turn away (third-person singular simple present turns away, present participle turning away, simple past and past participle turned away)

1. (transitive, literally) To rotate so as not to face someone or something.
   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, “(please specify the book)”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC ↗:

     Thereat the Elfe did blush in priuitee, / And turnd his face away; but she the same / Dissembled faire, and faynd to ouersee.

2. (intransitive, literally) To rotate oneself so as not to face someone or something.
3. (transitive, literally) To bend or turn from a fixed course.
4. (intransitive, literally) To bend or turn from a fixed course.
5. (transitive, figuratively) To refuse to admit someone or accept something.

   Synonyms: turn back

   Coordinate term: kick out

   He was turned away at the border because he didn't have a valid visa.

   The referee turned away the players' protests.

   • c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act V, scene v], page 100 ↗:

     For heauen doth know (ſo ſhall the world perceiue)
     That I haue turn'd away my former Selfe,
     So will I thoſe that kept me Companie.

6. (transitive, figuratively) To avert or ward off the occurrence or effects of.

   to turn away disaster

7. (transitive, dated) To dismiss from service.

   to turn away a servant

8. (intransitive, figuratively) To forsake or refuse an association or commitment.

   Synonyms: turn one's back

   He turned away from his old comrades.

   She increasingly turned away from politics.

   Some people donate what they can, while others simply turn away.

• Russian: отвора́чивать

• French: détourner
• German: abweden
• Russian: отвора́чиваться

• French: détourner

• French: détourner