Phrasal verbs with 'TURN'

TURN AGAINST – 1) to start disliking or disagreeing with smth or someone 2) to make someone start disliking or disagreeing with smth or someone.

People turned against (1) Simon Shady after they learned about his dealings with the Liechtenstein mafia. Shouldn’t politicians avoid doing stuff that can turn people against (2) them?

TURN AROUND – 1) to face another way (of make smth do it) 2) to make smth that had been failing successful 3) to provide smth or complete an activity in a certain period 4) (turn around and) to react to smth by doing or saying smth unexpected, unfair or unhelpful.

Fanny started walking away and then, suddenly, she turned around (1), walked back and slapped Maya in the face. Fanny started shouting, “You promised we’d turn the things around (2) together when our business started to sink! But you gave up and did nothing – you just left me to deal with tons of debts and the business that couldn’t turn one tiny order around (3) in a week! And now! Now you want your share back? You left me alone in this, so don’t turn around and (4) say I owe you anything.”

TURN AWAY – 1) to not let someone come in 2) to start facing some other direction to avoid looking at smth.

He tried to get inside but she turned him away (1) at the door. He saw her mother in the garden but she turned away (2) and pretended not to notice him.

TURN DOWN – 1) to make volume, temperature, etc. lower 2) to reject smth or someone.

Miles gestured Gavin to turn down (1) the volume of the music he was listening to. Gavin did what he was asked to and Miles told him that he had a business proposal for him. What Miles did not expect was to be immediately turned down (2).

TURN IN – 1) to cause someone who committed a crime to be taken by the police 2) to submit a paper (a document, etc.) 2) to go to sleep.

Inspector Goodytwoshoes had to deal with a lot of paperwork after an unknown caller turned in (1) the most wanted criminal in the city. By 10 p.m., the policeman decided that he’d had enough and that he would turn in (2) the rest of the paperwork tomorrow. And now it was time for him to go home and turn in (3).

TURN INTO – to transform into smth.

Life is not a fairytale, ugly ducklings don’t turn into beautiful swans, they grow up into even uglier ducks.

TURN OFF – 1) to disconnect, to stop a device or equipment 2) to stop someone from feeling interest or excitement, especially sexual.

Some people nag their other halves asking them to turn their devices off (1) to pay attention to them. And this attention seeking is enough to turn anyone off (2).

TURN ON – 1) to connect, to start a device or equipment 2) to attack someone unexpectedly 3) to make someone feel interest or excitement, especially sexual.

“Turn on (1) your TV quickly! There’s Ned Greasy in the news! This time he’ll be cancelled for sure! Even his friends turned on (2) him after his last tweet!”

“I swear, Kenny, sometimes it seems like this weird celebrity stuff turns you on (3)…”

TURN OUT – 1) to happen in a certain way or result in smth particular 2) to go somewhere to watch an event or to participate in it 3) to be discovered to happen in a certain way 4) to empty a bag or pockets.

Holden Eloquento was sure that he was doomed to fail and no one would come to listen to what he had to say but everything turned out (1) very well. A huge crowd turned out (2) to listen to his speech. It turned out (3) that someone had been actively promoting the event on social media. There were so many people that the guards had to ask everyone to turn out (4) their bags and pockets before they could enter the stadium.

TURN OVER – 1) to make a certain amount of money or replace goods at a particular rate 2) to flip smth (or be flipped) so that the top and the bottom exchange positions 3) to think about smth, to reflect on it.

Tom Havenotts was a successful businessman – his company turned over (1) $15 million a year – and money was all he could think about. But everything’s changed after the car crash when he hit a signpost so hard that his car turned over (2). The accident made him think about his life; he kept turning over (3) the events of that night in his head and it made him understand that money is not the most important thing in the world.

TURN TO – 1) to ask someone for help 2) to start doing smth new as a profession or a hobby

Helen had no one to turn to (1) when she needed emotional support, so she turned to (2) writing poetry and it saved her.

TURN UP – 1) to arrive somewhere, esp. some place where you are not expected 2) make volume, temperature, etc. higher 3) to happen unpredictably.

We knew that Ms. Chilly was out of town and we didn’t expect her to turn up (1) to the meeting, so we turned the heater up (2) to our liking. We were so happy when the opportunity to spend time in a warm office turned up (3). But Ms. Chilly came back in time for the meeting and we had to turn the heater down.

Test your knowledge of phrasal verbs with 'turn' here:

Test 1

Test 2

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