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turn around

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turn around

 and turn about

to reverse direction; to face the opposite direction or turn completely. The bus turned around and went the other way. Please turn around so I can see who you are.

See also: around, turn

turn something around

 and turn something about

to reverse the direction of something; to cause something to face the opposite direction. Turn the car around and head it in the other direction. If you turn the chair around, we can see one another while we talk.

See also: around, turn

turn something around

also turn around something

to cause a situation or organization to change in a positive direction They were losing badly but they turned things around in the second half of the game. We've hired a new director who we hope will turn around the failing company.

See also: around, turn

turn around

Reverse the direction or course of something or someone, as in He has a way of turning around a failing business, or If someone doesn't turn him around he's headed for trouble. [Late 1800s]

See also: around, turn

turn around

v.

1. To cause something to reverse direction or course: The driver turned the car around. The child turned around the bike.

2. To reverse one's way, course, or direction: We turned around and headed back home.

3. To reverse a decline in performance, value, or health: The stock turned around.

4. To cause something to reverse a decline in performance, value, or health: The new owner turned around the company. The counselor turned our marriage around.

5. To receive, process, and send something out: If you drop off your dry cleaning today, we can turn it around by Monday. The bank will turn around the check quickly.

6. To distort the purpose, intention, or content of something: Stop turning my words around! They turned around my ideas so that I didn't even recognize them.

See also: around, turn

turn around

and turn over

in. [for something] to undergo a major, dynamic change. When life turned over and things went more smoothly, Frank was happier.

See also: around, turn