Dictionary

turn away en · VERB

Meanings

1. (literally, transitive) To rotate so as not to face someone or something.
   • Thereat the Elfe did blush in priuitee, / And turnd his face away; but she the same / Dissembled faire, and faynd to ouersee. 1590, Edmund Spenser, “(please specify the book)”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:
2. (intransitive, literally) To rotate oneself so as not to face someone or something.
3. (intransitive, literally) To bend or turn from a fixed course.
   • 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. 2012 May 5, Phil McNulty, “Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool”, in BBC Sport:
4. (figuratively, transitive) To refuse to admit someone or accept something.
   • For heauen doth know (ſo ſhall the world perceiue) That I haue turn'd away my former Selfe, So will I thoſe that kept me Companie. c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]. Epilogue.”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene v], page 100:
   • He was turned away at the border because he didn't have a valid visa.
   • The referee turned away the players' protests.
5. (figuratively, transitive) To avert or ward off the occurrence or effects of.
   • to turn away disaster
6. (dated, transitive) To dismiss from service.
   • to turn away a servant
7. (figuratively, intransitive) To forsake or refuse an association or commitment.
   • She increasingly turned away from politics.
   • Some people donate what they can, while others simply turn away.
   • He turned away from his old comrades.
   • Turn away from a life of sin.

Forms

Coordinates

kick out

Deriveds

turnaway

Synonyms

turn one's back · turn back

Translations (32)

ru отверну́ть ((transitive) to rotate so as not to face someone or something) · fi käännyttää (to avert or ward off the occurrence or effects of) · fi kääntyä ((intransitive) to rotate oneself so as not to face someone or something) · ru отверну́ться ((intransitive) to rotate oneself so as not to face someone or something) · uk відхиля́тися ((intransitive) to rotate oneself so as not to face someone or something) · fi kääntää ((transitive) to bend or turn from a fixed course) · fr se détourner ((intransitive) to rotate oneself so as not to face someone or something) · cs odvrátit se ((intransitive) to rotate oneself so as not to face someone or something) · fi estää (to avert or ward off the occurrence or effects of) · uk відверну́тися ((intransitive) to rotate oneself so as not to face someone or something) · uk відверта́тися ((intransitive) to rotate oneself so as not to face someone or something) · pl odwracać się ((intransitive) to rotate oneself so as not to face someone or something) · uk відхили́тися ((intransitive) to bend or turn from a fixed course) · uk відверну́тися (to forsake or refuse an association or commitment) · uk відверну́ти ((transitive) to rotate so as not to face someone or something) · uk відхиля́тися (to forsake or refuse an association or commitment) · fr se détourner ((intransitive) to bend or turn from a fixed course) · ru отвора́чивать ((transitive) to rotate so as not to face someone or something) · de sich abwenden ((intransitive) to rotate oneself so as not to face someone or something) · id berpaling ((intransitive) to rotate oneself so as not to face someone or something) · uk відхили́ти ((transitive) to bend or turn from a fixed course) · uk відверта́тися (to forsake or refuse an association or commitment) · uk відхиля́тися ((intransitive) to bend or turn from a fixed course) · fi käännyttää (to refuse to admit someone or accept something) · fi erottaa (to dismiss from service) · uk відхили́тися (to forsake or refuse an association or commitment) · ru отвора́чиваться ((intransitive) to rotate oneself so as not to face someone or something) · fr détourner ((transitive) to bend or turn from a fixed course) · uk відверта́ти ((transitive) to rotate so as not to face someone or something) · uk відхили́тися ((intransitive) to rotate oneself so as not to face someone or something) · uk відхиля́ти ((transitive) to bend or turn from a fixed course) · id memalingkan ((transitive) to rotate so as not to face someone or something)