Middle English Dictionary Entry

turning(e ger.
Quotations: Show all Hide all

Entry Info

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

1.
(a) Movement about an axis or central point, rotation, revolution; also, a whirling about; also, the circular passage of time; an annular cycle; ~ abouten; ~ up and doun; (b) in cpds. and combs.: ~ broche (spite), a spit for roasting food, broach; ~ morter, a mortar used for grinding; ~ staf, ?a club wielded with a turning motion; ?a mace [could also be construed as ppl. and belong to turnen v.]; ~ ston, a whetstone; (c) the dizzying sensation that one's immediate surroundings are spinning or turning, vertigo, dizziness, giddiness.
2.
(a) The act of working or shaping an object on a lathe; also, work turned on the lathe; ~ iren; (b) fig. the rhetorical shaping of words.
3.
(a) The twisting of a strand of something; fig. the intertwining of thoughts; (b) ~ abouten, the act of wrapping something by rolling or twisting something else about it; ~ oute, the removal of something through use of a rotary motion, twisting or boring out of something; (c) the waving of a sword.
4.
The act of changing position by rolling over; ~ abouten, the turning over of a hand; ~ hok, an instrument used for turning an object over.
5.
(a) In phrase: ~ up-so-doun, the upsetting of something, specif. the churning of the stomach; (b) fig. mental turmoil or derangement; ~ of herte (minde, thought); (c) ~ up-so-doun, fig. the undoing or ruin of someone.
6.
(a) The act of changing the direction in which one faces; also fig.; ~ abouten (awei); ~ times, the times during a ritual at which one changes position; (b) rhet. a digression from a discourse, esp. in the form of an address to someone not present.
7.
(a) A bend in a road, river, etc.; a turnoff; also, a curve forming a bay or recess in an extent of coastline; ~ (in) place, a stopping place, a lodging place; (b) the making of a circuitous course; (c) anat. a bony protuberance on the back of the neck, specif. a cranio-vertebral joint.
8.
(a) The act of changing the direction of movement of a cart or chariot; (b) a change in the direction of the wind, sunlight, etc.; (c) med. the process of diverting and drawing off morbid or superfluous humors.
9.
(a) The making of a change in spiritual direction; also, the focusing of the mind or heart on someone or something; the act of causing a refocusing of someone's will [quot. c1390]; ~ awei; (b) the act of misdirecting someone, deception; fals ~; (c) the act of making a spiritual conversion; a spiritual conversion; also, the act of defecting spiritually; ~ ayen, backsliding.
10.
(a) The act of returning to a place or position; ~ ayen; (b) ~ ayen, the reversal of a situation; (c) ~ ayen, ritual repetition; (d) ~ (in) ayen, med. the recession of a hernial protuberance.
11.
In phrase: ~ ayen, the act of returning something to somebody.
12.
The act of retreating before an enemy force; also, a retreat; ~ ayen; ~ ayen-ward (bihinden), the act of turning back or routing an enemy.
13.
(a) The undergoing of a qualitative change in shape, color, etc.; (b) a miraculous transformation; also, alch. the process of transmuting metal; (c) fig. the causing of a change in state or condition; (d) the act of perverting something; also, perversion.
14.
(a) The act of translating; the translation of a literary work; also, gram. the replacing of one construction by an equivalent one or by a form which allows for direct translation into the idiomatic construction of another language; ~ and translacioun; (b) the misconstruing of a word or deed; also, the extending of the sense of a word to cover a broader concept.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

  • a1500 Sln.962 Artist.Recipes (Sln 962) 305/1 : Tornyng for blew letteres with bys, wasche it in þe same maner as it is told beforne and þan temper it vp with gumme water.
  • Note: Glossary: "tornyng vbl. n. 'tracery'." See, also, "turne, torne v. inf. 'draw or paint tracery and scrollwork'."
    Note: New sense.

Supplemental Materials (draft)

Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. turning.