turn over

British  

verb

1. to change or cause to change position, esp so as to reverse top and bottom

2. to start (an engine), esp with a starting handle, or (of an engine) to start or function correctly

3. to shift or cause to shift position, as by rolling from side to side

4. (tr) to deliver; transfer

5. (tr) to consider carefully

   he turned over the problem for hours

6. (tr)

   1. to sell and replenish (stock in trade)

   2. to transact business and so generate gross revenue of (a specified sum)

7. (tr) to invest and recover (capital)

8. slang (tr) to rob

9. slang (tr) to defeat utterly

10. to reform; resolve to improve one's behaviour

---

noun

1. 1. the amount of business, usually expressed in terms of gross revenue, transacted during a specified period

   2. ( as modifier )

      a turnover tax

2. the rate at which stock in trade is sold and replenished

3. a change or reversal of position

4. a small semicircular or triangular pastry case filled with fruit, jam, etc

5. 1. the number of workers employed by a firm in a given period to replace those who have left

   2. the ratio between this number and the average number of employees during the same period

6. banking the amount of capital funds loaned on call during a specified period

adjective

1. (prenominal) able or designed to be turned or folded over

   a turnover collar

turn over Idioms  

1. Invert, bring the bottom to the top, as in We have to turn over the soil before we plant anything . [Second half of 1300s]

2. Shift position, as by rolling from side to side. For example, This bed is so narrow I can barely turn over . [First half of 1700s]

3. Rotate, cycle, as in The engine turned over but the car wouldn't start . [Early 1900s]

4. Think about, consider, as in She turned over the idea in her mind . [Early 1800s]

5. Transfer to another, surrender, as in I turned over the funds to the children . [Mid-1500s]

6. Do business to the extent or amount of, as in We hoped the company would turn over a million dollars the first year . [Mid-1800s]

7. Seem to lurch or heave convulsively, as in The plane hit an air pocket and my stomach turned over . [Second half of 1800s]

8. Replace or renew the constituent parts, as in Half of our staff turns over every few years . [Mid-1900s] Also see turn over a new leaf .

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

turn over

Congressional investigations can't bring criminal charges, but they can force the subjects to testify and turn over evidence -- which can be referred to the Department of Justice for criminal prosecution.

From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026

The owners agreed to turn over a chunk of their future sales to Woodmere as payback.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026

"We turn over £2m from our activities in October," said Douglas.

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026

Edelson, the attorney, has said the victims’ families are asking for OpenAI to turn over the logs of Van Rootselaar’s interactions with ChatGPT.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

I had bet Neil that when Columbia hit the water it would not turn over.

From "Flying to the Moon: An Astronaut's Story" by Michael Collins

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---

Related Words

• assign
• convey
• deliver
• entrust
• give up
• hand over
• pass on
• provide
• relinquish
• supply
• surrender

---