[f. TURN v. + -ING1.] The action of the verb TURN, in various senses (also concretely).
The earliest examples occur in senses 1 b (c. 1230) and 4 (1303)
1. Movement about an axis or center; rotation, revolution.
1387–8. T. Usk, Test. Love, I. v. (Skeat), l. 64. Olde doinges and by many turninges of yeres used.
1390. Gower, Conf., I. 8. After the tornynge of the whiel.
1538. Elyot, Reuolutio,… a reuolucion or tournynge of celestiall bodyes or spheres.
1615. G. Sandys, Trav., 55. An Order of Monkes,… called Dervises, whom I haue often seene to dance…; dances that consist of continuall turnings.
1802. Paley, Nat. Theol., xx. (ed. 2), 376. As the turning of a weather-board or tin cap upon the top of a chimney.
1821. Scott, Kenilw., xxix. I mind it not the turning of a key.
1868. Miss Braddon, Dead Sea Fr., viii. An earthly river … instrumental in the turning of paper-mills.
b. A sensation as of rotation; ‘whirling,’ giddiness, vertigo.
c. 1230. Hali Meid., 35. Of breines turnunge þin heaued [schal] ake.
1398. Trevisa, Barth De P. R., XVI. lxii. (Add. MS. 27944), lf. 202/2. It schal seme … þat þe hous schulde falle anone and þat semynge is by moeuynge þat comeþ by tornynge of þe brayne.
2. The action of shaping or working something on a lathe; the art of shaping things by means of a lathe; the work of a turner.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 507/1. Turnynge, or throwynge of treyn vessel … tornatura.
1620. in Swayne, Sarum Churchw. Acc. (1896), 171. Turninge of Banisters and pendantes.
1680. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., xi. 194. In Turning, all Irregularities must be wrought smooth down.
1726. Leoni, trans. Alberti’s Archit., I. 25/1. Workmen lay their Timber under water … especially such as they design for turning.
1873. J. Richards, Wood-working Factories, 158. Turning is an … important branch of wood work.
b. pl. (concr.) Chips or shavings of some substance produced by turning in a lathe.
1800. Henry, Epit. Chem. (1808), 64. A small ball formed of turnings of zinc.
1812. Sir H. Davy, Chem. Philos., 322. If iron turnings be heated to whiteness in a curved gun-barrel, and potash be melted and made slowly to come in contact with the turnings,… potassium will be formed.
1868. Joynson, Metals, 115. To make an iron cement … mix … 112 lbs. of clean cast-iron borings or turnings, with 8 oz. of sal ammoniac.
3. fig. Shaping, molding, fashioning (of literary work, etc.).
1586. W. Webbe, Eng. Poetrie (Arb.), 65. Such are the turning of verses: the infolding of wordes.
1858. Longf., M. Standish, II. 90. You are an elegant scholar, Having … skill in the turning of phrases.
4. The action, or an act, of changing posture or direction by moving as on a pivot; movement so as to face or point in a different, or in some particular, direction. Also fig.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 8875. Whan we turnede aboute On a womman myn yȝe ys y-caste…. Þe dekene loked at þe nexte turnyng, She was a-wey,… he sagh no þyng.
c. 1489. Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, iii. 114. & at this tornyng that he thus made he slewe Esmenfray.
1545. Ascham, Toxoph., I. (Arb.), 8. A weake smithe … wyl wyth a lipe and turnyng of his arme, take vp a barre of yron.
c. 1618. Moryson, Itin., IV. V. i. (1903), 440. The Crossings, Bowings, turnings of the body to the Alter.
1631. Widdowes, Nat. Philos., 53. Griefe is his [Delight’s] contrary, which is a turning from the hurtfull object.
1738. Swift, Pol. Conversat., Introd. 17. Turnings of the Head, and motions of the Hands.
1825. Coleridge, Aids Refl. (1884), 271. A turning of the thoughts exclusively to the so-called physical attributes.
1845. J. Coulter, Adv. Pacific, ix. 116. The seal cannot quickly turn, so you may … finish him … with a … sharp axe…; but be careful to watch his turning on you.
† b. Phr. Turning of a hand = moment, instant (see HAND sb. 60 l). So turning of a straw. Obs.
(Cf. quot. c. 1425 for turning about, in 12 below.)
1579. Tomson, Calvin’s Serm. Tim., 239/1. Ye Christians are at euery turning of an hand, at the pits side.
1600. Holland, Livy, XXI. xiv. 401. Anniball … assailed the cittie, and wan it in the turning of an hand.
1679. J. Goodman, Penit. Pard., II. v. (1713), 236. In the turning of an hand a lewd and flagitious person starts up a great saint.
