to turn around
384
2.0
- phrasal verb
- /tɜrn əˈraʊnd/
:
darse la vuelta
- When she heard the noise behind her, she quickly turned around to see what it was.
- turn around to see
- turn around and go back
- turn around and walk
The first thing to do is you turn around and see yourself.
- The first thing to do is you turn around and see yourself.
- Preoccupied minds cannot turn around and look backward.
- It is best for you to turn around, face it, and conquer it.
- So we turn around, we swim to go get them.
- So we turn around and we land.
- My sister turns the car around, pulls into Tower Records.
- Do not turn around again like that.
Examples
-
The rock was replaced, and we turned around and crawled back out to the entrance.
Academic text (2011) -
Participants were required to run 20 m, then turn around and return.
Academic text (2009) -
The first thing to do is you turn around and see yourself.
-
So we turn around and we land.
-
Maybe we should turn around and take another route.
-
I need you to turn around and go the other way.
-
You can turn around now.
-
A man is standing at the window and turns around when I come in.
Academic text (2007) -
Tom hangs up the phone, turns around, and opens up the glass door.
Fiction book (1990) -
It is best for you to turn around, face it, and conquer it.
Synonyms
549
1.0
To point toward something or someone
75
1.4
Turn your head or eyes to see behind you
38
2.1
To turn your body quickly in a circle many times
33
1.0
To move your body so you can see someone or something
10
3.2
Turn quickly to face the opposite direction
4
6.8
To completely change your opinion or decision
3
2.0
Turn your head or eyes to see what is behind you
1
1.4
Move your body so you face the opposite direction
1
6.1
To turn quickly to face the other way
1
4.8
To turn quickly to face another direction or change your opinion suddenly
How Far
Surface Forms
Morphology
The constituents 'turn' (change direction) and 'around' (to the opposite) transparently combine to convey reversal or change of state; a learner can plausibly map that physical sense onto situations to infer 'reverse a bad situation.' However, the extension from physical turning to 'make something successful' is metaphorical and the specific idiomatic usage may not be fully predictable without prior exposure, so some learners will need confirmation.
Etymology
Turn around comes from the simple image of using your body to turn so you face the other way, because you move around to the opposite direction. So it means 'to face the opposite direction' or 'to change your attitude or action'.