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English verb: turn back

1. turn back (motion) retrace one's course


SamplesThe hikers got into a storm and had to turn back.


Synonymsbacktrack, double back


Pattern of useSomething ----s.
Somebody ----s


Broader (hypernym)return

2. turn back (change) go back to a previous state


SamplesWe reverted to the old rules.


Synonymsregress, retrovert, return, revert


Pattern of useSomething ----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


SamplesDrive away potential burglars.
Drive away bad thoughts.
Dispel doubts.
The supermarket had to turn back many disappointed customers.


Synonymschase away, dispel, drive away, drive off, drive out, run off


Pattern of useSomebody ----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 groupdrive 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


SamplesArrest the downward trend.
Check the growth of communism in South East Asia.
Contain the rebel movement.
Turn back the tide of communism.


Synonymsarrest, check, contain, hold back, stop


Pattern of useSomebody ----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


Synonymsinvert, reverse


Pattern of useSomebody ----s something.
Something ----s something


Broader (hypernym)alter, change, modify









Based on WordNet 3.0 copyright © Princeton University.
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