English verb: turn back | |||
1. | turn back (motion) retrace one's course | ||
Samples | The hikers got into a storm and had to turn back. | ||
Synonyms | backtrack, double back | ||
Pattern of use | Something ----s. Somebody ----s | ||
Broader (hypernym) | return | ||
2. | turn back (change) go back to a previous state | ||
Samples | We reverted to the old rules. | ||
Synonyms | regress, retrovert, return, revert | ||
Pattern of use | Something ----s. Somebody ----s. Something is ----ing PP. Somebody ----s PP | ||
Broader (hypernym) | change by reversal, reverse, turn | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | fall back, go back, lapse, recidivate, recover, recuperate, regress, relapse, resile, retrogress | ||
3. | turn back (motion) force to go away; used both with concrete and metaphoric meanings | ||
Samples | Drive away potential burglars. Drive away bad thoughts. Dispel doubts. The supermarket had to turn back many disappointed customers. | ||
Synonyms | chase away, dispel, drive away, drive off, drive out, run off | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something. Somebody ----s somebody. Something ----s somebody | ||
Broader (hypernym) | displace, move | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | banish, clear the air, fire, frighten, shoo, shoo away, shoo off | ||
Verb group | drive out, force out, rouse, rout out | ||
4. | turn back (competition) hold back, as of a danger or an enemy; check the expansion or influence of | ||
Samples | Arrest the downward trend. Check the growth of communism in South East Asia. Contain the rebel movement. Turn back the tide of communism. | ||
Synonyms | arrest, check, contain, hold back, stop | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something. Somebody ----s somebody. Something ----s somebody. Something ----s something | ||
Broader (hypernym) | defend | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | cut down, cut out | ||
5. | turn back (change) turn inside out or upside down | ||
Synonyms | invert, reverse | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something. Something ----s something | ||
Broader (hypernym) | alter, change, modify | ||