make a U-turn
make a U-turn
1. Literally, to make a sudden 180-degree turn, such that one or one's vehicle is quickly facing or moving in the opposite direction. Once I realized I was going the wrong way, I had to make a U-turn at the next light. When I saw Mary in the hallway, I made a U-turn and went back the way I came.
2. By extension, to make any sudden and drastic reversal, as of opinion, policy, intention, fortune, trend, etc. After a huge public outcry about the controversial program, the president quickly made a U-turn and announced that he would not support the plan. The tech giant typically has unyielding success, but they made a major U-turn with the disastrous unveiling of their latest gadget.
See also: make
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
- literally
- be scratching (one's) head
- be scratching your head
- big boned
- cover (one's) tracks (up)
- cover one's tracks
- cover tracks
- cover your tracks
- blow smoke
- drift with