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Glite Dictionary
to turn on one's heel

to turn on one's heel

3 7.4
To leave quickly by suddenly walking away because you are angry or shocked
  • idiom
translation icon : dar media vuelta
  • Then, head held high, she silently turned on her heel and left.
  • turned on his heel and left
  • turned on her heel and walked
  • turned on his heel and walked away

Examples

  • "Back to the ghouls," she said and turned on her heel.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • Well, tell me this, boys, Terry said, turning on his heel to face them all again.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • Without another word, he turned on his heel and returned to his post in the front wings.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • "We'll just see about that," she said coldly, then turned on her heel and ran toward the house.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • The king of the short people grunted, turned on his heel, and walked off.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • Wendy picked up her clothes, turned on her heel, and headed for the door.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • "Whatever he was about to say fizzled in his mouth; he turned on his heel and fled.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • Bowers stood another moment, then turned on her heel and stalked off.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • Abruptly, he turned on his heel and stormed away from his men to his cabin.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • After hearing the unexpected news, she turned on her heel and left the room in a hurry.

Synonyms

to turn around
vsto turn on one's heel
384 2.0

To move your body to face the opposite direction or change your attitude

leaves abruptly in reaction rather than only changing direction
to storm off
vsto turn on one's heel
  • Informal
11 4.5

Leave a place quickly because you are angry

leaves abruptly often without strong anger while responding to something unwelcome
to turn tail
vsto turn on one's heel
7 7.0

To run away quickly because you are afraid

may simply leave abruptly or change direction without fleeing
to bolt out
vsto turn on one's heel
  • Informal
5 4.9

Leave a place suddenly and quickly because you feel scared

is a sudden exit in response rather than only rapid flight
to do an about-face
vsto turn on one's heel
  • Informal
3 6.6

To suddenly change your opinion or plan to the opposite

focuses on abrupt exit or turn instead of formal policy reversal
to about-face
vsto turn on one's heel
  • Literature
3 6.7

To change your opinion or position completely and suddenly

refers to leaving or turning physically rather than reversing belief
to swing about
vsto turn on one's heel
1 4.8

To turn quickly to face another direction or change your opinion suddenly

may leave suddenly as a reaction rather than just move or shift
to take to one's heels
vsto turn on one's heel
  • Informal
1 6.1

Run away quickly to escape danger or trouble

can mean a quick exit or abrupt turn in reaction to an event

Antonyms

to stay put
  • Informal
133 2.0

Remain in the same place without moving

How Abrupt

to bolt
69 2.3
to storm off
  • Informal
11 4.5
to turn on one's heel
3 7.4
to walk away
632 3.5
to leave
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

turn on one's heel infinitive
turned on one's heel past
turned on one's heel past participle
turning on one's heel present participle
turns on one's heel third person singular

Morphology

turn + on + one's + heel

The expression literally combines 'turn' (rotate) with the locative phrase 'on one's heel' (pivoting on the rear of the foot), so a learner who knows the constituents can infer a physical pivot and thus a sudden change of direction or leaving. This motion-verb + body-part construction is common across languages, making the metaphorical sense of leaving/turning away readily predictable for a B1 learner.

Etymology

The idiom turn on one's heel comes from the image of planting one foot and turning on the heel to walk away quickly. So, it means 'to leave suddenly' or 'to change direction quickly', often because someone is shocked or angry.