about turn

about turn

See also: about-turn

English

Alternative forms

• about face (US)

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /əˈbaʊt tɚn/

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

Noun

about turn (plural about turns)

1. (Britain, military) Of a formation of soldiers, to reverse the direction in which they are facing; an about face. [First attested in the mid 20^th century.][1]
2. (Britain, figuratively, idiomatic) A complete change of opinion, direction, etc. [First attested in the mid 20^th century.][1]

Translations

about face

Dutch: rechtsomkeert Finnish: täyskäännös (fi) French: demi-tour (fr) m

Greek: μεταβολή (el) f (metavolí) Italian: dietro front, dietrofront m

change of opinion

Dutch: koersverandering (nl) m, ommezwaai (nl) m Finnish: takinkääntö (fi), täyskäännös (fi) French: volte-face (fr) f

Greek: μεταστροφή (el) f (metastrofí) Italian: dietro front, voltagabbana (it)

Verb

about turn (third-person singular simple present about turns, present participle about turning, simple past and past participle about turned)

1. (intransitive, military) To turn to face the opposite direction. [First attested in the mid 20^th century.][1]

Translations

perform an about turn

Finnish: tehdä täyskäännös French: faire demi-tour (fr)

Italian: fare dietro front

See also

• 180

References

1. “about turn” in Lesley Brown, editor, The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, 5th edition, Oxford: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 7.

Anagrams

• turn about, turn-about, turnabout