(a) To move about an axis, a center, or a fixed position, pivot;—also refl. [quot. a1393]; revolve; also fig. and in fig. context; also, spin, whirl; ~ abouten; ~ of herre, of the heavens: whirl off a celestial pole, go into disorder; ppl. turninge, revolving; (b) to cause (sth.) to move about a center or on an axis or a shaft, rotate; also in fig. context; ?also, operate (a mill) by rotating a wheel [quot. a1500(1381)]; ~ abouten; turn-broche (brochere), someone who rotates food on a spit or skewer; ~ up and doun, rotate (the rete of an astrolabe) in two directions; (c) fig. to come around in the process of time, revolve; ben) turned abouten in-to the ende, of sins: ?be) deferred until the end of time; ppl. turned as adj., of an occasion: past; turned abouten bi the yer, of a feast: annual; turninge ayen the month (time), turninge the yer, recurring at that point in the month (time, year); the yer turninge abouten, through the course of the year; (d) of the brain: to suffer the sensation of whirling or spinning about, be afflicted with giddiness; fig. cause (thoughts) to whirl; impair the working of (brains); ben turned, suffer from vertigo, be dizzy; turn-brain, turninge ivel, vertigo, dizziness; turn-sik, turn-gidi, turn-gidinesse, q.v.; (e) in stock similes chiefly describing the vicissitudes of fortune.

(a) To shape (an object) while rotating it on a lathe or potter's wheel; fig. shape (words, the thrust of a speech); ppl. turned as adj.: thrown; also, of language: polished; (b) to form a circle [1st quot.]; make (sth.) circular, round; ~ abouten.

(a) To move along an arc, esp. on a hinge [1st quot.]; swing (a door, gate) open or closed; ~ (ben turned) ayen, of a bone: turn in a socket; turn-bon, a bone in a hinged joint; turn-pike, a device characterized by a spiked, rotating center and used as a barrier to movement; turn-stile; (b) of the eyes: to make a partial rotation; roll (one's eyes); ppl. turned, rolled back; turned eien, a form of strabismus.

To move (sth.) by rolling it over repeatedly;—also without obj. [quot. a1400]; roll (balls of food); ~ oute, cause (a body) to tumble or roll away.

(a) To shift position by twisting about; flounder, wallow, thrash about;—also refl.; also fig.; ~ over (to and fro, etc.); (b) to squirm, wriggle, stir;—also refl.; of a leaf: flutter; ~ abouten; ~ ayen, of fire: flicker; ppl. turninge, squirming, wriggling; also, of a sword: wavering; (c) to shift the position of (sb. or sth.); also, wave (a sword), brandish; wave (a hand); ~ abouten (awei, upward); ppl. turned, prostrate, prone; (d) to be agitated, churn; cause (the sea, stomach contents) to churn, agitate; ~ abouten, fig. set in motion (one's thoughts).

(a) To become inverted; move into the contrary position; also, topple; also fig.; ~ abouten, ~ awei, ~ ayen, ~ up-so-doun; (b) to reverse the position or posture of (sb., sth., oneself) horizontally or vertically, move into the opposing position; turn (sth.) over or upside down; reverse (a loop of thread) by giving a half-twist; right (a cradle, haunch of venison); also, topple (a ship, hill); ~ over, ~ up (up-right, upward), ~ up-so-doun; ~ the tonge, fig. speak deceitfully; turned awei, in a position opposite to the normal one; (c) to cause destruction [1st quot.]; upset (sth.), overturn, destroy; fig. overthrow (sb.), bring to ruin; reverse (a situation, condition); also, subvert (a law, practice, etc.); defeat (sb.); ~ awei, ~ doun, ~ up (up and doun, up-so-doun); (d) fig. ~ bi us self, to meditate; ~ with me (mi-self), ruminate on (sth.).

(a) To turn over (soil), plow; plow (a crop) under;—used in fig. context; also, uproot (a tree), dig up (a root);—usu. in fig. context; ~ up (doun, up and doun, up-so-doun); ~ upward, stir up (sand); (b) to leaf through (the pages of a book); turn (a page); also, leaf through (a book); (c) ~ of, to remove (clothing) by turning it inside out; ~ of tir, strip (sb.); ~ oute of skin, flay (sb.); ~ up halter (halster), fig. remove a restraint; ben turned up-so-doun, of an eyelid: be everted.

