About-Turn

B2 8+

Pronunciation: /əˈbaʊtˌtɜrn/

Definitions of about-turn

noun a complete reversal of direction or opinion

Example Sentences

A1 He made an about-turn and headed back the way he came.

A2 The sudden about-turn in policy surprised everyone.

B1 The company's about-turn on their decision caused confusion among employees.

B2 After much deliberation, the government decided to make an about-turn on the controversial law.

C1 The CEO's about-turn on the company's direction led to a significant increase in profits.

C2 The about-turn in public opinion forced the politician to reconsider their stance on the issue.

verb to make a complete reversal of direction or opinion

Example Sentences

A1 She made an about-turn and headed back home.

A2 The team about-turned on their decision after receiving new information.

B1 The company's about-turn on their environmental policies surprised many stakeholders.

B2 The politician's about-turn on the issue alienated some of their supporters.

C1 The CEO's about-turn in strategy led to a significant increase in profits.

C2 The country's about-turn in foreign policy had far-reaching consequences on global relations.

Examples of about-turn in a Sentence

formal The military commander ordered an about-turn in strategy after analyzing the enemy's movements.

informal I was heading to the store, but then I did an about-turn when I realized I forgot my wallet.

slang The teacher made us do an about-turn on our project because she didn't like the direction we were going.

figurative After years of pursuing a career in finance, she made an about-turn and decided to follow her passion for art instead.

Grammatical Forms of about-turn

past tense

about-turned

plural

about-turns

comparative

more about-turn

superlative

most about-turn

present tense

about-turn

future tense

will about-turn

perfect tense

have about-turned

continuous tense

is about-turning

singular

about-turn

positive degree

about-turn

infinitive

to about-turn

gerund

about-turning

participle

about-turned

Origin and Evolution of about-turn

First Known Use: 1881 year
Language of Origin: English
Story behind the word: The term 'about-turn' originated in military usage to refer to a complete change in direction or position.
Evolution of the word: Originally used in a military context, 'about-turn' has evolved to also be used in everyday language to describe a sudden change in course or decision.