. Open the doore, and turne me out those mangy companions.

1672.  Villiers (Dk. Buckhm.), Rehearsal, II. iv. (Arb.), 61. If they heard us whisper, they’l turn us out.

1832.  Examiner, 418/1. If he ever turned out a tenant for voting against him.

1867.  Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Turn out the guard! the order for the marines of the guard to fall in, on the quarter-deck, in order to receive a superior officer.

1894.  Baring-Gould, Queen of L., I. viii. 86. ‘Turn him out!’ was shouted from the further side of the hall.

1903.  Bosw. Smith, in 19th Cent., March, 436. One raven … managed more than once to ‘turn out’ the guard, who thought they were summoned by the sentinel.

  d.  To drive or put out (beasts) to pasture or to the open, or (pheasants, etc.) into a covert: cf. 25 b.

1560.  Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 360 b. The cattel which the townes men daily turned out into the pasture.

1679.  J. Goodman, Penit. Pard., II. iv. (1713), 229. He hath now, like Nebuchadnezzar, been turned out to grass.

1802.  G. Montagu, Ornith. Dict. (1831), 424. Lord Caernarvon … turned out several [ring pheasants] at his seat at Highclere.

1853.  Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., XIV. I. 64. The colts were turned out on the open commons.

  e.  To dismiss or eject from office or employment.

1588.  J. Udall, Diotrephes (Arb.), 16. Neither will the Churche euer be in quiet vntill you be all turned out.

1667.  in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. V. 41. The … Captain hath … turned out some of his said Company that have refused to compound for lesse than the King’s pay.

1708.  Constit. Watermen’s Co., xviii. If any … of the Rulers or Auditors shall happen to dye, or be turned out for Corruption.

1885.  ‘Mrs. Alexander,’ At Bay, ii. I am very sorry he lost the election…. It was the radical mining people that turned him out.

1892.  Sat. Rev., 17 Dec., 705/2. They will seize ‘the first occasion’ to turn the Government out.

  f.  To put (things) out of a house, room, or receptacle; to empty out by sloping or inverting the containing vessel.

1666.  in Verney Mem. (1907), II. 255. My hous is not yet burnt, but all I have turn’d out.

1827.  Faraday, Chem. Manip., xvi. (1842), 420. The small quantity of fluid remaining … is to be turned out, by inclining the tube.

1892.  Blackw. Mag., CLI. 190/1. I shall turn out all your furniture.

  g.  (transf. from f.) To clear (a receptacle or room) of its contents; to empty (usually for the sake of examining or re-arranging the contents).

1809.  Malkin, Gil Blas, VII. xi. ¶ 6. The enraged marquis … turning her whole house out at window.

1862.  Mrs. H. Wood, Mrs. Hallib., I. xxi. She turned out his pockets.

1887.  ‘E. F. Byrrne’ (Emma Frances Brooke), Heir without Heritage, III. iii. 66. I think I will go to my room, mother, and turn my drawers out, if you and father will not miss me.

1894.  Hall Caine, Manxman, 211. She overhauled the linen; turned out every room twice a week.

  h.  To put or throw (land) out of cultivation.

1856.  Olmsted, Slave States, 373. The greater part, even of these once rich low lands, that had been in cultivation, were now ‘turned out,’ and covered … with … broom-sedge and brushwood.

  i.  To put out, extinguish (a lamp, gas) by turning a tap or the like.

1884.  Punch, 27 Dec., 310/2. Then the gas was turned out.