Emily Dickinson Lexicon

TURN, v.t. [Sax. turnan, tyrnan; L. torno; Gr. τορνοω; Fr. tourner; Arm. turnein; It. torno, a wheel; L. turnus; torniare, to turn; tornare, to return; torneare, tornire, to turn, to fence round, to tilt; torniamento, tournament; Sp. torno, tornear; G. turnier, a tilt; Sw. tornera, to run tilt; Dan. turnerer; W. twrn, turn, from tur, a turning; Gaelic, turna, a spinning wheel; turnoir, a turner. This is probably a derivative verb from the root of Ar. دَارَ daura, to turn. Class Dr, No. 3, and see No 15, 13, 18, 38.]

1. To cause to move in a circular course; as, to turn a wheel; to turn a spindle; to turn the body.
2. To change or shift sides; to put the upper side downward, or one side in the place of the other. It is said a hen turns her eggs often when sitting.
3. To alter, as a position. Expert / When to advance, or stand, or turn the sway of battle. Milton.
4. To cause to preponderate; to change the state of a balance; as, to turn the scale. Dryden.
5. To bring the inside out; as, to turn a coat.
6. To alter, as the posture of the body, or direction of the look. The monarch turns him to his royal guest. Pope.
7. To form on a lathe; to make round.
8. To form; to shape; used in the participle; as, a body finely turned. His limbs now turn'd. Pope.
9. To change; to transform; as, to turn evil to good; to turn goods into money. Impatience turns an ague into a fever. Taylor. I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness. 2 Sam. xv.
10. To metamorphose; as, to turn a worm into a winged insect.
11. To alter or change, as color; as, to turn green to blue.
12. To change or alter in any manner; to vary. Shak.
13. To translate; as, to turn Greek into English. Who turns a Persian tale for half a crown. Pope.
14. To change, as the manner of writing; as, to turn prose into verse.
15. To change, as from one opinion or party to another; as to turn one from a tory to a whig; to turn a Mohammedan or a pagan to a Christian.
16. To change in regard to inclination or temper. Turn thee to me, and have mercy on me. Ps. xxv.
17. To change or alter from one purpose or effect to another. God will make these evils the occasion of greater good, by turning them to our advantage. Tillotson.
18. To transfer. Therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom to David. 1 Chron. x.
19. To cause to nauseate or lothe; as, to turn the stomach.
20. To make giddy. Eastern priests in giddy circles run, / And turn their heads to imitate the sun. Pope.
21. To infatuate; to make mad, wild or enthusiastic; as, to turn the brain. Addison.
22. To change direction to or from any point; as, to turn the eyes to the heavens; to turn the eyes from a disgusting spectacle.
23. To direct by a change to a certain purpose or object; to direct, as the inclination, thoughts or mind. I have turned my mind to the subject. My thoughts are turn'd on peace. Addison.
24. To revolve; to agitate in the mind. Turn those ideas about in your mind.
25. To bend from a perpendicular direction; as, to turn the edge of an instrument.
26. To move from a direct course or strait line; to cause to deviate; as, to turn a horse from the road, or a ship from her course.
27. To apply by a change of use. When the passage is open, land will be turned most to cattle. Temple.
28. To reverse. The Lord thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion on thee. Deut. xxx.
29. To keep passing and changing in the course of trade; as, to turn money or stock two or three times in the year.
30. To adapt the mind; chiefly in the participle. He was perfectly well turned for trade. Addison.
31. To make acid; to sour; as, to turn cider or wine; to turn milk.
32. To persuade to renounce an opinion; to dissuade from a purpose, or cause to change sides. You can not turn a firm man. To turn aside, to avert. To turn away, to dismiss from service; to discard; as, to turn away a servant. #2. To avert; as, to turn away wrath or evil. To turn back, to return; as, to turn back goods to the seller. [Little used.] Shak. To turn down, to fold or double down. To turn in, to fold or double; as, to turn in the edge of cloth. To turn off, to dismiss contemptuously; as, to turn off a sycophant or parasite. #2. To give over; to resign. We are not so wholly turned off from that reversion. #3. To divert; to deflect; as, to turn off the thoughts from serious subjects. To be turned of, to be advanced beyond; as, to be turned of sixty six. To turn out, to drive out; to expel; as, to turn a family out of doors, or out of the house. #2. To put to pasture; as cattle or horses. To turn over, to change sides; to roll over. #2. To transfer; as, to turn over a business to another hand. #3. To open and examine one leaf after another; as, to turn over a concordance. Swift. #4. To overset. To turn to, to have recourse to. Helvetius' tables may be turned to on all occasions. Locke. To turn upon, to retort; to throw back; as, to turn the arguments of an opponent upon himself. Atterbury. To turn the back, to flee; to retreat. Exod. xxiii. To turn the back upon, to quit with contempt; to forsake. To turn the die or dice, to change fortune.