By turns

By turns
Turn Turn, n. 1. The act of turning; movement or motion about, or as if about, a center or axis; revolution; as, the turn of a wheel. [1913 Webster]

2. Change of direction, course, or tendency; different order, position, or aspect of affairs; alteration; vicissitude; as, the turn of the tide. [1913 Webster]

At length his complaint took a favorable turn. --Macaulay. [1913 Webster]

The turns and varieties of all passions. --Hooker. [1913 Webster]

Too well the turns of mortal chance I know. --Pope. [1913 Webster]

3. One of the successive portions of a course, or of a series of occurrences, reckoning from change to change; hence, a winding; a bend; a meander. [1913 Webster]

And all its [the river's] thousand turns disclose. Some fresher beauty varying round. --Byron. [1913 Webster]

4. A circuitous walk, or a walk to and fro, ending where it began; a short walk; a stroll. [1913 Webster]

Come, you and I must walk a turn together. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

I will take a turn in your garden. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

5. Successive course; opportunity enjoyed by alternation with another or with others, or in due order; due chance; alternate or incidental occasion; appropriate time. ``Nobleness and bounty . . . had their turns in his [the king's] nature.'' [1913 Webster]

His turn will come to laugh at you again. --Denham. [1913 Webster]

Every one has a fair turn to be as great as he pleases. --Collier. [1913 Webster]

6. Incidental or opportune deed or office; occasional act of kindness or malice; as, to do one an ill turn. [1913 Webster]

Had I not done a friendes turn to thee? --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

thanks are half lost when good turns are delayed. --Fairfax. [1913 Webster]

7. Convenience; occasion; purpose; exigence; as, this will not serve his turn. [1913 Webster]

I have enough to serve mine own turn. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

8. Form; cast; shape; manner; fashion; -- used in a literal or figurative sense; hence, form of expression; mode of signifying; as, the turn of thought; a man of a sprightly turn in conversation. [1913 Webster]

The turn of both his expressions and thoughts is unharmonious. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

The Roman poets, in their description of a beautiful man, often mention the turn of his neck and arms. --Addison. [1913 Webster]

9. A change of condition; especially, a sudden or recurring symptom of illness, as a nervous shock, or fainting spell; as, a bad turn. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster]

10. A fall off the ladder at the gallows; a hanging; -- so called from the practice of causing the criminal to stand on a ladder which was turned over, so throwing him off, when the signal was given. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

11. A round of a rope or cord in order to secure it, as about a pin or a cleat. [1913 Webster]

12. (Mining) A pit sunk in some part of a drift. [1913 Webster]

13. (Eng. Law) A court of record, held by the sheriff twice a year in every hundred within his county. --Blount. [1913 Webster]

14. pl. (Med.) Monthly courses; menses. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster]

15. (Mus.) An embellishment or grace (marked thus, ?), commonly consisting of the principal note, or that on which the turn is made, with the note above, and the semitone below, the note above being sounded first, the principal note next, and the semitone below last, the three being performed quickly, as a triplet preceding the marked note. The turn may be inverted so as to begin with the lower note, in which case the sign is either placed on end thus ?, or drawn thus ?. [1913 Webster]

{By turns}. (a) One after another; alternately; in succession. (b) At intervals. ``[They] feel by turns the bitter change.'' --Milton.

{In turn}, in due order of succession.

{To a turn}, exactly; perfectly; as, done to a turn; -- a phrase alluding to the practice of cooking on a revolving spit.

{To take turns}, to alternate; to succeed one another in due order.

{Turn and turn about}, by equal alternating periods of service or duty; by turns.

{Turn bench}, a simple portable lathe, used on a bench by clock makers and watchmakers.

{Turn buckle}. See {Turnbuckle}, in Vocabulary.

{Turn cap}, a sort of chimney cap which turns round with the wind so as to present its opening to the leeward. --G. Francis.

{Turn of life} (Med.), change of life. See under {Change}.

{Turn screw}, a screw driver. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Turns into Stone — Álbum recopilatorio de The Stone Roses Publicación 20 de julio de 1992 Grabación 1988 1991 Género(s) Rock alternativo …   Wikipedia Español

  • Turns in swimming — are used to reverse the direction in which they are swimming. They are usually done when the swimmer reaches the end of the swimming pool but still has one or more lengths to swim. Open turn: is where the swimmer touches the wall, with one or two …   Wikipedia

  • Turns into Stone — Infobox Album | Name = Turns Into Stone Type = Compilation album Artist = The Stone Roses Released = July 20 1992 Recorded = 1988 1991 Genre = Madchester Length = Label = Silvertone Producer = John Leckie, Peter Hook Reviews = *Allmusic… …   Wikipedia

  • Turns — Tirns 53°3′32″N 5°37′35″E / 53.05889, 5.62639 …   Wikipédia en Français

  • turns — turnover or turns Terms used to describe the number of operating cycles in a defined period of time or the length of each specific operating cycle. Typical turnover cycles are: the rate at which accounts receivable converts to cash, the rate at… …   Financial and business terms

  • turns ratio — ratio of the number of turns in the first coil of a transformer to the number of turns in the second coil (Electricity) …   English contemporary dictionary

  • turns ratio — vijų skaičiaus santykis statusas T sritis fizika atitikmenys: angl. turns ratio; winding rate vok. Windungsübersetzung, f; Windungsverhältnis, n; Windungszahlverhältnis, n rus. отношение витков, n pranc. rapport d’enroulement, m; rapport des… …   Fizikos terminų žodynas

  • turns — See toe out on turns …   Dictionary of automotive terms

  • turns — tÉœrn /tɜːn n. rotational movement; change of direction or position; change in condition; opportunity or responsibility for action which is given in order; mold for casting; period of action; action performed; purpose, goal; disposition; short… …   English contemporary dictionary

  • TURNS — …   Useful english dictionary

  • turns ratio — noun see turn ratio …   Useful english dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”