Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Turning

Turn′ing

,
Noun.
1.
The act of one who, or that which, turns; also, a winding; a bending course; a flexure; a meander.
Through paths and
turnings
often trod by day.
Milton.
2.
The place of a turn; an angle or corner, as of a road.
It is preached at every
turning
.
Coleridge.
3.
Deviation from the way or proper course.
Harmar.
4.
Turnery, or the shaping of solid substances into various forms by means of a lathe and cutting tools.
5.
pl.
The pieces, or chips, detached in the process of turning from the material turned; – usually used in the plural.
6.
(Mil.)
A maneuver by which an enemy or a position is turned.
Turning and boring mill
,
a kind of lathe having a vertical spindle and horizontal face plate, for turning and boring large work.
Turning bridge
.
See the Note under
Drawbridge
.
Turning engine
,
an engine lathe.
Turning lathe
,
a lathe used by turners to shape their work.
Turning pair
.
See the Note under
Pair
,
Noun.
Turning point
,
the point upon which a question turns, and which decides a case.

Webster 1828 Edition


Turning

TURN'ING

,
ppr.
Moving in a circle; changing; winding.

TURN'ING

,
Noun.
A winding; a bending course; flexure; meander.
1.
Deviation from the way or proper course.

Definition 2024


turning

turning

English

Noun

turning (plural turnings)

  1. (Britain) A turn or deviation from a straight course.
    • Take the second turning on the left.
  2. The shaping of wood or metal on a lathe.
  3. The act of turning.
    • 2012 March 1, Henry Petroski, “Opening Doors”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, page 112-3:
      A doorknob of whatever roundish shape is effectively a continuum of levers, with the axis of the latching mechanismknown as the spindlebeing the fulcrum about which the turning takes place.
  4. (plural only) Shavings produced by turning something on a lathe.
    • The turnings get into your trouser turnups!

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

turning

  1. present participle of turn
    • The Earth is turning about its axis as we speak.
    • He made wooden soldiers by turning them on a hand lathe.

Statistics

Most common English words before 1923: wall · cry · step · #811: turning · village · quickly · lie