turn away

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See also: turnaway

English

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Verb

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

  1. (transitive, literally) To rotate so as not to face someone or something.
  2. (intransitive, literally) To rotate oneself so as not to face someone or something.
  3. (transitive, literally) To bend or turn from a fixed course.
  4. (intransitive, literally) To bend or turn from a fixed course.
    • 2012 May 5, Phil McNulty, “Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool”, in BBC Sport[1]:
      He met Luis Suarez's cross at the far post, only for Chelsea keeper Petr Cech to show brilliant reflexes to deflect his header on to the bar. Carroll turned away to lead Liverpool's insistent protests that the ball had crossed the line but referee Phil Dowd and assistant referee Andrew Garratt waved play on, with even a succession of replays proving inconclusive.
  5. (transitive, figuratively) To refuse to admit someone or accept something.
    Synonym: turn back
    Coordinate term: kick out
    He was turned away at the border because he didn't have a valid visa.
    The referee turned away the players' protests.
  6. (transitive, figuratively) To avert or ward off the occurrence or effects of.
    to turn away disaster
  7. (transitive, dated) To dismiss from service.
    to turn away a servant
  8. (intransitive, figuratively) To forsake or refuse an association or commitment.
    Synonym: turn one's back
    He turned away from his old comrades.
    She increasingly turned away from politics.
    Some people donate what they can, while others simply turn away.

Derived terms

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Translations

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