To spell (a name) backwards, reverse the order of (the letters in a name); transpose (the syllables of a name); also, reverse the orientation of (a written figure); reverse (the order of sth.); ~ abakward, ~ ayen, ~ up-so-doun.

To bend or twist (sth.); insert (sth. into a place) by turning, screw; also, fold (sth.); ~ tweifolde (twofold); ~ up and doun; ppl. turned as adj.: curved [quot. ?a1425]; turned ayen (ayen-ward), ?twisted; ?bent back.

(a) To change position or orientation so as to face or point in a different direction, often with a change of course implied;—also refl.; also fig.; turn toward or away from a specified person, thing, or direction; ~ awei, ~ ayen, ~ up; turne-sole, q.v.; (b) to cause (sth.) to shift position so as to face in a different direction, often with a change of course implied; face (sth.) in another direction, turn; also fig.; turn (one's back on sb.); also, turn (one's back to sb. or God) as a token of disregard;—used fig.; ~ abouten, ~ awei; ~ ayen the berd, turn around; ~ face, shift one's position; ~ outwarde, display (a good appearance); (c) fig. to become adverse [quot. a1400]; turn (on or against sb. or sth.), make an attack (on sb.); turn away (from sb. or sth.), spurn;—also refl.; also, cause (sb.) to turn away (from sb.) [quot. c1384]; ~ awei; partie turned, the adverse party.

(a) To redirect the focus of (one's eyes, nose, sight, etc.); also fig.; ~ eien (face) awei, ~ sighte ther-from, etc., avert one's gaze; (b) to change the subject matter of a narrative, shift narrative focus; also, change the focus of (a narrative); change (the subject of a narrative to sth. else); of a story: switch focus; (c) to redirect the focus of one's thoughts, will, desire, etc., change mental focus;—also refl.; focus (one's mind, will, etc. on or away from sb. or sth.); engage (one's thought to do sth.) [quot. c1390, 2nd]; of thought: shift focus [last quot.]; ~ awei, redirect the focus of (one's mind); (d) in phrases with metonymic object [cp. (a)]: ~ eie, to direct one's attention (to sb.); ~ eien, reorient one's thinking, reflect [quot. c1475]; ~ eien (over, ~ eien (eres) awei, ~ (awei) face, etc., avert one's attention (from sb. or sth.); ~ ere (from, ~ awei eres, be inattentive; ~ tonge, control (one's) speech.

To look (to sb. or sth.) for help, an example, etc., have recourse;—also refl.; also, depend (on luck).

(a) To go or travel in a certain direction, follow a certain route; go (to or away from sb. or sth.);—also refl.; also, arrive in the course of progress, come [quot. c1300]; also, pursue (a course) [quot. c1330, 2nd]; ~ doun (up); ~ awei, ~ of the world, depart the world, die; ~ ayenes the her, take a contrary course; turninge wind, a contrary wind; (b) to cause (sb.) to take a certain course or follow a certain direction, lead; also, steer (a ship); pull (a horse's head, reins, etc.) in a certain direction; expel (a mental image); ~ awei, carry (sb.) off, capture; turn-bole, a dog that drives or herds bulls; (c) to mislead (sb.), beguile, cheat; induce (sb.) to take a certain course [quot. a1393]; also, lead (sb. to a certain state, circumstance, etc.); (d) to lie in a certian direction, abut; of a branch: grow in a certain direction;—used fig.; (e) to tend (toward a quality); (f) of a fever: to come on.

(a) To follow a spiral or helical course, specif. be drawn into a vortex; wind (a bandage); wrap (one's tail about oneself); ~ abouten, of a thread: wind about; ~ in, lower (food) with a winch; ppl. turned as adj.: ?twisted; turn-gres, turninge steire, vis turninge, a spiral staircase; (b) to move (on a circular course); also, ?circle around for (a dance); with abouten adv. or prep.: ~ abouten, go in circles; move around (a flame); encircle (sheep); also, make a circuit with (the Ark of the Covenant); ~ al abouten, ~ rounde-aboute; (c) of blood: to circulate, flow; of a bodily fluid or humor: flow (to an organ or a bodily part); ben turned, of an inflammation: spread (to the lungs).

(a) To shift the location of (sth.), transfer to another place; also, alter the date of (a liturgical holy day); ~ over, displace (a boundary marker), move; (b) of land, possessions, etc.: to devolve (to an heir); also, of a court case: go (to the jury); (c) to assign control of (sth. or oneself to another) [2nd quot. may be an error for tinen v.(1)].

