turn on one's heel

English

Pronunciation

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Verb

turn on one's heel (third-person singular simple present turns on one's heel, present participle turning on one's heel, simple past and past participle turned on one's heel)

1. (idiomatic) To suddenly turn away from someone or something in order to depart rapidly, especially as expressive of haughtiness, disapproval, or evasiveness.
   • 1824, Sir Walter Scott, chapter 9, in St. Ronan's Well:

     There he stood, answering shortly and gruffly to all questions proposed to him, . . . and as soon as the ancient priestess had handed him his glass of the salutiferous water, turned on his heel with a brief good-morning.

   • 1899, Arthur Conan Doyle, chapter 14, in A Duet:

     "Well, Maude, he was on the platform this morning, and when he saw me, he turned on his heel and hurried out of the station."

   • 1906, Annie Fellows Johnston, chapter 14, in The Little Colonel: Maid of Honor:

     But Bernice, standing stiff and angry in the starlight, turned on her heel without a response.

   • 1949 May 9, “Unseasonal Weather”, in Time:

     In one store she eyed a cotton dress, turned on her heel when she saw the $40 price tag.

   • 2004 March 1, Elisabeth Bumiller, “On Gay Marriage, Bush May Have Said All He’s Going To”, in New York Times, retrieved 18 July 2011:

     When Mr. Bush finished his five-minute statement . . . he abruptly turned on his heel and strode from the room, ignoring all questions.

Derived terms

• heel turn

Translations

See also

• show a clean pair of heels