Turn

n.
  1. The act of turning; movement or motion about, or as if about, a center or axis; revolution; as, the turn of a wheel.
  2. Change of direction, course, or tendency; different order, position, or aspect of affairs; alteration; vicissitude; as, the turn of the tide.
  3. One of the successive portions of a course, or of a series of occurrences, reckoning from change to change; hence, a winding; a bend; a meander.
  4. A circuitous walk, or a walk to and fro, ending where it began; a short walk; a stroll.
  5. Successive course; opportunity enjoyed by alternation with another or with others, or in due order; due chance; alternate or incidental occasion; appropriate time.
  6. Incidental or opportune deed or office; occasional act of kindness or malice; as, to do one an ill turn.
  7. Convenience; occasion; purpose; exigence; as, this will not serve his turn.
  8. Form; cast; shape; manner; fashion; -- used in a literal or figurative sense; hence, form of expression; mode of signifying; as, the turn of thought; a man of a sprightly turn in conversation.
  9. A change of condition; especially, a sudden or recurring symptom of illness, as a nervous shock, or fainting spell; as, a bad turn.
  10. A fall off the ladder at the gallows; a hanging; -- so called from the practice of causing the criminal to stand on a ladder which was turned over, so throwing him off, when the signal was given.
  11. A round of a rope or cord in order to secure it, as about a pin or a cleat.
  12. (Mining) A pit sunk in some part of a drift.
  13. (Eng. Law) A court of record, held by the sheriff twice a year in every hundred within his county.
  14. (Mus.) An embellishment or grace (marked thus, ), commonly consisting of the principal note, or that on which the turn is made, with the note above, and the semitone below, the note above being sounded first, the principal note next, and the semitone below last, the three being performed quickly, as a triplet preceding the marked note. The turn may be inverted so as to begin with the lower note, in which case the sign is either placed on end thus , or drawn thus .
    15. By turns
    1. One after another; alternately; in succession.
    2. At intervals.
    In turn ,
    in due order of succession.
    To a turn ,
    exactly; perfectly; as, done to a turn; -- a phrase alluding to the practice of cooking on a revolving spit.
    To take turns ,
    to alternate; to succeed one another in due order.
    Turn and turn about ,
    by equal alternating periods of service or duty; by turns.
    Turn bench ,
    a simple portable lathe, used on a bench by clock makers and watchmakers.
    Turn buckle .
    See Turnbuckle, in Vocabulary.
    Turn cap ,
    a sort of chimney cap which turns round with the wind so as to present its opening to the leeward.
    Turn of life (Med.),
    change of life. See under Change.
    Turn screw ,
    a screw driver.