Dictionary

turnabout en · NOUN

Etymology

From turn + about.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) The act of turning about so as to face in the opposite direction.
   • It is a fine dance, fast and intricate, with many turnabouts. The women's long black hair swirls as they turn; […] 1975, National Geographic, volume 148, page 380:
2. (countable, uncountable) A change from one thing to its opposite, or from a situation to the reverse.
   • Any idea of how many transsexuals there are in America? About 10,000, some 1500 of whom have changed their sex by surgery. The male-to-female turnabout costs $3000-$5000, while the female-to-male process runs up to $12,000. 1974 April 7, “People”, in Boston Globe:
3. (countable, uncountable) A reversal of a decision or opinion etc; a change of mind or flip-flop.
4. (countable, uncountable) A three-point turn or any similar act of turning around, with the same outcome, regardless of how many repeated forward-reverse maneuvers it takes.
5. (countable, uncountable) A merry-go-round.

Forms

Deriveds

turnabout is fair play · turnabout dance

Translations (3)

bg обрат (A reversal of a decision or opinion) · pl całkowita zmiana (A reversal of a decision or opinion) · pl zwrot o 180 stopni (A reversal of a decision or opinion)