Dictionary

turn in one's grave en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Etymology

Documented in English since 1801, perhaps from Jewish rabbinic tradition that the bones of Judah rolled about in his coffin for his shame during the Exodus.

Meanings

1. (idiomatic) To be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased.
   • Brought forth wind that made critics rave / While Verdi turned round in his grave 1937, Rodgers and Hart, “Johnny One Note”:
   • If he ever finds out who's hijacked his name / He'll cut out his heart and turn in his grave 1989, The The, “Armageddon Days Are Here (Again)”, in Mind Bomb:
   • The new scientific discovery about the gravitation particle could make Isaac Newton turn in his grave.
   • Beethoven is probably turning in his grave at the way that rock group mangled his Ninth Symphony.
2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see turn, in, one's, grave.

Forms

Synonyms

roll over in one's grave · roll in one's grave · spin in one's grave

Translations (26)

es revolverse en su tumba (be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased) · es revolcarse en su tumba (be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased) · lt grabe apsisuktų (be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased) · de sich im Grabe umdrehen (be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased) · it girarsi nella tomba (be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased) · ro se răsuci în mormânt (be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased) · hu megfordul a sírjában (be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased) · pl przewracać się w grobie (be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased) · fr se retourner dans sa tombe (be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased) · cs obracet se v hrobě (be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased) · ru переверну́ться в гробу́ (be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased) · pl przewrócić się w grobie (be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased) · it rigirarsi nella tomba (be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased) · fi kääntyä haudassaan (be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased) · it rivoltarsi nella tomba (be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased) · cmn 某人的棺材板都壓不住了 /某人的棺材板都压不住了 (be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased) · sv vända sig i sin grav (be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased) · tr mezarında ters dönmek (be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased) · pt girar-se na sua sepultura (be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased) · pt revirar-se no túmulo (be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased) · de sich im Grab umdrehen (be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased) · tr kemikleri sızlamak (be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased) · nl zich omdraaien in zijn graaf (be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased) · ca rodar en la seva tumba (be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased) · sv vända sig i graven (be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased) · hu forog a sírjában (be appalled, offended or disgusted by something, despite being deceased)