turn against

turn against (someone or something)

1. To defy, revolt against, or become antagonistic toward someone or something. The majority of his supporters turned against him after he failed to keep his election promises. Polls indicate that voters have turned against the proposed legislation.
2. To make or cause someone or something to defy, revolt against, or become antagonistic toward someone or something. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "turn" and "against." The company's unscrupulous move has turned even their most loyal customers against them. Can't you see that he's trying to turn Jim against you?
See also: turn
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

turn someone or something against someone or something

to cause someone to defy or revolt against someone or something; to make someone antagonistic toward someone or something. He turned the whole board against Molly. She turned the city council against the proposed law.
See also: turn
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

turn against

Become or make antagonistic to, as in Adolescents often turn against their parents, but only temporarily, or She turned him against his colleagues by telling him they were spying on him. [First half of 1800s]
See also: turn
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

turn against

v.
1. To change one's actions or attitudes to be against someone or something; become hostile or antagonistic toward someone or something: The peasants turned against the cruel ruler.
2. To cause someone or something to act or go against someone or something; make someone or something antagonistic toward someone or something: The scandal turned public opinion against the candidate. They turned my family against me.
See also: turn
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • fortify (someone or something) against (something) with (something)
  • avenge (oneself) against (someone or something)
  • get up against
  • get up against (someone or something)
  • clash
  • clash against
  • clash against (someone or something)
  • against
  • against (someone or something)
  • compete
References in periodicals archive
Now Matt (who takes the name Manta) is to spy on and turn against his new family and friends.
Zahn, Timothy. Manta's gift
"They realise the more people are made aware about the reality of a North East assembly, the more they will turn against it." Conservatives claim an assembly will lead to further red tape bureaucracy.
Anti-assembly
At a half-dozen stops along the American trail, he finds conflicts where emotions run deep and neighbors turn against neighbors with astonishing vitriol.
JEW VS. JEW: The Struggle for the Soul of American Jewry
"The crowd turn against you, they are on your back.
MY FEARS FOR COLE; Brazil nightmare as fans bait Andy; But striker's basic instincts can still inspire Reds to win the title
But, with the Senate tight and elections on the horizon, the Republican Party could turn against him, as Alabama turned, and that is the beginning of the end.
Suil Eile translated
When they turn out to be no more than a cynical fraud upon the electorate, voters turn against all parties and all politicians.
Yo, Brown..you are not Dubya's poodle!
In theory, this chemical call to arms against a pathogen may activate immune cells that happen to be near an infection, causing them to turn against the body.
Microbial trigger for autoimmunity?
Broder, Little, Brown and Comapny, $25.95; Boomerang: Clinton's Health Security Effort and the Turn Against Government in U.S.
Opportunity lost
CHIEF executive Peter Varney admitted Charlton fans were right to turn against the team during the defeat by Wycombe.
Football: VARNEY: PLAYERS LET FANS DOWN; +CHRISTMAS CHOPPING BANNED AT THE VALLEY+
These points suggested two possibilities to Hoffmann's group: Either HIV needs to team up with another infectious agent in order to do its deadly damage -- a hypothesis now being explored by a number of research groups (SN: 3/2/91, p.133) -- or HIV magnifies its lethal effects by initiating a chain reaction that causes the immune system to turn against itself.
AIDS: immune system infighting?
THIS is the moment scheming steamer Alice Henderson leaves Shieldinch - after her entire family turn against her.
IT'S SO LONG SHIELDINCH ..OR IS IT? Exclusive Does smile mean Alice will be back?
GARY MACKAY says Hearts fans won't turn against Vladimir Romanov in the wake of manager George Burley's sacking.
Football: MACKAY: FANS WILL NOT TURN ON CHIEF
PRESIDENT George Bush was last night lagging eight points behind rival John Kerry in the polls as voters turn against him over Iraq.
DUBYA IS TRAILING 8 POINTS