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Phrase(s): turn someone down
to issue a refusal to someone. • We had to turn Joan down, even though her proposal was okay. • We turned down Joan, even though her credentials were good., Phrase(s): turn something down
1. to bend or fold something down. • He turned his coat collar down when he got inside the house. • Timmy had turned down his cuffs and caught one of them in his bicycle chain. 2. to decrease the volume of something. • Please turn the radio down. • Can’t you turn down that stereo? 3. to reject something; to deny someone’s request. • The board turned our request down. • She had turned down John’s offer of help, too.
McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs
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1. Fold or double down, as in They always turn down your bed here, or Turn down your collar. [c. 1600] 2. Invert, as in She turned down her cards, or They turn down the glasses in the cupboard. [Mid1700s] 3. Reject, fail to accept, as in They turned down his proposal, or Joe was turned down at four schools before he was finally accepted. [Late 1800s] 4. Diminish in volume, brightness, or speed. For example, Please turn down the radio; it's too loud, or They turned down the lights and began to dance. [Second half of 1800s]
American Heritage Idioms