1755. Smollett, Quix. (1803), IV. 224. Two thousand copies, that will fetch six rials a-piece in the turning of a straw.
c. Obstet. (See quot. 1857.)
1857. Dunglison, Med. Lex., Turning … Versio Fœtûs, the operation of bringing down the feet, or some part of the lower extremity, when the presentation of the child is such that it cannot be delivered by the natural efforts.
1899. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., VII. 737. A labour necessitating the use of instruments or of turning.
d. The practice of gymnastics according to the system of F. L. Jahn: cf. TURNER1 8.
1888. U. S. Newspaper, 17 Aug. Turning began at 10 o’clock.
5. Reversal, inversion: as of soil, or other substance or object, for exposure to air; of a leaf of a book in reading; of an hour-glass; of a garment; of words in a sentence.
1536. MS. Rawl. D. 780, lf. 73. In the turnyng of tymbre in the tymber yard.
1538. Elyot, Addit. Gg iij b/1. Anastrophe, a tournynge out of a commune order, as, Italiam contra, for contra Italiam.
1551. in Feuillerat, Revels Edw. VI. (1914), 53. The layenge abroade eyringe turnynge soinge mendinge foldinge and layeng vp of the same.
1551. T. Wilson, Logike (1580), 29. When I intreated of the conversion, or tournyng of Propositions.
1562. J. Heywood, Prov. & Epigr. (1867), 137. He hath turned his typpet an honest turnyng.
1573. Tusser, Husb. (1878), 56. By oft turning [of wheat] ye seeme to refresh it.
1581. Confer., III. (1584), P j. After a little turning, he sayde, This is not the booke that I meant.
1726. Shelvocke, Voy. round World, 137. At the turning of every glass … we beat 3 ruffs on the drum.
c. 1830. Glouc. Farm. Rep., 14, in Libr. Usef. Knowl., Husb., III. It will be ready to carry in four or five days, with one turning.
1842. Loudon, Suburban Hort., 57. Peat … reduced … to a fine mould … by exposure to the air, and repeated turnings.
1844. Mrs. Browning, Wine of Cyprus, ix. Betwixt the folio’s turnings, Solemn flowed the rhythmic Greek.
b. A row of hay turned with the rake; a windrow. local.
1795. Scots Mag., LVII. 304/2. [The hay] is again made into small rows called turnings.
1834. Brit. Husb., I. 491. It is turned with the rake-head, and is before noon raked into small rows, called ‘turnings’;… and in the evening of the same day, the rows are made into small ‘hay-cocks.’
6. The action of bending or folding over, or condition of being folded over; a part of something folded over, a fold; in quot. 1660, a curl, a volute.
1631. Weever, Anc. Fun. Mon., 581. The forme of a Rose…: and in the turnings of the leaues this Inscription.
1660. Bloome, Archit., E j. The middle Voluta hath a Circle … of one part, but the corner turning hath two parts.
1894. Daily News, 18 Sept., 6/4. Providing deep hems and turnings … for the days when the garments will be all too short.
7. A change in the direction of movement or course; deflection, deviation; winding, tortuous course. Also fig.
1426. Lydg., De Guil. Pilgr., 8666. Lyk a corde … Wythinne yt tourneth ofte aboute,… For cordys be sayd … Off offte tournynges in an herte.
1585. T. Washington, trans. Nicholay’s Voy., IV. xxv. 140 b. [The] riuers by the turning in their course haue made … many … yles.
1587. Harmar, trans. Beza’s Serm., i. 11. The diuers turnings and windings, by the which men wander and goe astray.
1617. Moryson, Itin., I. 244. The Mountaine … was very high, but the way easie, with many turnings about the Mountaine.
1719. D’Urfey, Pills (1872), VI. 102. For ’tis of the making of Dunstable way, Plain without turning.
1751. Labelye, Westm. Br., 25. This Bridge was built without turning of the River.
b. fig. of verse or melody; in quot. a. 1830, a refrain.
1579. Spenser, Sheph. Cal., Aug., 194. How I admire ech turning of thy verse.
1662. Playford, Skill Mus., I. xi. (1674), 39. Those long Windings and Turnings of the Voice.
a. 1830. Yng. Musgrave, xi., in Child, Ballads, II. 249/2. And aye the turning o the tune ‘Away, Musgrave, awa!’
8. A place or point where a road, path, etc., turns, or turns off. Also fig.
c. 1384. Chaucer, H. Fame, I. 182. In a forest … At a turnynge of a went How Creusa was y-loste allas.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 507/1. Turnynge, of dyuerse weyys, diverticulum.
1596. Shaks., Merch. V., II. ii. 43. Turne vpon your right hand at the next turning, but at the next turning of all on your left.
