Adjacent Words

turn on definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: cause to operate by flipping a switch; "switch on the light"; "turn on the stereo" [syn: switch on, turn on] [ant: cut, switch off, turn off, turn out]
2: be contingent on; "The outcomes rides on the results of the election"; "Your grade will depends on your homework" [syn: depend on, devolve on, depend upon, ride, turn on, hinge on, hinge upon]
3: produce suddenly or automatically; "Turn on the charm"; "turn on the waterworks"
4: become hostile towards; "The dog suddenly turned on the mailman"
5: cause to be agitated, excited, or roused; "The speaker charged up the crowd with his inflammatory remarks" [syn: agitate, rouse, turn on, charge, commove, excite, charge up] [ant: calm, calm down, lull, quiet, quieten, still, tranquilize, tranquillise, tranquillize]
6: stimulate sexually; "This movie usually arouses the male audience" [syn: arouse, sex, excite, turn on, wind up]
7: get high, stoned, or drugged; "He trips every weekend" [syn: trip, trip out, turn on, get off]

Merriam Webster's

verb Date: 1833 transitive verb 1. to activate or cause to flow, operate, or function by or as if by turning a control <turn the water on full> <turn on the power> 2. a. to cause to undergo an intense often visionary experience by taking a drug; broadly to cause to get high b. to move pleasurably <rock music turns her on>; also to excite sexually c. to cause to gain knowledge or appreciation of something specified <turned her on to ballet> intransitive verb to become turned on • turn-on noun

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

1. When you turn on a piece of equipment or a supply of something, you cause heat, sound, or water to be produced by adjusting the controls. I want to turn on the television... She asked them why they hadn't turned the lights on. = switch on ? turn off PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V n P 2. If someone or something turns you on, they attract you and make you feel sexually excited. (INFORMAL) The body that turns men on doesn't have to be perfect. ? turn off PHRASAL VERB: V n P see also turn-on 3. If you say that someone turns on a particular way of behaving, you mean that they suddenly start behaving in that way, and you are often also suggesting that this is insincere. (INFORMAL) He could also turn on the style when the occasion demanded. PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), also V n P 4. If someone turns on you, they attack you or speak angrily to you. Demonstrators turned on police, overturning vehicles and setting fire to them... PHRASAL VERB: V P n 5. If something turns on a particular thing, its success or truth depends on that thing. The plot turns on whether Ilsa will choose her lover or her husband. = hinge on PHRASAL VERB: V P n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

1. Reply, retort. 2. Depend on.

Moby Thesaurus

accrue from, amplify, annoy, arise from, arouse, awake, awaken, be based on, be contingent on, be dependent on, be due to, be predicated on, blow the coals, blow up, bring up, broach, bud from, call forth, call up, charge, christen, come from, come out of, depend, depend on, derive from, descend from, electrify, emanate from, emerge from, energize, enkindle, enrage, ensue from, establish, excite, fan, fan the fire, fan the flame, feed the fire, fidget, fire, flame, flip out, float, flow from, flutter, follow from, foment, found, freak out on, frenzy, galvanize, generate, germinate from, get high on, glow, go pitapat, grow from, grow out of, hang, hang on, have the fidgets, have the shakes, heat, heave, hinge, hinge on, impassion, inaugurate, incense, incite, induct, inflame, infuriate, initiate, install, institute, introduce, issue from, jerk, key up, kindle, lather up, launch, lie on, lie with, lift up, light the fuse, light up, loop in, madden, move, originate in, overexcite, palpitate, pant, pique, plug in, proceed from, quake, quaver, quiver, raise, raise up, rest, rest on, rest with, revolve on, ring in, rouse, set agoing, set astir, set fire to, set on fire, set on foot, set up, shake, shiver, shock, short, short-circuit, spring from, sprout from, squirm, stand on, start going, start up, steam up, stem from, step down, step up, stiffen, stir, stir the blood, stir the embers, stir the feelings, stir up, summon up, swell, swell with emotion, switch off, switch on, thrill, thrill to, throb, tingle, tingle with excitement, toss, toss and turn, tremble, tumble, turn off, turn on to, turn upon, twist and turn, twitch, twitter, usher in, wake, wake up, waken, warm, warm the blood, whip up, wiggle, work into, work up, wriggle, writhe