Turn the adamantine spindle round. --Milton.
The monarch turns him to his royal guest. --Pope.
2. To cause to present a different side uppermost or outmost;
to make the upper side the lower, or the inside to be the
outside of; to reverse the position of; as, to turn a box
or a board; to turn a coat.
3. To give another direction, tendency, or inclination to; to
direct otherwise; to deflect; to incline differently; --
used both literally and figuratively; as, to turn the eyes
to the heavens; to turn a horse from the road, or a ship
from her course; to turn the attention to or from
something. ``Expert when to advance, or stand, or, turn
the sway of battle.'' --Milton.
Thrice I deluded her, and turned to sport Her
importunity. --Milton.
My thoughts are turned on peace. --Addison.
4. To change from a given use or office; to divert, as to
another purpose or end; to transfer; to use or employ; to
apply; to devote.
Therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto
David. --1 Chron. x.
14.
God will make these evils the occasion of a greater
good, by turning them to advantage in this world.
--Tillotson.
When the passage is open, land will be turned most
to cattle; when shut, to sheep. --Sir W.
Temple.
5. To change the form, quality, aspect, or effect of; to
alter; to metamorphose; to convert; to transform; -- often
with to or into before the word denoting the effect or
product of the change; as, to turn a worm into a winged
insect; to turn green to blue; to turn prose into verse;
to turn a Whig to a Tory, or a Hindu to a Christian; to
turn good to evil, and the like.
The Lord thy God will turn thy captivity, and have
compassion upon thee. --Deut. xxx.
3.
And David said, O Lord, I pray thee, turn the
counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness. --2 Sam. xv.
31.
Impatience turns an ague into a fever. --Jer.
Taylor.
6. To form in a lathe; to shape or fashion (anything) by
applying a cutting tool to it while revolving; as, to turn
the legs of stools or tables; to turn ivory or metal.
I had rather hear a brazen canstick turned. --Shak.
7. Hence, to give form to; to shape; to mold; to put in
proper condition; to adapt. ``The poet's pen turns them to
shapes.'' --Shak.
His limbs how turned, how broad his shoulders spread
! --Pope.
He was perfectly well turned for trade. --Addison.
8. Specifically:
(a) To translate; to construe; as, to turn the Iliad.
Who turns a Persian tale for half a crown.
--Pope.
(b) To make acid or sour; to ferment; to curdle, etc.: as,
to turn cider or wine; electricity turns milk quickly.
(c) To sicken; to nauseate; as, an emetic turns one's
stomach.
{To be turned of}, be advanced beyond; as, to be turned of
sixty-six.
{To turn a cold shoulder to}, to treat with neglect or
indifference.
{To turn a corner}, to go round a corner.