turn away

turn away

1. Literally, to turn one's body, head, or eyes in a different direction, typically to avoid facing or looking at someone or something. I turned away as the couple started fighting in front of me. Don't turn away—look at me!
2. To dismiss, reject, spurn, or refuse someone or something. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "turn" and "away." It broke my heart, but I had to turn the couple away because they didn't meet our lending criteria. The store began turning away customers who hadn't already preordered the device. She turned away his romantic advances.
3. To repel, repulse, or ward off someone or something. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "turn" and "away." Extremely high prices in the area have been turning away would-be homeowners. The sight of blood turned me away.
4. To divert or deflect someone or something. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "turn" and "away." Despite numerous scandals coming to light, the politician has managed to turn away serious criticism from nearly everyone.
See also: away, turn
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

turn (away) (from someone or something)

to turn oneself to avoid someone or something. She turned away from me as I walked past, pretending not to see me. She turned from Ken and ran.

turn (someone or an animal) away (from something)

to cause someone or an animal to avoid moving toward something; to cause someone or an animal to avoid moving toward harm. The police officer turned the pedestrians away from the scene of the accident. He turned the horses away from the gate.
See also: away, turn
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

turn away

1. Send away, dismiss, as in They ran short and had to turn away many customers. [Late 1500s]
2. Repel, as in The high prices turned away prospective buyers.
3. Avert, deflect, as in She managed to turn away all criticism. [Late 1300s]
See also: away, turn
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

turn away

v.
1. To rotate and face another direction; avert one's eyes: I tried to speak to my friends, but they just turned away. Turn away while I get dressed.
2. To send someone or something away; dismiss someone or something: We turned away the people who were looking for a job. The new boss turns all criticism away.
3. To repel someone or something: The poor location of the house turned away prospective buyers. The horrible smell turned the police officer away.
4. turn away from To abandon or forsake someone or something: The volunteers turned away from the agency because they felt unappreciated.
5. turn away from To cause someone or something to abandon or forsake someone or something: Their college life turned our children away from our traditional values.
See also: away, turn
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.

turn

1. in. to go over to the other side, as with a spy or a criminal turning into an informer. (Underworld.) Is there a chance that Bart would turn?
2. tv. to corrupt someone; to turn someone to a life of crime. Pete was trying to turn a young kid.
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
See also:
  • cover (one's) tracks (up)
  • cover one's tracks
  • cover tracks
  • cover your tracks
  • être
  • be scratching (one's) head
  • be scratching your head
  • bat (one's) eyelashes
  • bat (one's) eyes
  • bat your eyelashes/eyes
References in periodicals archive
That is why those events which are still going ahead are either attracting record fields or are having to turn away competitors in huge numbers.
Another race closes entries
A court knocked down that policy as inconsistent with the (then) state of federal age-discrimination law, with the result that it became unlawful for local governments to turn away middle-aged rookies.
Dial "O" for outrage
J.C., via email I FIND it unbelievable that one polling station had to turn away voters because they ran out of ballot papers.
Queue chaos; Yourview
SHADOW home secretary Chris Grayling today faced calls for his sacking after he said bed and breakfasts run by Christians should be allowed to turn away gay couples because of their sexuality.
Grayling in trouble over gay gaffe
Summary: Bed and breakfasts run by Christians should be allowed to turn away gay couples because of their sexuality, a leading Conservative said.
Tory: B&Bs should have the right to exclude gays
She sparked a wave of anger by speaking on radio saying therapy can help gay people turn away from their lifestyle.
Outrage after 'gay cure' claim; POLITICS
"When we launched our ethical stance back in 1992, its initial appeal was very much to individual customers who wanted to know what happened to their money while it was in the bank.Now, 14 years on, a quarter of the bank's corporate customers join us precisely because we are prepared to turn away certain sorts of business".
Co-op Bank ethical policy costs nearly pounds 10m
A GROWING shortage of school places in Co Westmeath reached a new low last week when a national school principal claimed he may turn away up to 25 pupils next September.
Pupil low for school
Two tour operators believe they have finally broken the stranglehold on flights to Delhi which forced them to turn away thousands of would-be visitors to North India each year.
India set for price fall
Rangers were quickly out of the blocks and Jamie Ashdown had to be on his toes to turn away a Paul Furlong effort.
Football: GALLEN'S GOING STRONG FOR QPR; QPR.....................1 RUSHDEN.............0
If she can afford to turn away business, well then fair play to her.
Clare McKeon's column: WHERE GOD SETS RULES