(a) To change course so as to go in a different direction, shift from one course or direction to another;—also refl.; also, change direction and go (into a place); also fig.; ~ in; ~ amis (wrong), go astray; also fig.; ~ in lift honde, make a left turn; ppl. turninge as adj.: winding, meandering; (b) to pursue a different (course, path, etc.); (c) to cause a change of course [quots. ?a1425 *Chauliac(1)]; change the direction of movement of (sb., a horse, a procession, etc.); change the direction of flow of (water, a humor, etc.), divert; also, deflect (a blow); (d) to repel (evil, danger, etc.), ward off; repel (sb.); deliver (sb. from evil); also, hinder (an action); divert (sb. to or from sth.); refl. restrain oneself; ~ awei; ~ awei iveles, divert troubles (to one's enemies); (e) to redirect (prophecy, approbation, etc.); also, of approbatory clamor: shift recipients.

(a) To change spiritual or mental direction; direct one's mind or will (to or away from God, the devil, God's service, etc.);—also refl.; also, redirect one's spiritual energy (toward repentance, from sinfulness, etc.); ~ ayen; ~ abak (bakward) ayen, regress spiritually, backslide; (b) to change the spiritual direction of (someone's heart, will, etc.); (c) to cause (sb.) to change mental or spiritual direction; induce a different frame of mind in (sb., a group); also, induce (sb. to do sth.);—also with that clause as obj.

(a) To shift allegiance (to or against sb., someone's side, etc.);—also refl.; also, cause (sb.) to shift loyalties; transfer (one's loyalty to sb.) [quot. a1387, 1st]; (b) to change spiritual allegiance, undergo a spiritual conversion [quot. a1450(a1396)]; convert (to Christ, a faith, etc.);—also refl.; also, cause (sb., a group, etc.) to undergo a spiritual conversion; change the spiritual nature of (a temple); (c) to apostatize [quot. c1450]; cause (sb.) to apostatize; pervert (a mind, heart, etc.), corrupt; ~ to baddenesse; ~ oute.

(a) To make one's way back to a place, go back; return (to a person, place, or condition); return (home);—also refl.; also, of a soul: return (to the body); ~ ayen (onyen); (b) to cause (sb.) to turn back; ben turned (ayen; (c) ~ ayen, to hark back (to a previous topic); resume (an activity); ~ ther-up, turn back to a previous point in a text.

(a) To reverse course, direction of flow or travel, etc.;—also refl.; of a water level: recede, ebb; of the colon: bend around, double back; also, cause (a shadow) to recede; retrace (one's steps); ~ ayen (aye, ayen-ward); ben turned ayen; (b) ~ ayen, to counter, counterattack; also, turn back (on an enemy); (c) the collocation 'turnen ayen'.

To redound (upon sb.), recoil; come back (against sb. or sth.); also fig.; also, cause (sufferings) to be returned.

(a) To resume a certain manner of life; revert (to a former state, way of life, etc.); also, lead (sb.) back (to a certain state); reverse (a situation); restore (land) to a previous state; ~ ayen; ~ ayen to hire-self, regain consciousness; ~ ayen unto childhod, ~ childish ayen, enter one's second childhood, become senile; (b) ~ ayen, of property: to revert (to a previous owner); (c) ~ ayen, of flesh: to resume its natural shape; of a pathological condition: recur.

To make a military retreat, withdraw; take (to flight); also, cause (sb.) to disperse a battle formation, rout; ~ ayen; ~ bak (the bak, hele, rigge, etc.), take flight, retreat; ppl. turninge as noun in phrase: the turninge bakkes, those retreating or fleeing.

(a) To come to pass, occur, happen; cause (a certain situation to occur); also, of help: come (to sb.); ~ in thought, come into (one's) mind; (b) to result as a consequence of actions, circumstances, etc., be the outcome; lead (to profit, harm, etc.); (c) to lead (to profit, grief, etc. for sb.).

(a) To appropriate (sth.); appropriate (sth. for some specific purpose); convert (sth. to another use), redirect (effort, wealth, etc. to another use); also, employ (sth.); (b) to be useful (as an example), serve; (c) to pervert (sth.), misapply; turn (sth. to an improper use); corrupt (sth. good into sth. bad); ~ bakward; ppl. turned as adj.: perverse.