turn away
B2Neutral
Definition
Meaning
To refuse entry or service to someone; to avert one's gaze or attention from something.
To reject, dismiss, or change direction away from something, often implying a deliberate avoidance or refusal.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often carries connotations of rejection, avoidance, or physical movement away; can be used both literally and metaphorically.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning; usage is largely identical in both variants.
Connotations
Similar in both, with slight emphasis on formal refusal in business contexts in American English.
Frequency
Equally common in both British and American English; slight preference in American English for 'turn away' in security or customer service contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
turn away + noun phraseturn away + from + noun phraseturn away + (object) + from + noun phraseVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “turn a blind eye”
- “turn one's back on”
- “turn away in disgust”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to describe refusing service or entry, e.g., 'The bank may turn away clients without proper identification.'
Academic
Employed in discussions of avoidance or rejection, e.g., 'Scholars should not turn away from ethical dilemmas.'
Everyday
Common in daily situations, e.g., 'She turned away when the movie became too scary.'
Technical
In computing, it can refer to denying access or requests, e.g., 'The server turns away invalid connections.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The pub turned away the rowdy patrons after midnight.
- He turned away from the television to answer the door.
American English
- The stadium turned away the fans without tickets.
- She turned away from the argument to calm down.
adverb
British English
- He looked turn away when embarrassed, but 'away' is part of the phrasal verb.
- In the sentence, 'Turn away quickly,' 'quickly' modifies the action.
American English
- She moved turn away from the crowd, with 'away' serving as an adverbial particle.
- To use it adverbially, consider 'He stepped turn away.' but it's less common.
adjective
British English
- The turned-away guests were offered vouchers for another night.
- His turned-away glance suggested discomfort.
American English
- The turned-away applicants received email notifications.
- Her turned-away posture indicated she was upset.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I turn away from bright lights.
- The shop turned away the dog.
- The hotel turned away guests because all rooms were booked.
- She turned away from the sad news on television.
- Despite pressure, the committee refused to turn away from its environmental goals.
- The museum turns away visitors who arrive after closing time.
- The government's decision to turn away refugees sparked international debate.
- In negotiations, it's unwise to turn away potential allies without consideration.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine turning your body away from something unpleasant to remember that 'turn away' means to refuse or avoid.
Conceptual Metaphor
Rejection is physical aversion; dismissing ideas is turning from them as if they were objects.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Confusing 'turn away' with 'отвернуть' which can mean 'to unscrew' in Russian, leading to literal misinterpretations.
- Mistaking 'turn away' for 'отказаться' (to refuse) without the physical connotation.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'turn off' instead of 'turn away' for rejection, e.g., 'He turned off the offer.' (incorrect)
- Incorrect preposition: 'turn away to' instead of 'turn away from', e.g., 'She turned away to the noise.' (should be 'from')
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary meaning of 'turn away' in the sentence: 'He turned away from the harsh criticism.'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, depending on the situation.
Yes, it can be intransitive, e.g., 'She turned away in disgust,' or transitive, e.g., 'They turned away the applicants.'
'Turn away' often implies physical refusal or aversion, such as denying entry, while 'turn down' is more general, like rejecting an offer or proposal.
In British English, it's /tɜːn əˈweɪ/, with a non-rhotic 'r' in 'turn', while in American English, it's /tɜːrn əˈweɪ/, with a rhotic 'r'.