turn
/tɝn/10 phrasal verbsThe plain verb means to rotate or change direction.
TURN is rotation, and rotation means change — of direction, of state, of switch position.
Four of them collide: turn up (arrive, or increase volume), turn down (reject, or decrease volume), turn out (prove to be), turn in (submit, or go to bed). Notice that turn up and turn down are opposites for volume but NOT for the other senses — the opposite of turn up meaning “arrive” is simply not showing up.
TURN ends in /n/, which links cleanly into vowels: turn off is “tur-noff”, turn on is “tur-non”. The two are near-minimal pairs in fast speech, so keep the vowels distinct: /ɔ/ in OFF, /ɑ/ in ON.
Side by side
Every TURN phrasal verb, with the one line that keeps it apart from its siblings. Tap any one to open it.
| Phrasal verb | Means | How to remember it |
|---|---|---|
| turn offSeparable2 meanings | switch a device off; also, repel someone | OFF = to zero. |
| turn onSeparable2 meanings | switch a device on; also, attack suddenly | ON = to running. |
| turn upBoth3 meanings | arrive, often unexpectedly; increase the volume | UP = appear, or louder. |
| turn downSeparable2 meanings | reject an offer; decrease the volume | DOWN = refuse, or quieter. |
| turn intoInseparable | become something different | INTO = transformation. |
| turn outBoth3 meanings | prove to be the case in the end | The truth turns OUT into view. |
| turn overSeparable2 meanings | flip something; hand someone to the authorities | OVER = the other side is now up. |
| turn aroundBoth2 meanings | reverse direction; improve a failing situation | AROUND = 180 degrees. |
| turn inSeparable2 meanings | submit work; go to bed | IN = hand it in, or head inside for the night. |
| turn awaySeparable | refuse entry to someone | AWAY = they leave without coming in. |