■ verb
1》 move in a circular direction wholly or partly around an axis.
↘twist or sprain (an ankle).
2》 move into a different position, especially so as to face the opposite direction.
↘change or cause to change direction.
↘(of the tide) change from flood to ebb or vice versa.
↘pass round (the flank or defensive lines of an army) so as to attack from the side or rear.
↘ archaic bend back (the edge of a blade) so as to make it blunt.
3》 change or cause to change in nature, state, form, or colour; make or become: Emma ~ed pale.
↘(of leaves) change colour in the autumn.
↘(with reference to milk) make or become sour.
↘make or become nauseated: the smell would ~ the strongest stomach.
4》 ( ~ to ) start doing or becoming involved with.
↘go to for help or information.
↘have recourse to: he ~ed to drink for solace.
5》 shape on a lathe.
6》 give a graceful or elegant form to.
7》 make (a profit).
■ noun
1》 an act of ~ing.
↘a bend or curve in a road, path, river, etc.
↘a road junction.
↘ Cricket deviation in the direction of the ball when bouncing off the pitch.
↘one round in a coil of rope or other material.
2》 a development or change in circumstances.
↘a time when one period of time ends and another begins.
↘( the ~ ) the beginning of the second nine holes of a round of golf.
3》 an opportunity or obligation to do something that comes successively to each of a number of people: it was his ~ to speak.
↘a short performance, especially one of a number given by different performers.
4》 a short walk or ride.
5》 informal a shock.
↘a brief feeling or experience of illness: he's had a funny ~.
6》 the difference between the buying and selling price of stocks or other financial products.
↘a profit made from such a difference.
7》 Music a melodic ornament consisting of the principal note with those above and below it.
Phrases
at every ~ on every occasion.
by ~s alternately.
do someone a good (or bad ) ~ do something that is helpful (or unhelpful) for someone.
in ~ one after the other.
on the ~ at a ~ing point.
out of ~ at a time when it is inappropriate or not one's ~.
take ~s (or Brit. take it in ~s ) (of two or more people) do something one after the other.
to a ~ to exactly the right degree: beefburgers done to a ~.
~ and ~ about chiefly Brit. in succession.
~ of mind a way of thinking.
~ of speed the ability to go fast when necessary.
~ something over in one's mind consider something thoroughly.
~ tail informal ~ round and run away.
Phrasal verbs
~ someone away refuse admittance to someone.
~ someone/thing down
1》 reject an offer or proposal or someone making one.
2》 ( ~ something down ) adjust a control on an electrical device to reduce the volume, heat, etc.
~ in informal go to bed in the evening.
~ someone/thing in hand someone or something over to the authorities.
~ off leave one road in order to join another.
~ someone off informal make someone bored or repelled.
~ something off (or on ) stop (or start) the operation of something by means of a tap, switch, or button.
~ on
1》 suddenly attack.
2》 have as the main focus.
~ someone on informal excite or stimulate someone, especially sexually.
~ out
1》 prove to be the case.
2》 go somewhere to attend a meeting, vote, play in a game, etc.
~ someone out
1》 eject or expel someone from a place.
2》 Military call a guard from the guardroom.
3》 ( be ~ed out ) be dressed in the manner specified.
~ something out
1》 extinguish an electric light.
2》 produce something.
3》 empty something, especially one's pockets.
~ over
1》 (of an engine) start or continue to run properly.
2》 (of a business) have a ~over of.
~ someone/thing over change or transfer custody or control of someone or something.
~ something round (or around ) reverse the previously poor performance of something.
~ up
1》 be found, especially by chance.
2》 put in an appearance; arrive.
~ something up
1》 increase the volume or strength of sound, heat, etc. by adjusting a control on a device.
2》 reveal or discover something.
3》 shorten a garment by raising the hem.
Derivatives
~er noun
Origin
OE tyrnan , ~ian (v.), from L. tornare , from tornus 'lathe', from Gk tornos 'lathe, circular movement'; prob. reinforced in ME by OFr. ~er .