take turns

Idioms and Phrases

Alternate, as in Since there is only one horse, Beth and Amanda are taking turns riding . This phrase uses turn in the sense of “one of a series of actions done in succession.” [Late 1300s] Also see in turn .

Example Sentences

Visitors take turns trying to catch the green paper to win a Hello Kitty cupcake stand.

From The Daily Beast

The man is punched by one figure, then kicked by another as Aala and his friends take turns beating him on screen.

From The Daily Beast

Crammed inside, there are only eight bunks, forcing the men to take turns sleeping.

From The Daily Beast

Where a team of overweight bodyguards will take turns sitting on him and make sure he doesn't go near a bar for at least 48 hours.

From The Daily Beast

Several times during the highly tense 37-minute session, Smith had to implore of the media mob that they “take turns.”

From The Daily Beast

Both of us must not sleep at the same time; we must take turns at sleeping.

From Project Gutenberg

With three employees, the housewife ought to make them take turns in cooking and serving one of the three meals each day.

From Project Gutenberg

The period of incubation is about five weeks, and male and female take turns at sitting.

From Project Gutenberg

They 155 take turns staring steadily at her, sometimes, until they make her so nervous she can scarcely eat.

From Project Gutenberg

So he arranged with a brother, who was staying with him, to take turns standing guard at his house and at the office.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• alter
• differ
• diverge
• diversify
• divide
• fluctuate
• modify
• range