turn round

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

1. (intransitive) To revolve or rotate around a centre.

   The body was turning round slowly as it fell.

2. (intransitive) To turn so as to be facing in the opposite direction.

   It seemed that there was someone behind me; but when I turned round, no one was there.

3. (intransitive) To change one's opinion or attitude (especially when becoming hostile etc.).

   You can't turn round and blame me all of a sudden.

4. (transitive, archaic) To make revolve, rotate.
5. (transitive) To put into an opposing position; to reverse.

   He turned the glass round and examined the other side.

6. (transitive) To make (a ship, airplane etc.) ready for departure.

   The stopover is very short, and crews will have about 15 minutes to turn the plane round.

   • 1945 January and February, T. F. Cameron, “Dock Working”, in Railway Magazine, page 12:

     The interest of individual ships and merchants frequently clash with the general interest, but at times of pressure there is seldom disagreement on the point that the best arrangements are those which permit the greatest number of vessels to be turned round in any given time.

7. (transitive, colloquial) To process; to complete work on (something), especially with a view to sending it on in a finished state.

   New figures are in. We need to turn these round ASAP: the boss wants a report tonight.

• turnround (noun)

• turn around (synonymous in many cases)
• turn about

• round turn