ˈtɜɹ.nɪŋ act of changing in practice or custom the law took many turnings over the years the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course he took a turn to the right the activity of shaping something on a lathe the end-product created by shaping something on a lathe a movement in a new direction the turning of the wind a shaving created when something is produced by turning it on a lathe