turn down
turn down (phrasal verb)
/ˌtɝːn ˈdaʊn/
Meanings
- To refuse or reject an offer, request, invitation, or proposal.
- To reduce the level of sound, heat, light, or intensity of something.
- To reject someone’s application, request, or approval.
- To fold or bend something downward, such as a collar, blanket, or page corner.
- To decrease or decline in level, activity, or success. (less common)
Synonyms: refuse; reject; decline; dismiss; lower; reduce; lessen; decrease; fold back; bend down.
Example Sentences
- She decided to turn down the job offer because she wanted to stay closer to her family.
- Please turn down the music; the neighbors are trying to sleep.
- The bank turned down his loan application after reviewing his credit history.
- He turned down the edge of the blanket before sitting on the hotel bed.
- Sales began to turn down after the holiday season ended.
Etymology and Origin
The phrasal verb “turn down” combines the base verb “turn,” which entered English through Old English forms derived ultimately from Latin influences denoting rotation, direction, or change of position, with the adverb “down,” which specifies a downward orientation or reduction. This construction reflects broader patterns in English where verbs pair with directional particles to create nuanced meanings, evolving naturally from physical actions of movement or adjustment into more abstract applications over centuries.
Literal Applications in Early Printed Records
Physical uses of “turn down” first appear in contexts involving folding, bending, or directing something downward. One of the earliest printed instances occurs in Thomas Elyot’s Pasquil the Playne from 1533, where the text describes a garment detail:
“The tirfe of the cappe tourned downe afore lyke a pentise hathe a meruaylous good grace.”
Similar literal senses extended to adjusting flames or lights by lowering output, as seen in an 1855 issue of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle stating that “The gas had been turned down.”
Development of Figurative Meanings
Over time, the physical notion of directing or folding something downward gave rise to metaphorical interpretations, particularly the idea of rejecting or refusing by turning aside an opportunity or proposal as if inverting or deflecting it. This figurative extension treats an offer like an object that can be set aside or turned face down, conveying dismissal without literal motion. The sense of snubbing or suppressing emerged distinctly in American usage during the late nineteenth century, later broadening to declining invitations, jobs, or suggestions in everyday speech across English-speaking regions.
Geographical Origins and Spread
The phrasal verb originated in England, where its literal senses of folding or lowering appeared in printed texts from the early sixteenth century onward and spread through literary and practical writing. The idiomatic meaning of rejection, however, first took hold and gained prominence in the United States, appearing in American documents and slang before influencing broader international usage in the twentieth century.
Earliest Documented Evidence and Historical Context
Thorough examination of historical texts reveals the phrase’s initial appearances tied to concrete actions before its figurative expansion. Beyond the 1533 garment reference, a notable early record of the rejection sense surfaces in an 1865 report from the Journal of the House of Representatives of the United States, in a military affairs committee resolution discussing promotions:
“prevent the necessity of their being turned down by the operation of the rule of seniority.”
This quotation marks one of the first clear uses of the term in the context of refusing advancement or service. Subsequent attestations, such as a 1900 Montreal Gazette headline noting that “Denmark turns down America’s offer,” illustrate its rapid adoption for declining diplomatic or formal proposals, solidifying the modern idiomatic force without altering its core directional imagery.
Share your opinions