1600. Hakluyt, Voy., III. 300. We discouered 32 Islands … hauing many turnings and windings betweene them, making many faire harboroughs and chanels.
1624. Bp. Mountagu, Immed. Addr., 125. God … knoweth the secrets, discouereth the boughts and turnings of the heart.
1771. Smollett, Humph. Cl., 26 June. At the turning of a lane, that led to a village,… a couple of robbers a-horseback suddenly appeared.
1778–. [see LANE sb. 1 b].
1864. Burton, Scot Abr., II. i. 110. About the turning of the 17th into the 18th century.
1866. G. Macdonald, Ann. Q. Neighb., vii. (1878), 121. I had not gone down more than three turnings [of the stairs].
9. Reversal of movement or course; † return, going back (obs.).
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., lxiv. 276 (Harl. MS.). In hire turnyng hom fro chirch.
1806. Scott, Lett. to Earl Dalkeith, 11 Feb., in Lockhart. I abhor even the shadow of changing or turning with the tide.
1857. J. W. Croker, in C. Papers, 1 Feb. (1884), I. 83. I … never saw … so … complete a turning of the tide of victory.
10. fig. Conversion; perversion; desertion to another side (quot 1665). arch.
1340. Hampole, Pr. Consc., 411. Thurgh his turnyng fra gode til ille.
1434. Misyn, Mending Life, 105. Of conuersyon or holy turnynge.
1532. More, Confut. Tindale, Wks. 819/2. The turnyng to them selfe or to Lucifer was in it selfe a tourning from God.
a. 1555. Bradford, in Coverdale, Lett. Mart. (1564), 262. [The Lord] hath no pleasure in the death of a sinner: he rather wold our conversion and turning.
1665. Manley, Grotius’ Low C. Warres, 544. More … that among all these Turnings, would yet remain faithful to their Parties.
II. Change; vicissitude; alteration.
1548. Elyot, Volubilitas.… the turnyng of any thyng.
1617. Hieron, Wks., II. 264. An abuse of Gods goodnesse, and a turning of His graces into wantonnesse.
1659. Hammond, On Ps. lxix. 22, Annot. 342. Safe from the turnings of the World.
1689. in Acts Parlt. Scotl. (1875), XII. 71/1. The clause anent the turneing of this meetting into a parliament.
12. With adverbs, corresponding to adverbial combinations of the verb in various senses (see TURN v. VIII), as turning about, again, away, back, down, in (also attrib.), out (also attrib.), over, round, up (also concr. a part turned up).
c. 1425. Cursor M., 23223 (Trin.). In *turnyng of þin honde aboute.
1570. Dee, Math. Pref., Civ b. Two Wheles…, whose turnynges about in one and the same tyme [etc.].
1663. Bp. Patrick, Parab. Pilgr., xvii. (1687), 150. The converting and turning about of our minds and hearts to the original of our Being.
c. 1400. Brut, clxiii. 282. Þere was so miche presse of peple at the *turnyng, aȝeyne.
1382. Wyclif, Prov. i. 32. The *turning awei of litle childer [1611 the turning away of the simple] shal slen hem.
1552. Huloet, *Turnyng backe, vide in reuolucion.
1703. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., 233. The end of an Iron Axis turned Square down, and again turned Square to the first *turning down.
1837. Mrs. Sherwood, H. Milner, III. xv. A turning-down which contained the signature … of the epistle.
1803. Lady’s Econ. Assist., 5. The patterns are drawn, allowing for *turning in.
1877. Knight, Dict. Mech., Turning-in, the process of strapping a dead-eye, that is, bending a rope tightly around it in the score.
1901. Daily Express, 21 March, 6/5. The crew had gathered about the forecastle to smoke their turning-in pipe.
1711. Swift, Jrnl. to Stella, 22 May. This man has grown by persecutions, *turnings out, and stabbing.
1807–26. S. Cooper, First Lines Surg. (ed. 8), 325. Ectropium. A turning out of the eyelids is so named.
1894. Eliz. L. Banks, Camp. Curiosity, 29. You must turn out a room…. On turning-out day, you must shake the rug, and scrub up the floor.
1703. C. Mather, Magn. Chr., VI. v. App. 38. It prov’d her own Father that was to be hang’d, at whose *Turning over, she thus cry’d out.
1842. Loudon, Suburban Hort., 131. Picks … combine the operation of perforating with that of separating, breaking, loosening, and turning over.
1856. Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., XVII. I. 119. There is a quicker turning over of the farmer’s capital.
1899. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., VIII. 173. The heart executes an asymmetry of movement which gives rise to a sensation popularly known as turning over.
