8. (venery).—An act of coition. Hence to take a turn (or to turn a woman up) = to copulate: see Ride: also to take a turn among the cabbages, up one's petticoats (or among one's frills), in Abraham's bosom, in Love Lane, Bushey-park, Cock-alley, Cock-lane, Cupid's-alley, Cupid's-corner, Hair-court, on Mount Pleasant, among the parsley, through the stubble, or a turn on one's back (of women).
To turn up, verb. phr. (old).—1. To desist; abandon an object, pursuit, or quest; change one's habits or course of life. Thus to turn up (= to forsake) a mistress, to bury a moll (q.v.); to turn up (= cut) an acquaintance; to turn up (= cease dealing with) a tradesman; to turn up (= quit) a crowd; to turn up a flat sweet = to leave a pigeon (q.v.) in good humour after fleecing him, and so forth (Grose).
2. (Marlborough School).—To chastise: with cane, stick, or fives-bat.
A good (ill, shrewd, etc.) turn, subs. phr. (old).—A kind (spiteful or clever, etc.) act or deed: also proverbially, 'One good turn deserves another' (also ill turn, etc.).
14[?]. Babees Book [E.E.T.S.], 106. In requyting a good tourne, shew not thyself negligent nor contrarye.
1509. Barclay, Ship of Fooles [Jamieson, ii. 38]. One yll turne requyreth another.
1603. Shakspeare, Measure for Meas., iv. 2. 62. For your kindness I owe you a good turn [see same quot. subs. sense 2].
1635. Heywood. Hier. of Angels, 535. It is commendable in men to forget bad turnes done, but to bee mindefull of courtesies receiued.
c. 1620. Fletcher, Little French Lawyer, iii. 2. One good turn requires another.
Turn occurs in a multitude of phrases, all more or less colloquial. Thus to turn (= to perfect or polish) a phrase, sentence, etc.; to turn over (= mentally consider) a matter: also to turn about; to turn the corner = to begin to mend in health, pocket, prospects, etc.; to turn upside down (inside out, or the house out of windows, etc.) = to cause a commotion or disturbance, to search thoroughly; to turn over a new leaf = to reform, to make a fresh start; to turn (= distract) one's attention; to turn one's head = to unbalance the judgment, make crazy, flighty, or arrogant; to turn (or be turned of) fifteen (or any age) = to pass (or have advanced beyond) one's fifteenth birthday, to be older than; to turn against = to become unfriendly, hostile to; to turn one's flank = to circumvent, outwit; to turn away (or off) = to dismiss, sack (q.v.); to turn (or send) down (University) = (1) to rusticate, and (2) to snub, suppress (American); to turn off (= execute, accomplish, produce) a contract, design, or book: see subs. 2, and turn out, infra; to turn off (= marry) a couple; to turn off (= foil, counteract, or ignore) a joke, slight, etc.; to turn one's coat (see Turncoat); to turn one's hand to = to apply (or adapt) oneself; to turn out (= train) a scholar, soldier,
