Language: en
Meaning: (transitive)To set aflowof fluid or gasrunningbyrotatingataporvalve.[from 19th c.]Turn onthe tap/faucet.; (transitive)Topower up, to put intooperation, tostart, toactivate(an appliance, light, mechanism, functionality etc.).Pleaseturnthe lightsonso I can see what I'm reading.Pleaseturn onautomatic updates.2006February 17,Graham Linehan,The IT Crowd, season 1, episode 4:Hello, IT. Have you tried turning it off andturningitonagain? Ok. Well, are you sure that it's plugged in?2011December 14, Steven Morris, “Devon woman jailed for 168 days for killing kitten in microwave”, inThe Guardian[1]:Robins, of Torquay, had denied a single charge of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal. She claimed the microwave was accidentallyturned onby one of the cats after the kitten got inside. But Knutton said the kitten was too small to even get onto the work surface.; (intransitive,of a device)To start operating; topower up, to becomeon.[from 19th c.]My computer won'tturn on.; (transitive)Tointroduce(someone to something), and especially to fill them with enthusiasm (about it); tointoxicate, givepleasureto ( +toan object of interest or excitement).[from 20th c.]Attractive packaging canturnbuyersonto a product.Attractive showroom models canturnbuyerson.Hearing that songturnedme on to jazz fusion.; (transitive)To sexuallyarouse.[from 20th c.]John's a maid fetishist. Maid outfits reallyturnhimon.1986,Prince, “Kiss”, inParade, performed byPrince and the Revolution:You don't have to be beautiful toturnmeon/ I just need your body, baby, from dusk 'til dawn1987, “The Way You Make Me Feel”, inBad, performed byMichael Jackson:You reallyturnmeon/ You knock me off of my feet / My lonely days are gone2010, “Teenage Dream”, performed byKaty Perry:You make me feel like I'm livin' a teenage dream / The way youturnmeon, I can't sleep; (intransitive,slang)To take drugs.1971, Chuck Barnes,Revenge, Timely Books:"Well, they seem to always have dope up there, and I like toturn on, too.""You do?""Sure. Cops is just people. I don't drink, so I gotta do something to get my kicks."; (transitive,slang)To cause to take updrugs, especiallyhallucinogens.1976, Robert H. Coombs, Lincoln J. Fry, Patricia G. Lewis,Socialization in drug abuse:In fact, many youngsters will not even turn on a close friend if they know he has never used drugs. And it is rare indeed for a youth to actively seek out people toturn on.; (transitive)To aim at.Heturnedthe searchlightonthe passing planes.Cornered by the authorities, the shooterturnedthe gunonhimself.; ; (transitive)Torebelagainst; to suddenly attack.[from 19th c.]Suddenly all his friendsturned onhim.2011December 14, Angelique Chrisafis, “Rachida Dati accuses French PM of sexism and elitism”, inGuardian:She was Nicolas Sarkozy's pin-up for diversity, the first Muslim woman with north African parents to hold a major French government post. But Rachida Dati has nowturned onher own party elite with such ferocity that some have suggested she should be expelled from the president's ruling party.2020June 14, Jitsiree Thongnoi, “Milk Tea Alliance: are young Thais turning on China over Hong Kong?”, inSouth China Morning Post[2], retrieved16 June 2020:Milk Tea Alliance: are young Thaisturning onChina over Hong Kong?; (ditransitive)To cause (someone) torebelagainst or suddenlyattack(someone else).1984August 18, X-Con, “Women In Cages”, inGay Community News, volume12, number 6, page 7:We need to be thinking about what it means the way they are locking us up, andturningusoneach other. We need to start fighting for our rights together.; (intransitive)Todependupon; to pivot around, to have as a central subject.[from 17th c.]The argumentturned onthe question of whether or not jobs would be lost.
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