turn off

turn off

1. verb To disable, disconnect, or stop the function of something. A noun or pronoun can be used between "turn" and "off." I forgot to turn off my laptop, and now the battery is dead. Please turn the water off when you're done brushing your teeth.
2. verb To steer a vehicle or walk off of a particular path or route. You're going to turn off at the next exit. We turned off the main path and started hiking around the edge of the lake.
3. verb To cause someone to dislike, become averse to, or lose interest in something. A noun or pronoun can be used between "turn" and "off." Sometimes followed by "to (something)." I thought the subject would be interesting, but the professor's boring lectures really turned me off. I know that the accident really turned Janet off to driving on the highway.
4. verb To cause someone to lose sexual interest or excitement. A noun or pronoun can be used between "turn" and "off." Nothing turns me off like someone who is arrogant. I think he was turned off by her many tattoos. Sorry, knowing your roommates are home kind of turns me off.
5. noun Something that causes someone to lose sexual interest or excitement. As a noun, the phrase is usually hyphenated. It's a big turn-off when a guy just talks about himself.
See also: off, turn
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

turn someone off

to dull someone's interest in someone or something. The boring prof turned me off to the subject. The preacher set out to turn off the congregation to sin.
See also: off, turn

turn something off

to switch something off so that it stops running or operating. Please turn the light off. Turn off the lights as you leave.
See also: off, turn

turn off (something) (some place)

to walk or steer one's vehicle off a route at a particular place. Turn off the highway at the first exit after the city. Let's turn off here. We turned off the path just past the big oak tree.
See also: off, turn

turn off something

to walk or turn a vehicle one way or another so that one leaves the road or route to another. You are supposed to turn off the highway at the yellow mailbox.
See also: off, turn

turn off

(something) onto something to walk or steer one's vehicle from one route to another. I turned off the main highway onto a side road. Ann turned off onto the shoulder.
See also: off, turn

turn off

[for something] to go off; to switch off. All the lights turn off automatically.
See also: off, turn

turned off

uninterested. I'm sort of turned off to stuff like that these days. Part of getting older, I guess. I can't pay attention if I'm turned off, now can I?
See also: off, turn
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

turn off

1. Stop the operation, activity, or flow of; shut off, as in Turn off the lights when you leave. [Mid-1800s]
2. Affect with dislike, revulsion, or boredom; cause to lose interest. For example, That vulgar comedian turned us off completely, or The movie was all right for an hour or so, but then I was turned off. [Slang; mid-1900s]
See also: off, turn
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

turn off

v.
1. To leave some course or direction: Turn off at the next exit.
2. To stop the operation, activity, or flow of something: She turned off the television. He turned the radio off.
3. Slang To affect someone with dislike, displeasure, or revulsion: That song really turns me off. The editorial turned off many readers.
4. Slang To affect someone with boredom: The boring lecture turned off the class. The movie turned the audience off.
5. Slang turn off to To lose interest in something: My family turned off to boating once we started swimming more.
6. Slang turn off to To cause someone to lose interest in something: Breaking my leg turned me off to skiing. I looked forward to going to the beach, but after seeing all the drunk college students there, I got really turned off.
7. Slang To cease paying attention: Whenever you don't like what I say, you just turn off.
8. Slang To cause someone to lose sexual interest: Pickup lines turn me off. His rude behavior turned off everyone he tried to pick up.
See also: off, turn
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.

turn someone off

tv. to dull someone’s interest in someone or something. The preacher set out to turn off the congregation to sin.
See also: off, someone, turn

turned off

mod. uninterested. I’m sort of turned off to stuff like that these days. Part of getting older, I guess.
See also: off, turn

turn-off

n. something that repels someone. The movie was a turn-off. I couldn’t stand it.
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
See also:
  • blow off
  • blow someone/something off
  • base off (of) (something else)
  • check off
  • bite off
  • blow off the map
  • cast off
  • call off
  • brass off
  • brassed off
References in periodicals archive
"BFH is going to turn off all outside lights on both East and West Towers and also take part in Earth Day on April 22," said head of marketing Saladino Zarka.
Bahrain to join Earth Hour initiative
It advised people to turn off the power to holiday lighting equipment when they leave the home, as well as overnight.
Citizens urged to turn off Christmas lights overnight
I know about the effect of greenhouse gases and I turn off lights and do as much as I can.
How Brum's new climate cops are planning to help save the planet; Advertisement feature
In addition, 40 percent of organizations do not even have a policy of advising users to turn off PCs at the end of the day, according to a recent Info-Tech study.
Put office energy hogs on a diet: PC power management is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to green IT
Staff failing to turn off their PC, monitor and printer before leaving for a two-week holiday produced an unnecessary 27kg of CO2 each, according to research by power and gas company E.ON.
Wasted energy costs millions
During his visit for Turn Off TV Week, Tom said: "If everyone in Wales turned off appliances like their TVs at the wall, we'd save emissions of around 170,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year."
Youngster's call to switch of your TVs
IT'S international TV Turn Off Week this week - and here are six reasons why your sex life could benefit from it for one night at least.
SEX DOCTOR: SWITCH OFF.. AND TURN ON; ISSUE OF THE WEEK
To bring yours to zero power usage, unplug it or turn off the power strip the computer plugs into.
Power down & save
Other findings: 83 percent turn off the lights when they leave a room, 84 percent turn off the water when brushing their teeth and 82 percent recycle.
Doubletree Hotels
When the team used a genetic technique to turn off APL2 in mosquitoes not previously exposed to the parasite, the change didn't alter the bugs' capacity to ward off malaria.
Nixing Malaria: DNA segment provides parasite resistance
TURN OFF YOUR MIND; THE MYSTIC SIXTIES AND THE DARK SIDE OF THE AGE OF AQUARIUS tells of the revival of the occult during the 1960s, how it caught and changed the hippie movement, and how it injected a dark side into the era which created some of the occult influences reaching into today: horror films, dark fantasy writings, witchcraft, UFO beliefs and more.
Turn Off Your Mind
Fujitsu Siemens Computers, an IT provider, is using Energy Saving Week as a platform to launch its 'Big Turn Off' campaign and to persuade UK businesses and workers to turn off their PCs when they leave the office.
Fujitsu launches 'Big Turn Off' campaign
Last summer Archbishop Sean Brady of Armagh, Northern Ireland called on Irish people to turn off their mobile phones, TVs, and personal stereos at least once a week to reflect and pray.
In practice
'' The five Big Turn Off pledges are: Turn down your thermostat by one degree.
Five simple turn-offs `could save pounds 1bn a year in energy'