subs. phr. (colloquial).—1. A parade. Also (2) an assembly: spec. a number of people gathered together in the open air.
1847–8. THACKERAY, Vanity Fair, xxx. The bugles were sounding the TURN-OUT.
3. (workmen’s).—A strike. Also (4) a striker (singly and collectively).
1855. GASKELL, North and South, xviii. All his business plans had received a check, a sudden pull-up, from this approaching TURN-OUT. Ibid., xx. Those were no true friends who helped the TURN-OUTS.
5. (American).—A shunting-line, a side-track, a railway siding.
6. (common).—Production, output.
7. (colloquial).—A carriage, coach, or any vehicle with horses, harness, and other appointments; also (latterly) applied to motor-cars.
1835. HOOK, Gilbert Gurney, II. i. I rather piqued myself on my ‘TURN OUT.’
1884. S. DOWELL, A History of Taxation and Taxes in England, III. 50. The best TURN-OUT of the Coaching or Four-in-hand clubs.
1903. Bazaar and Mart. [Sub-title s.v. Driving] TURN-OUTS.
8. (colloquial).—Dress, GET-UP (q.v.): cf. TO TURN OUT.
1883. GREENWOOD, Tag, Rag, & Co., ‘Borrowed Plumage.’ ‘And what should you say it would cost a girl on an average who hired a full ‘TURN OUT’ on Monday and Saturday evenings?’ ‘If she was a regular customer it wouldn’t cost her more than two shillings, ostrich and all.’
9. (theatrical).—An interval.
1851. H. MAYHEW, London Labour and the London Poor, I. 178. The ’Delphi was better than it is. I’ve taken 3s. at the first ‘TURN OUT’ (the leaving the theatre for a short time after the first piece).
