Definition of About turn

1. Noun. Act of pivoting 180 degrees, especially in a military formation.

Exact synonyms: About-face
Generic synonyms: Reversal, Reverse, Reversion, Turnabout, Turnaround
Derivative terms: About-face

Definition of About turn

1. Noun. (British military) Of a formation of soldiers, to reverse the direction in which they are facing; an about face. ¹

2. Noun. (British figuratively idiomatic) A complete change of opinion, direction, etc. ¹

3. Verb. (intransitive military) To turn to face the opposite direction. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Lexicographical Neighbors of About Turn

about-faces
about-facing
about-sledge
about-sledges
about-turn
about-turns
about face
about faces
about ship
about shipped
about shipping
about ships
about sledge
about time
about to
about turn (current term)
aboute
aboutness
aboutnesses
abouts
above-board
above-cited
above-line
above-mentioned
above-named
above-stairs
above-the-fold
above-water
above all

Literary usage of About turn

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. A Private in the Guards by Stephen Graham (1919)
"Now then, left turn, right turn, about turn, breaking into quick march, ... about turn, about turn, about turn. You'll fall down in a minute and I shan't ..."

2. "Over the Top" by Arthur Guy Empey (1917)
"CHAPTER XXI about turn THE next evening we were relieved by the —th Brigade, and once again returned to rest billets. Upon arriving at these billets we were ..."

3. An Elementary German Reader in Prose and Verse: With Copious Explanatory by James Henry Worman (1873)
"... vn to turn about, turn back, return, —, va to turn about, invert ; —, ur to turn round, turn on the other side. ..."

4. Horsemanship: Teaching the Art of Manage Riding ... and Breaking Horses by Thomas Gibbons (1825)
"[and when they are within two or three yards of the opposite side of the manage, give the command halt: — HALT ! Caution.—The reverse of " right about turn ..."

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