turn over
B1Neutral to formal (depending on context); common in business, legal, and everyday speech.
Definition
Meaning
To flip or rotate something so the other side faces up; to change position or orientation.
To give control or possession of something to someone else; to think about carefully; (of an engine) to start running.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
A multi-word verb (phrasal verb) with separable particle 'over'. Primary meanings involve physical reversal, transfer, and consideration. In business/legal contexts, it implies a formal handover.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both use all core meanings. 'Turnover' (noun, one word) for business revenue is universal. 'Turn over a new leaf' (idiom) is identical. The idiom 'turn over in one's grave' is slightly more common in US media.
Connotations
Similar connotations across regions. In sports contexts (US football), 'turnover' specifically means loss of ball possession.
Frequency
Comparatively frequent in both dialects with minimal variation.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[NP] turn over [NP][NP] turn [NP] over to [NP]turn over (intransitive)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “turn over a new leaf”
- “turn over in one's grave”
- “turn something over in one's mind”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to the rate at which employees leave and are replaced, or the total sales revenue.
Academic
Used in discussions of power transfer, historical regime change, or textual analysis (e.g., 'turning over the concepts').
Everyday
Common for flipping food while cooking, changing sleeping position, or giving something to someone.
Technical
In mechanics, refers to an engine starting and running ('the engine turned over'). In sports, a loss of possession.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Please turn over your exam paper now.
- He decided to turn over the management to his daughter.
- I'll turn that idea over for a bit.
American English
- Turn over the chicken after 10 minutes.
- The company will turn over the documents to the authorities.
- The engine just won't turn over in this cold.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable.
American English
- Not applicable.
adjective
British English
- Not applicable as a phrasal verb; 'turnover' as a noun modifier: 'a high turnover rate'.
American English
- Not applicable as a phrasal verb; 'turnover' as a noun modifier: 'turnover statistics'.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Turn over the card to see the picture.
- She turned over in her sleep.
- Can you turn over the soil in the garden?
- The shop has a fast turnover of staff.
- He turned over the old map to look for clues.
- The government turned over power peacefully.
- Before deciding, I need to turn over all the options in my mind.
- The prosecutor demanded the defendant turn over all financial records.
- The engine finally turned over after several tries.
- The revolutionary findings turned over long-established theories in the field.
- The low-margin business relies on a massive volume of turnover to remain profitable.
- He was turned over to the federal authorities for prosecution.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a chef turning over a pancake in a pan. The action of flipping it (physical) and then giving the finished plate (transfer) to a customer.
Conceptual Metaphor
CHANGE IS TURNING; CONTROL IS A PHYSICAL OBJECT THAT CAN BE HANDED OVER.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'перевернуть' only; remember the transfer meaning 'передать'.
- The noun 'turnover' (одно слово) is not the same as the verb 'turn over'. It means 'оборот' (revenue) or 'текучесть кадров'.
- Avoid direct translation in idioms: 'turn over a new leaf' is 'начать новую жизнь', not related to a tree leaf.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'turn over' for simple 'turn' (e.g., 'He turned over the corner' instead of 'He turned the corner').
- Confusing 'turn over' (verb) with 'turnover' (noun) in writing.
- Incorrect separability: *'He turned to me over the keys' (correct: 'He turned the keys over to me').
Practice
Quiz
In a business report, 'annual turnover' most likely refers to:
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. You can say 'turn the page over' or 'turn over the page'. When the object is a pronoun, it must go in the middle: 'turn it over'.
They are often synonymous for transfer, but 'turn over' can imply a more formal, official, or complete transfer, especially to authorities. 'Hand over' is more general.
Yes, in the phrase 'turn something over in one's mind', it means to consider or ponder something carefully.
Yes, identical. Both use it for flipping food like pancakes, burgers, or fish.