turn one's back (on someone or something)
- turn one's back (on someone or something)
turn one's back (on someone or something)
1. Lit. to turn one's body so that one's back faces someone or something. •
I turned my back on the dead horse and walked slowly away.
•
I turned my back on the shouting man and left the room.
2. Fig. to abandon or ignore someone or something. •
Don't turn your back on your old friends.
•
Bob has a tendency to turn his back on serious problems.
•
This matter needs your attention. Please don't just turn your back.
Dictionary of American idioms.
2013.
Look at other dictionaries:
back — {{11}}back (adj.) Middle English, from BACK (Cf. back) (n.) and BACK (Cf. back) (adv.). Formerly with comp. backer (c.1400), also backermore. To be on the back burner in the figurative sense is from 1960, from the image of a cook keeping a pot… … Etymology dictionary
back — ► NOUN 1) the rear surface of the human body from the shoulders to the hips. 2) the corresponding upper surface of an animal s body. 3) the side or part of something away from the viewer. 4) the side or part of an object that is not normally seen … English terms dictionary
back — I [[t]bæ̱k[/t]] ADVERB USES ♦ (In addition to the uses shown below, back is also used in phrasal verbs such as date back and fall back on .) 1) ADV: ADV after v, oft ADV prep If you move back, you move in the opposite direction to the one in… … English dictionary
turn — turnable, adj. /terrn/, v.t. 1. to cause to move around on an axis or about a center; rotate: to turn a wheel. 2. to cause to move around or partly around, as for the purpose of opening, closing, or tightening: to turn a key; to turn the cap of a … Universalium
back — back1 backless, adj. /bak/, n. 1. the rear part of the human body, extending from the neck to the lower end of the spine. 2. the part of the body of animals corresponding to the human back. 3. the rear portion of any part of the body: the back of … Universalium
back — I. /bæk / (say bak) noun 1. the hinder part of the human body, extending from the neck to the end of the spine. 2. the part of the body of animals corresponding to the human back. 3. the rear portion of any part or organ of the body: the back of… …
back — noun 1》 the rear surface of the human body from the shoulders to the hips. ↘the corresponding upper surface of an animal s body. ↘the spine. ↘the main structure of a ship s hull or an aircraft s fuselage. 2》 the side or part of… … English new terms dictionary
turn — [[t]tɜrn[/t]] v. t. 1) to cause to move around on an axis or about a center; rotate: to turn a wheel[/ex] 2) to cause to move around or partly around, as for the purpose of opening, closing, or tightening: to turn a key[/ex] 3) to reverse the… … From formal English to slang
turn — [tʉrn] vt. [ME turnen < OE turnian & OFr turner, tourner, both < L tornare, to turn in a lathe, turn < tornus, lathe < Gr tornos, lathe, carpenter s compasses, akin to terein, to bore through: for IE base see THROW] I to cause to… … English World dictionary
One Life Stand — Studio album … Wikipedia
turn — 1 verb CHANGE DIRECTION/POSITION 1 a) YOUR BODY (I) to move your body so that you are looking in a different direction: Ricky turned and walked away. (+ around/round/away etc): I turned around quickly to see if someone was following. | Dan turned … Longman dictionary of contemporary English
