Meaning of "about-turn" in the English dictionary

PRONUNCIATION OF ABOUT-TURN

about-turn  [əˌbaʊtˈtɜːn]

GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF ABOUT-TURN

About-Turn is a verb.

The verb is the part of the sentence that is conjugated and expresses action and state of being.

See the conjugation of the verb about-turn in English.

WHAT DOES ABOUT-TURN MEAN IN ENGLISH?

U-turn

A U-turn in driving refers to performing a 180 degree rotation to reverse the direction of travel. It is called a "U-turn" because the maneuver looks like the letter U. In some areas, the maneuver is illegal, while in others, it is treated as a more ordinary turn, merely extended. In still other areas, lanes are occasionally marked "U-turn permitted" or even "U-turn only." Occasionally, on a divided highway, special U-turn ramps exist to allow traffic to make a U-turn, though often their use is restricted to emergency and police vehicles only. In the United States, U-turn regulations vary by state: in Indiana U-turns are allowed as long as the driver follows all of the precautions normally ascribed to making a left turn. Many places, including Texas and Georgia, have specially designed U-turn lanes. In Michigan, U-turns are required for many left turns to and from divided highways, as part of the Michigan Left maneuver. It can also be used to mean a sudden reversal of policy in politics.

Definition of about-turn in the English dictionary

The definition of about-turn in the dictionary is to perform an about-turn.

CONJUGATION OF THE VERB TO ABOUT-TURN

PRESENT

Present

I about-turn

you about-turn

he/she/it about-turns

we about-turn

you about-turn

they about-turn

Present continuous

I am about-turning

you are about-turning

he/she/it is about-turning

we are about-turning

you are about-turning

they are about-turning

Present perfect

I have about-turned

you have about-turned

he/she/it has about-turned

we have about-turned

you have about-turned

they have about-turned

Present perfect continuous

I have been about-turning

you have been about-turning

he/she/it has been about-turning

we have been about-turning

you have been about-turning

they have been about-turning

Present tense is used to refer to circumstances that exist at the present time or over a period that includes the present time. The present perfect refers to past events, although it can be considered to denote primarily the resulting present situation rather than the events themselves.

PAST

Past

I about-turned

you about-turned

he/she/it about-turned

we about-turned

you about-turned

they about-turned

Past continuous

I was about-turning

you were about-turning

he/she/it was about-turning

we were about-turning

you were about-turning

they were about-turning

Past perfect

I had about-turned

you had about-turned

he/she/it had about-turned

we had about-turned

you had about-turned

they had about-turned

Past perfect continuous

I had been about-turning

you had been about-turning

he/she/it had been about-turning

we had been about-turning

you had been about-turning

they had been about-turning

Past tense forms express circumstances existing at some time in the past,

FUTURE

Future

I will about-turn

you will about-turn

he/she/it will about-turn

we will about-turn

you will about-turn

they will about-turn

Future continuous

I will be about-turning

you will be about-turning

he/she/it will be about-turning

we will be about-turning

you will be about-turning

they will be about-turning

Future perfect

I will have about-turned

you will have about-turned

he/she/it will have about-turned

we will have about-turned

you will have about-turned

they will have about-turned

Future perfect continuous

I will have been about-turning

you will have been about-turning

he/she/it will have been about-turning

we will have been about-turning

you will have been about-turning

they will have been about-turning

The future is used to express circumstances that will occur at a later time.

CONDITIONAL

Conditional

I would about-turn

you would about-turn

he/she/it would about-turn

we would about-turn

you would about-turn

they would about-turn

Conditional continuous

I would be about-turning

you would be about-turning

he/she/it would be about-turning

we would be about-turning

you would be about-turning

they would be about-turning

Conditional perfect

I would have about-turn

you would have about-turn

he/she/it would have about-turn

we would have about-turn

you would have about-turn

they would have about-turn

Conditional perfect continuous

I would have been about-turning

you would have been about-turning

he/she/it would have been about-turning

we would have been about-turning

you would have been about-turning

they would have been about-turning

Conditional or "future-in-the-past" tense refers to hypothetical or possible actions.

IMPERATIVE

Imperative

you about-turn
we let´s about-turn
you about-turn

The imperative is used to form commands or requests.

NONFINITE VERB FORMS

Infinitive

to about-turn

Past participle

about-turned

Present Participle

about-turning

Infinitive shows the action beyond temporal perspective. The present participle or gerund shows the action during the session. The past participle shows the action after completion.

TRANSLATION OF ABOUT-TURN

Find out the translation of about-turn to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.

The translations of about-turn from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «about-turn» in English.

• Translator English - Chinese: 关于转
• Translator English - Spanish: media vuelta
• English: about-turn
• Translator English - Hindi: के बारे में बारी
• Translator English - Arabic: وشك بدوره
• Translator English - Russian: о - поворот
• Translator English - Portuguese: reviravolta
• Translator English - Bengali: ঘুরে দাঁড়ানো
• Translator English - French: volte-face
• Translator English - Malay: Kira-kira
• Translator English - German: Kehrtwende
• Translator English - Japanese: 約ターン
• Translator English - Korean: 약 턴
• Translator English - Javanese: Kira-kira
• Translator English - Vietnamese: quay trở lại
• Translator English - Tamil: பற்றி திருப்பம்
• Translator English - Marathi: जवळपास-वळण
• Translator English - Turkish: geriye dönüş
• Translator English - Italian: voltafaccia
• Translator English - Polish: o - kolej
• Translator English - Ukrainian: о- поворот
• Translator English - Romanian: despre -turn
• Translator English - Greek: στροφή
• Translator English - Afrikaans: ommekeer
• Translator English - Swedish: helomvändning
• Translator English - Norwegian: helomvending

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «ABOUT-TURN»

Discover the use of about-turn in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to about-turn and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.

