turn of phrase

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

“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.”

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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.

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

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

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

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Related Words

• definition 
• explanation 
• interpretation 
• language 
• phrase 
• remark 
• speech 
• statement 
• style 
• term 
• voice 
• word