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Synonyms

turn of phrase

Idioms  

  1. A particular arrangement of words, as in I'd never heard that turn of phrase before, or An idiom can be described as a turn of phrase. This idiom alludes to the turning or shaping of objects (as on a lathe), a usage dating from the late 1600s.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“And my fishing for a perfect turn of phrase! For I suffer from a broken heart, and have spent hours in this very room, writing verse as a balm for my pain.”

From Literature

Until now Penelope had assumed this was merely a neat turn of phrase that authors used to show that someone was well and truly panicked.

From Literature

When reading this advert, you would be forgiven for skimming over the words "first-steps", as a turn of phrase.

From BBC

"He has got quite a neat turn of phrase that the King will appreciate."

From BBC

He has a memorable turn of phrase and rises to the occasion.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.