1591. Percivall, Sp. Dict., Buelta, a returne, turning away, *turning round, reditus, conuersio, auersio.
1690. Norris, Beatitudes (1692), 159. The swiftest turnings round of a Globe look like standing still.
1628. Earle, Microcosm., Shee Precise Hypocrite (Arb.), 63. Her deuotion at the Church is much in the *turning vp of her eye.
1648. Hexham, Dutch Dict., 11. Schoenen met tuyten, Shoes with turnings up.
1683. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., Printing, xxii. ¶ 1. He leaves no wrinckles in the turnings up [of the paper lining] against the sides of the Box.
1712. J. James, trans. Le Blond’s Gardening, 166. Tillings, or second Turnings up of the Ground.
1844. Stephens, Bk. Farm, II. 95. The turning up of a fat sheep.
1872. Knight, Dict. Mech., Turning-up (Bookbinding), taking the round out of the back, while the fore edge is cut.
13. attrib. and Comb., as (in sense 2) turning-carrier, -chisel, -gauge, -gouge, -lathe, -tool; also turning-engine, (a) a lathe (Knight, Dict. Mech., 1877); (b) a small engine for turning over a large one slowly for inspection or adjustment (Cent. Dict. Suppl., 1909); turning-glass (see quot.); turning-loom, a lathe; turning-machine, -mill, -piece (see quots.); turning-pin = turn-pin (a) (see TURN-); also attrib.; turning-plate, (a) = turn-plate (a): see TURN-; (b) (see quot. 1877); turning-rest, a rest for a turning-tool, attached to a lathe, as a slide-rest (Cent. Dict., 1891); turning-saw, a saw with a narrow blade adapted for cutting in a curve, as a bow-saw, compass-saw, keyhole-saw, etc.; turning-stool, a smooth round bar of steel used to turn the edge of a cutting instrument so as to give it a flanged form (Cent. Dict., 1891); † turning-tree, a gallows (cf. TURN v. 73 d, 77 f). See also next, 7, and TURNING-EVIL, -POINT.
1877. Knight, Dict. Mech., *Turning-carrier, a device for holding metallic work while being turned in the foot-lathe. Ibid., *Turning-chisel, a chisel used by turners for finishing work after being roughed out by the gouge.
1881. W. E. Dickson, Organ Build., i. 6. The usual turning-chisels and gouges.
1877. Knight, Dict. Mech., *Turning-gage, an instrument to assist in setting over the tail-stock of the lathe, so that a given taper in a given length of work may be obtained.
1902. Census Bulletin, 216, 28 June, 64 (Cent. Dict. Suppl.). After the negative [in half-tone engraving] is developed the film is stripped from the plate, reversed, and placed on another, called a *turning-glass, thus becoming a positive.
1877. Knight, Dict. Mech., s.v. Turning-tools, [description of figure] n, *turning-gouge.
1794. Rigging & Seamanship, I. 152. *Turning lathe, a well known machine for turning.
1840. Civil Eng. & Arch. Jrnl., III. 175/2. An improved expanding mandrel for turning-lathes.
1879. R. S. Ball, in Cassell’s Techn. Educ., VII. 60. The turning-lathe … enables us to produce with perfect accuracy any surface of revolution.
a. 1805. A. Carlyle, Autobiog. (1860), 96. He said he would order his son…, who was a more powerful master of the *turning-loom than he was, to turn me a nice snuff-box or egg-cup.
1877. Knight, Dict. Mech., *Turning-machine, one for turning boot-legs after the seams have been sewn and rolled. *Turning-mill, a form of horizontal lathe or boring-mill.
1823. P. Nicholson, Pract. Build., 595. *Turning-piece, a board with a circular edge, for turning a thin brick arch upon.
1591. Percivall, Sp. Dict., Vira, a *turning pin, a shaft, verticulum, subscus, sagitta.
1875. W. M‘Ilwraith, Guide to Wigtownshire, 43. This quern-stone … has three turning-pin holes in it.
1797. J. Curr, Coal Viewer, 28. These *turning plates [in a cast iron rail road].
1877. Knight, Dict. Mech., Turning-plate, a circular plate above the front axle, where the bed moves upon it as the carriage turns from its direct course; a fifth-wheel.
1725. W. Halfpenny, Sound Building, 24. With a narrow *Turning-Saw cut directly thro’ the Arch-Line.
1825. J. Nicholson, Operat. Mechanic, 584. A compass-saw,… a key-hole-saw. Both of these … are called turning-saws, and have their plates thin and narrow towards their bottoms, and each succeeding tooth finer.
1680. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., x. 192. These Gouges (and … other *Turning Tools).
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VIII., 224 b. She and her husband … were … hanged at the foresayd *turnyng tree.
