Turn sb over Meaning & Examples: How to Use This Phrasal Verb

What Does “Turn sb over” Mean?

“Turn sb over” means to physically rotate or move someone from one side to another, often to change their position. It can also mean handing someone or something to another person or authority.

Introduction

The phrasal verb “turn sb over” has several uses in English. Most commonly, it refers to moving a person’s body from one side to another, such as when helping someone lie down comfortably or during medical care. Another common use is in business or legal contexts, where it means handing over control or responsibility to someone else. Understanding the Turn sb over meaning helps learners use this phrase correctly in different situations. This guide will explain the meaning, grammar, examples, and common mistakes to help you master this useful expression.

Quick Info Box

• Phrasal verb: turn somebody over
• Type: transitive
• Level: B1
• Short meaning: to rotate a person’s position or hand someone over

Structure (Grammar Rules)

“Turn sb over” is a transitive phrasal verb and can be separable or inseparable depending on meaning:

• Separable: turn + somebody + over
  Example: The nurse turned the patient over.
• Inseparable: turn over + somebody
  Example: The police turned over the suspect to the FBI.

When referring to physically moving someone, you can insert the object between “turn” and “over.” When meaning to hand someone over, the object usually follows both words.

How to Use Turn sb over?

You use “turn sb over” when talking about physically changing someone’s position, especially when they are lying down. For example, caregivers turn patients over to prevent bedsores. In a different context, it means giving control or responsibility to someone else, such as “turning over” a business or case to another person. The meaning depends on the situation, so pay attention to context clues.

Examples

Here are some examples of “turn sb over in a sentence” to show different uses:

• The nurse carefully turned the patient over to check his back.
• After the investigation, the police turned the suspect over to the federal authorities.
• Can you turn her over so she’s lying on her left side?
• The company decided to turn over the project to a new manager.
• The lifeguard turned the swimmer over and started CPR immediately.

Common Mistakes

Many learners confuse the word order or use the wrong preposition. Here are some examples:

• Incorrect: Turn over her the patient.
  Correct: Turn her over.
• Incorrect: The police turned over to the suspect.
  Correct: The police turned the suspect over.

Remember that the object usually comes between “turn” and “over” when talking about physical movement, but after “turn over” when meaning to hand someone over.

Differences / Synonyms

Similar phrasal verbs include “flip over,” “turn around,” and “hand over.”

• Flip over: Usually means to turn something quickly, often with a sudden motion, like flipping a pancake.
• Turn around: Means to rotate something or someone 180 degrees, often standing up or changing direction.
• Hand over: Means to give control or responsibility to someone else, similar to the second meaning of “turn sb over.”

“Turn sb over” is more specific to physically changing position or formally transferring responsibility, while the others have broader or different uses.

Common Collocations

Here are some common objects used with “turn sb over” and their meanings:

• Patient: Often used in medical settings when changing a patient’s position.
• Suspect: Used when handing a person over to authorities.
• Project: When transferring responsibility or control.
• Person: General use for physically moving someone.
• Case: Used when transferring legal or business matters.

Related Phrasal Verbs

Here are related phrasal verbs of turn sb over:

• Turn Off
• Turn Sb Off
• Turn Sb Out Of Sth
• Turn Sb Into Sth
• Turn Up

Real-life Dialogue

Here is a natural conversation using “turn sb over”:

Doctor: We need to turn the patient over to prevent bedsores.

Nurse: I’ll help. Should I turn him onto his left side?

Doctor: Yes, that’s perfect. Be gentle.

Practice

Complete the sentences with “turn sb over” or the correct form:

• The lifeguard __________ the unconscious swimmer to check his breathing.
• The manager decided to __________ the project __________ to a new team.
• Can you __________ me __________ so I can lie on my back?
• The police __________ the suspect __________ to the local authorities.

FAQ

• What does “turn sb over” mean?
  It means to physically change someone’s position or to hand someone or something to another person.
• Is “turn sb over” separable?
  Yes, it can be separable when talking about physical movement.
• Can “turn sb over” be used for objects?
  It is mostly used for people, but can sometimes refer to handing over control of objects or projects.
• What is the difference between “turn over” and “hand over”?
  “Turn over” can mean physically rotating or transferring responsibility, while “hand over” only means transferring responsibility.
• Is “turn sb over” formal or informal?
  It can be used in both formal and informal contexts depending on the situation.