turn over
turn over — phrasal verb
- turn overbase form
- turns over3rd person singular
- turning over-ing form
- turned overpast simple
1. While lying down, to rotate the body sideways — for example, swapping the side t
While lying down, to rotate the body sideways — for example, swapping the side that faces up with the one underneath, like rolling from back to stomach in bed.
Yuki turned over in bed and pulled the blanket over her shoulders.
intransitive: turn over (in bed)
The nurse asked Mr. Rachid to turn over so she could check his back.
imperative request to a patient
Caleb groaned, turned over, and tried to fall asleep again.
The puppy turned over on the rug and waited for a belly rub.
文法句型
[person] turn over
用法筆記
Subject is a person or animal lying flat. Often paired with a place phrase (in bed, on the sofa, on the mat).
常見錯誤
2. When talking about an engine, to begin running so that its internal parts move a
When talking about an engine, to begin running so that its internal parts move and fire — or, used with an object, to crank an engine into motion so it begins running.
Selim tried the key three times, but the old van's engine refused to turn over.
intransitive: engine + turn over
After a new battery, the motorbike turned over on the first try.
The mechanic turned the engine over to listen for a knocking sound.
It was so cold that morning that no one's car would turn over in the parking lot.
- stall
engine stops unexpectedly while running
文法句型
[engine] turn over
turn over [engine]
用法筆記
Subject of the intransitive use is almost always 'engine', 'motor', or a vehicle by metonymy ('the car won't turn over'). Common in mechanic and driving contexts.
常見錯誤
3. Used of a company or shop, to take in a certain total amount of money from sales
Used of a company or shop, to take in a certain total amount of money from sales over a stated period such as a year — the headline revenue figure, before costs are taken away.
The bakery turns over about three million pounds a year, mostly from its online cake orders.
turn over + [amount] + [period]
Renata's small design firm turned over £450,000 in its first full year.
Last year, the chain of bookshops turned over more money than ever before.
How much does a typical food truck in this city turn over each month?
文法句型
[business] turn over [amount]
用法筆記
Subject is a business, not a person. Speaks to gross revenue, not profit. Mainly British English; American sources prefer 'have revenue of' or 'gross'.
常見錯誤
4. While watching TV, to switch from the channel that is currently on to a differen
While watching TV, to switch from the channel that is currently on to a different one, usually because what is showing is boring or unwanted.
Eli grabbed the remote and turned over as soon as the adverts started.
intransitive: turn over (no object)
Can we turn over? I can't watch another minute of this cooking show.
informal request, can + we
Anong turned over to the news to catch the weather forecast.
Dad always turns over the moment a football match comes on.
- switch over
near-identical, slightly more neutral in register
- flip over
American; suggests rapid channel-flipping
文法句型
turn over (to [channel])
用法筆記
Mainly British English and informal. American English prefers 'change the channel' or 'flip / switch over'. Object channel is introduced with 'to'.
常見錯誤
5. To pick up an object and place it back down with the side that was on top now un
To pick up an object and place it back down with the side that was on top now underneath, or the underneath side now on top — like flipping a pancake or turning a page face-down.
Putri turned the pancake over once the edges began to brown.
separable: turn [object] over
Please turn your exam papers over and begin.
imperative; classroom register
Vikram turned over the rock and found a colony of tiny ants underneath.
Élise turned the photograph over to read the date written on the back.
文法句型
turn [object] over
turn over [object]
用法筆記
Separable phrasal verb. With a pronoun object, the pronoun must come between the verb and 'over': 'turn it over', not 'turn over it'.
常見錯誤
6. To start using a building, room, or piece of equipment for something new, or to
To start using a building, room, or piece of equipment for something new, or to let someone else use it for their own purpose — for example, changing a garage into an office.
The school turned its old library over to drama rehearsals after the new media centre opened.
turn [thing] over to [new use]
Christopher turned the spare bedroom over to his pottery hobby.
The factory was turned over to wartime production within six months.
Eliska turned the back of the café over to a small art gallery on weekends.
文法句型
turn [thing] over to [new use / person]
用法筆記
Almost always followed by 'to' introducing the new purpose or user. Distinguish from sense 5 (physically flipping): here the object is a space or resource, and the change is about USE, not orientation.
常見錯誤
7. To keep examining a thought, problem, or possibility from different angles for a
To keep examining a thought, problem, or possibility from different angles for a while, the way you might rotate an object to see all its sides.
Inês turned the offer over in her mind for a week before replying to the company.
turn [thing] over in your mind
On the long train ride home, Zuri turned the argument over and over in her head.
intensifier: over and over
James kept turning the strange phone call over, trying to work out what it meant.
The detective turned the new clue over carefully before sharing it with the team.
文法句型
turn [idea] over in your mind / head
用法筆記
Frequently followed by 'in your mind' or 'in your head'. Object is usually an abstract noun: idea, offer, question, possibility, argument. Suggests slow, deliberate thinking, not a snap decision.
常見錯誤
8. To break into a place such as a shop or flat to steal from it, or to search thro
To break into a place such as a shop or flat to steal from it, or to search through it so roughly that things end up scattered and broken.
Thieves turned over the corner shop on Friday night and took most of the cigarettes.
turn over [place] = rob it
When Anna got home, she found her flat had been turned over while she was at work.
passive: be turned over
The gang were known for turning over jewellers' shops in quiet country towns.
Police said the burglars had turned the whole house over looking for cash.
文法句型
turn over [place]
用法筆記
British informal, common in crime news and police drama. Object is the place being robbed (shop, house, flat), not the items taken. Often appears in the passive ('be turned over').