About Turn

The combination of work and lack of a personal life hits her hard. Her family history and a concern about making her life work obliges her to do an 'about turn' and reconsider her situation.

Deirdre Haugh, 2008

About Turn, Forward March with Europe: New Directions for ...

The contributors to this volume, economists and defence analysts outline how UK governments need to: establish priorities within budget constraints, exploring a division of labour with European partners; restructure the army towards forces ...

Jane M. O. Sharp, 1996

About turn: the transformation of the South African military ...

9 forskellige forfattere har hver ydet sit bidrag til denne bog, som er den første til at beskrive de militære hovedpersoner og efterspore de sikkerhedsmæssige aftaler, som lå bag de positive ændringer i det sydafrikanske militær og ...

Jakkie Cilliers, Markus Reichardt, 1996

Turn: Remembering Our Foundations

Turn serves as a strategic tool, urging our nation toward spiritual renewal. From the Hardcover edition.

Max Lucado, 2009

Dog Training For Dummies

An about-turn is a right turn times two. When you make your turn, keep your feet together so Buddy can keep up. As you did for the right turn, use his name just before you make the turn to encourage him to stay with you. In the event Buddy has ...

Jack Volhard, Wendy Volhard, 2011

Turn: The Journal of an Artist

The second journal of an artist by "an extraordinary woman: sensitive, intelligent, perceptive"--Doris Grumbach.

Anne Truitt, 1987

Under the Greenwood Tree: A Musical Comedy

(ALL MEN FACE THE FRONT, EXCEPT FOR KAOS WHO FACES THE BACK) SHERIFF About turn. SHERIFF (MEN TURN TO THE BACK AND KAOS TO THE FRONT) (PLEADINGLY) Please men! Listen to my instructions. About turn!

John Heyworth, 2007

Not Another Story about Princess Diana

... take their cue from the music and you take your cue from them. You step off. Honour Guard, any time during Prince William's post-nuptial snog, you give the order to about turn. Remember the left-hand file do their about turn to the left as you.

S. E. Clarkson, 2011

Unreliable Memoirs

When he said 'About turn!' we about-turned. When he said 'About turn!' again we about- turned again. He then showed us how we should have done it. Facing towards us, he ordered himself to about-turn. By rights, upon completion of this ...

Clive James, 2009

Hong Kong Culture: Word and Image

“About Turn” is one of a number of poems in which Louise Ho reflects about poetry itself. But the trope of turning and being turned also turns out to be a way of talking about the context of the poetry, that of Hong Kong s return to China”.

Kam Louie, 2010

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «ABOUT-TURN»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term about-turn is used in the context of the following news items.

Young India moves beyond corrective cosmetic surgeries

Reena Kumar, 18, a first year Delhi University student, feels her life has taken 'an about-turn' since she got a nose job in April. "It's been three ... «Hindustan Times, Jul 15»

Happy Birthday, USA

That quality of dialogue and diplomacy is evident in the American Government's recent about-turn in its relationship with Cuba. Ever since the ... «Jamaica Observer, Jul 15»

Peter Hambro's nightmare when his Russian Gold miner nearly went …

... basis of the gold price continuing its upward trajectory, and when it went into reverse the company had to perform an about-turn on its plans. «Telegraph.co.uk, Jul 15»

Hawks about-turn on Aurora: we will investigate

File: The Hawks previously said it could not investigate the Aurora matter as no official complaint had been received. Video: eNCA. «eNCA, Jul 15»

PIC to the rescue

On a negative note one can't help but remember government's 2012 about-turn on the R3.3 billion offer by South Korean KT Corporation for a ... «Moneyweb.co.za, Jul 15»

Najib, no 'fair go' if you commit wrongdoing

If, as he claims, that it was a valid commercial transaction then he would not have made a quick about-turn. The reality is that the people are ... «Malaysiakini, Jul 15»

Neil Wallis: 'After four years of utter hell and devastation the case …

After the conclusion of the first hacking trial – involving Coulson, Brooks and others – the police and CPS performed an about-turn and Wallis ... «Press Gazette, Jul 15»

Talk of 'foreign crocodiles' in China's stock markets vastly overrated

"Is this [about-turn] a matter of incompetence; or ill intent?" the Financial News asked. "Not everyone wants to see China getting a strong capital ... «South China Morning Post, Jul 15»

Prasa boss does U-turn on stepping down

Mr Montana's about-turn will make it impossible for the board to maintain this stance. "I don't want to fight with the board; Prasa needs more ... «BDlive, Jul 15»

Macau casinos start winning after reversal in China visa policy

... further 5-20 per cent, he was hopeful that the smoking lounges would stay, given the government's about-turn on mainland visitor restrictions. «Financial Times, Jul 15»