verb
1. refuse to accept (Freq. 5)
-
He refused my offer of hospitality
• Derivationally related forms: ↑declination (for: ↑decline), ↑turndown, ↑rejection (for: ↑reject), ↑refusal (for: ↑refuse)
• Verb Frames:
-
Somebody ——s something
-
Somebody ——s something from somebody
-
They turn down the money
2. reject with contempt
-
She spurned his advances
• Derivationally related forms: ↑turndown, ↑scorner (for: ↑scorn), ↑spurner (for: ↑spurn), ↑rejective (for: ↑reject), ↑reject (for: ↑reject)
• Verb Frames:
-
Somebody ——s something
-
Somebody ——s somebody
3. refuse entrance or membership
-
They turned away hundreds of fans
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Black people were often rejected by country clubs
• Verb Frames:
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Somebody ——s somebody
-
Something ——s somebody
4. take a downward direction
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The economy finally turned down after a long boom
• Verb Frames:
-
Something ——s
5. make lower or quieter
-
turn down the volume of a radio
• Verb Frames:
-
Somebody ——s something
* * *
turn down [phrasal verb]
1 turn down (something) or turn (something) down : to lower the volume, temperature, etc., of something by pressing a button, moving a switch, etc.
Please turn down the heat.
The lights in the restaurant were turned down low.
He turned the volume down on the TV. = He turned down the TV.
She turned down the bedsheets.
He turned down the corner of the page.
3 turn down (someone or something) or turn (someone or something) down : to say no to (someone or something) especially in a polite way
They turned down our invitation.
• • •
Main Entry: ↑turn
Useful english dictionary. 2012.