upside
(one's) whole world was turned upside down
One's entire outlook, circumstances, or lifestyle were affected or altered (by some event), usually negatively. When I was rejected by the university that was my top choice, my whole world was turned upside down. Lena's whole world was turned upside down when her mom died, and it took a long time for her to find her way again.
See also: down, turn, upside, whole, world
on the upside
Considering the positive, beneficial, advantageous, etc., aspects of a situation, especially one that is or would be otherwise negative, detrimental, or disadvantageous. My wife went into labor while we were still away in Europe. The whole ordeal was really stressful, but on the upside, our son now has EU citizenship!
See also: on, upside
turn (someone or something) upside down
1. Literally, to physically invert someone or something. I can't go on those roller coasters that turn you upside down—they make me so nauseous.
2. To carefully examine or search a particular place (often creating a mess in the process). Can you believe I turned the entire house upside down looking for an invitation that was on my refrigerator the whole time?
3. To affect or alter one's outlook, circumstances, or lifestyle, usually negatively. Being rejected by the university that was my top choice turned my whole world upside down. Lena was turned upside down when her mom died, and it took a long time for her to find her way again.
4. To cause or introduce significant changes to something, often as a way of attempting to improve it or change its course. This method of filing is so inefficient that I think it's time to turn the whole process upside down.
See also: down, turn, upside
turn (something) inside out
1. To turn the inside part or surface of something outward; to reverse something. I was in such a rush this morning that I didn't even notice that I had turned my shirt inside out before putting it on.
2. To carefully examine or search a particular place or thing, especially when creating a mess or disorder in the process. I turned the entire house inside out looking for my passport. Federal agents turned the suspect's car inside out in their search for incriminating evidence.
3. To affect or alter something completely or very dramatically. Being rejected from my top choice of university really turned my whole world inside out.
See also: inside, out, turn
upside down
1. adjective Literally, inverted vertically; having the topmost part oriented or pointing at the bottom. Hyphenated if used before a noun. Emergency services found the car upside down on the road. Someone left an upside-down refrigerator on the side of the road.
2. adjective In a state of utter chaos, confusion, or disorder. Hyphenated if used before a noun. Sometimes I worry about bringing children into this upside-down world of ours. The entire continent has been left upside down as a result of this war.
3. adjective Having or incurring more debt than someone or something is worth or earning. Hyphenated if used before a noun. The collapse of the sub-prime mortgage market meant that millions of people have been left with upside-down properties that are all but worthless compared to the hundreds of thousands of dollars they owe for their mortgage. The entire economy has been upside down for the last five years, yet the politicians act as though everything is fine.
4. adverb In or into a physically inverted position or orientation. I had to turn the bottle upside down to get the very last bit of shampoo.
5. adverb In or into a chaotic, confused, or disordered state or manner. My life has been turned upside down since having kids.
6. adverb In or into a drastically new or changed state or manner. The new CEO turned the company completely upside down in an attempt to bring it back into profitability.
7. adverb Very thoroughly. Federal agents searched the offices upside down for any evidence of criminal wrongdoing.
See also: down, upside
upside the head
On or against the top or side of one's head. My mother wasn't afraid of smacking me upside the head if I misbehaved. He didn't see the beam swinging towards him, and it ended up bashing him upside the head.
See also: head, upside
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
turn a place upside down
Fig. to search a place thoroughly. The cops turned the whole house upside down but never found the gun. I had to turn the place upside down to find my car keys.
See also: down, place, turn, upside
turn someone or something upside down
1. Lit. to invert someone or something. The wrestler turned his opponent upside down and dropped him on his head. I turned the bottle upside down, trying to get the last drop out.
2. Fig. to upset someone or something; to thoroughly confuse someone or something. The whole business turned me upside down. It'll take days to recover.
See also: down, turn, upside
turn something upside down
Fig. to throw things all about in a thorough search for someone or something. We turned this place upside down, looking for the lost ring. Please don't turn everything upside down, looking for your book.
See also: down, turn, upside
*upside-down
Fig. in a financial state such that one owes more money on a car, truck, house, etc., than its resale value. (*Typically: be ~; get ~.) When I tried to trade in the car, I found that I was upside-down and couldn't close the deal without more money. I took a loan period that was too long and was upside-down in two years.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
turn upside down
Put in disorder, mix or mess up, as in He turned the whole house upside down looking for his checkbook. This metaphoric phrase transfers literally inverting something so that the upper part becomes the lower (or vice versa) to throwing into disorder or confusion. [First half of 1800s]
See also: down, turn, upside
upside the head
Against the side of someone's head, as in With those nightsticks the police are known for knocking suspects upside the head. [Slang; second half of 1900s]
See also: head, upside
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
turn something ˌinside ˈout/ˌupside ˈdown
1 make a place very untidy when you are searching for something: I’ve turned this drawer inside out but I can’t find my passport. The thieves turned the office upside down but they didn’t find anything valuable.
2 cause large changes: The new manager turned the old systems inside out.
See also: down, inside, out, something, turn, upside
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
turn someone upside down
tv. to upset someone; to confuse someone. The events of the week turned us both upside down.
See also: down, someone, turn, upside
turn something upside down
tv. to search a place or thing. We turned his place upside down but never found the gun.
See also: down, something, turn, upside
upside
n. the good side. There’s not much to look forward to on the upside.
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
upside the head
Against one’s head. This locution, originally from black English, most often appears in the context of hitting someone on the head. The use of upside for “alongside” or “against” dates from the 1920s, and by the 1970s the head had been added. William Safire cited a 1976 New Yorker article, “There is a further penalty of a hit upside the head for stiffing the toll collector.” The phrase is rapidly becoming a cliché.
See also: head, upside
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
- (one's) whole world was turned upside down
- crashing
- (one's) whole world came crashing down around (one)
- miss one's guess, to
- junk in the trunk
- make a move on
- make a move on (one)
- make a move on somebody
- I came, I saw, I conquered
- not hold (one's) liquor