turn off - Wiktionary, the free dictionary (original) (raw)

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

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

  1. (transitive, obsolete) To dismiss; to fire.
    • 1789, John Moore, Zeluco, Valancourt, published 2008, page 273:
      [H]e came to this country in the service of an English gentleman, whom he was obliged to quit through the malice of the valet de chambre, who taking advantage of the young man's being overtaken with liquor on the last St.Andrew's day, turned him off, on the pretext of his being an habitual drunkard.
  2. (transitive) To power down, to switch off, to put out of operation, to deactivate (an appliance, light, mechanism, functionality etc.).
    Turn off the machine and unplug it when you leave.
    • 1989, “Ice Ice Baby”, in Hooked, performed by Vanilla Ice:
      "Will it ever stop?" Yo, I don't know / Turn off the lights, and I'll glow
    • 2006 February 17, Graham Linehan, The IT Crowd, season 1, episode 4:
      Hello, IT. Have you tried turning it off and turning it on again? Ok. Well, are you sure that it's plugged in?
  3. (intransitive, of a machine, etc.) To become deactivated; to become powered down.
    My computer turned off!
  4. (transitive) To rotate a tap or valve so as to interrupt the outflow of liquid or gas.
    Remember to turn the tap off once you've finished so you don't waste water.
  5. (transitive) To repulse, disgust, or discourage (someone).
    Cigarette smoking really turns me off.
    • 2021 December 29, Paul Clifton, “"Crisis" on the West of England line”, in RAIL, number 947, page 35:
      "They are turning people off travelling. And the removal of catering on such a long-distance route is just bonkers."
  6. (intransitive) To leave a road; to exit.
    Turn off at the next exit so we can have lunch.
  7. (dated, transitive) To avert.
    • 1914, Ernest Bramah, Max Carrados:
      "Pardon my clumsiness," he said to the lady. "I am, unfortunately, quite blind. But," he added, with a smile, to turn off the mishap, "even a blind man must have a house."
  8. (transitive, archaic) To turn out; to produce.
    • 1895, The Dawn, volumes 7-8, page 4:
      According to D. A. Wells, one boy and a machine can turn off 9,000 pair of sleeve buttons in a day.
  9. (slang, obsolete, transitive) To execute by hanging.
    • 1890, James Payn, The Burnt Million, volume 2, page 63:
      The fell had not only put its cap on, it was drawn down over its white face as that other white cap, still more terrible to look upon, covers the features of the poor wretch about to be "turned off" on the gallows.

switch off appliance or light

rotate a tap or valve to stop outflow

leave a road

repulse