Dictionary

turn on one's heel en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Meanings

1. (idiomatic) To suddenly turn away from someone or something in order to depart rapidly, especially as expressive of haughtiness, disapproval, or evasiveness.
   • There he stood, answering shortly and gruffly to all questions proposed to him, . . . and as soon as the ancient priestess had handed him his glass of the salutiferous water, turned on his heel with a brief good-morning. 1824, Sir Walter Scott, chapter 9, in St. Ronan's Well:
   • But Bernice, standing stiff and angry in the starlight, turned on her heel without a response. 1906, Annie Fellows Johnston, chapter 14, in The Little Colonel: Maid of Honor:
   • In one store she eyed a cotton dress, turned on her heel when she saw the $40 price tag. 1949 May 9, “Unseasonal Weather”, in Time:
   • When Mr. Bush finished his five-minute statement . . . he abruptly turned on his heel and strode from the room, ignoring all questions. 2004 March 1, Elisabeth Bumiller, “On Gay Marriage, Bush May Have Said All He’s Going To”, in New York Times, retrieved 18 Jul 2011:
   • "Well, Maude, he was on the platform this morning, and when he saw me, he turned on his heel and hurried out of the station." 1899, Arthur Conan Doyle, chapter 14, in A Duet:

Forms

Deriveds

heel turn

Relateds

show a clean pair of heels

Translations (3)

fr tourner les talons (to turn around and leave the other way) · fi kääntyä kannoillaan (to turn around and leave the other way) · ar اِنْقَلَبَ عَلَى عَقِبَيْهِ نَكَصَ عَلَى عَقِبَيْهِ (to turn around and leave the other way)