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An abrupt turn to face the opposite direction.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: government, military, politics, war
Examples
- The soldier did an about-face and marched off.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
A reversal in direction; a reversal of attitude or opinion.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively
Examples
- When Luke heard the news, he did an abrupt about-face on the policy.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
To turn 180 degrees to face the opposite direction.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
- The soldiers would about-face immediately after the order was given.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
To change opinion or attitude drastically.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- A politician will about-face at the drop of a hat if he thinks there are votes in it.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
a major change in attitude or principle or point of view
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- an about-face on foreign policy
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: volte-face, reversal, policy change
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: change
Narrower terms: undoing
act of pivoting 180 degrees, especially in a military formation
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: about turn
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: reversion, reverse, reversal, turnabout, turnaround
change one's mind and assume the opposite viewpoint
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: rethink
turn, usually 180 degrees
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: turn
From about + face, first attested in 1861, used in the imperative in the military.
Across languages
Translations
54 source translations are retained for this English entry.
-
Czech:
čelem vzad
— military: abrupt turn to face the opposite direction
-
Dutch:
rechtsomkeert
— military: abrupt turn to face the opposite direction
-
Finnish:
täyskäännös
— military: abrupt turn to face the opposite direction
-
French:
demi-tour
— military: abrupt turn to face the opposite direction
-
French:
volte-face
— military: abrupt turn to face the opposite direction
-
French:
revirement
— military: abrupt turn to face the opposite direction
-
Galician:
media volta
— military: abrupt turn to face the opposite direction
-
Hungarian:
hátra arc
— military: abrupt turn to face the opposite direction
-
Italian:
dietro front
— military: abrupt turn to face the opposite direction
-
Italian:
dietrofront
— military: abrupt turn to face the opposite direction
-
Polish:
zwrot w tył
— military: abrupt turn to face the opposite direction
-
Portuguese:
meia-volta
— military: abrupt turn to face the opposite direction
-
Russian:
круго́м
(krugóm)
— military: abrupt turn to face the opposite direction
-
Spanish:
media vuelta
— military: abrupt turn to face the opposite direction
-
Spanish:
cambio de rumbo
— military: abrupt turn to face the opposite direction
-
Tagalog:
harap sa likod
— military: abrupt turn to face the opposite direction
-
Thai:
กลับหลังหัน
(glàp-lǎng-hǎn)
— military: abrupt turn to face the opposite direction
-
Dutch:
koerswijziging
— reversal of direction or attitude
-
Dutch:
ommezwaai
— reversal of direction or attitude
-
Finnish:
täyskäännös
— reversal of direction or attitude
-
German:
Kehrtwende
— reversal of direction or attitude
-
Hungarian:
hátraarc
— reversal of direction or attitude
-
Hungarian:
pálfordulás
— reversal of direction or attitude
-
Hungarian:
pálfordulat
— reversal of direction or attitude
-
Hungarian:
száznyolcvan fokos fordulat
— reversal of direction or attitude
-
Italian:
voltafaccia
— reversal of direction or attitude
-
Italian:
voltagabbana
— reversal of direction or attitude
-
Italian:
banderuola
— reversal of direction or attitude
-
Polish:
zwrot o 180 stopni
— reversal of direction or attitude
-
Portuguese:
reviravolta
— reversal of direction or attitude
-
Spanish:
media vuelta
— reversal of direction or attitude
-
Spanish:
virazón
— reversal of direction or attitude
-
Spanish:
cambio de rumbo
— reversal of direction or attitude
-
Dutch:
rechtsomkeert maken
— to turn 180 degrees
-
Finnish:
tehdä täyskäännös
— to turn 180 degrees
-
French:
faire demi-tour
— to turn 180 degrees
-
German:
Kehrtwende machen
— to turn 180 degrees
-
Italian:
fare dietrofront
— to turn 180 degrees
-
Polish:
obracać się o 180 stopni
— to turn 180 degrees
-
Polish:
obrócić się o 180 stopni
— to turn 180 degrees
-
Spanish:
dar la media vuelta
— to turn 180 degrees
-
Spanish:
darse media vuelta
— to turn 180 degrees
-
Thai:
กลับหลังหัน
(glàp-lǎng-hǎn)
— to turn 180 degrees
-
Dutch:
een totale ommekeer uitvoeren
— to change opinion or attitude
-
Dutch:
het roer omgooien
— to change opinion or attitude
-
Dutch:
zijn standpunt totaal wijzigen
— to change opinion or attitude
-
Finnish:
tehdä täyskäännös
— to change opinion or attitude
-
French:
faire volte-face
— to change opinion or attitude
-
Italian:
fare il voltafaccia
— to change opinion or attitude
-
Italian:
fare il voltagabbana
— to change opinion or attitude
-
Italian:
cambiare casacca
— to change opinion or attitude
-
Polish:
zmieniać poglądy o 180 stopni
— to change opinion or attitude
-
Polish:
zmienić poglądy o 180 stopni
— to change opinion or attitude
-
Spanish:
cambiar de rumbo
— to change opinion or attitude
