Looking up...
turn on
/tɜːrn ɒn/◆phrasal verb
to activate or start something
She turned on the lights before leaving the room.
She activated the lights before leaving the room.
general
To activate or start a device or system
He turned on the TV to watch the news.
He activated the TV to watch the news.
The engineer turned on the machine to begin the process.
The engineer activated the machine to start the process.
Commonly used with electronic devices and machinery.
informalslang
To make someone sexually aroused
His compliments really turned her on.
His compliments made her sexually aroused.
This meaning is informal and often considered vulgar.
informal
To direct anger or aggression toward someone
The crowd turned on the speaker when he made a controversial statement.
The crowd directed their anger toward the speaker after his statement.
This meaning implies a sudden shift in attitude.
Collocations
turn on the lightsto activate the lightsturn on the radioto activate the radioturn on the heatto activate the heating system
Antonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Context Matters
The meaning of 'turn on' depends heavily on the context. In technical contexts, it means to activate, while in informal contexts, it can have other meanings.
Gold Rule
Avoid Confusion
Be mindful of the context when using 'turn on' to avoid misunderstandings, especially in informal or slang contexts.
Word Origin
From the combination of the verb 'turn' and the preposition 'on', indicating a change in state from off to on.
Usage Notes
The phrasal verb 'turn on' is versatile and can be used in both literal and figurative contexts. The most common usage is to activate a device or system. In informal contexts, it can also refer to sexual arousal or directing anger toward someone.
Word Breakdown
turn
to rotate or change direction
rooton
in a state of operation or activation
prepositionEnglish Dictionary